An Elizabethtown College education is for people who feel the pull to contribute to the world. With a network of 24,425 living alumni, our graduates leave Etown to become the influential advocates and changemakers the world needs more of.
Alumnus Steve Poorman ’72 enrolled in the College in 1969 to study Business Management and Music. He immediately embraced the College’s Educate for Service motto, serving in leadership roles in campus clubs. After being elected president of Circle K International, the collegiate level of Kiwanis, Poorman had the opportunity to travel to New Orleans to represent the College by completing service work.
While he was heavily involved on campus, Poorman was still producing music and released his first vinyl record album as a keyboard artist while a student. He was recognized for his work and performed concerts at Rider Memorial Hall and the Elizabethtown High School Auditorium.
Soon, an opportunity to merge his musical talents and his dedication to service arose.
The Pennsylvania Hospital for Crippled Children in Elizabethtown sought support from Circle K to help entertain its patients, disadvantaged children affected by diseases like polio and tuberculosis. Poorman immediately directed all concert profits to the hospital, and Circle K used the funds to construct a miniature golf course for the patients. In addition to the golf course, each Saturday morning Circle K students leased and screened filmstrips for the children to watch.
Six months before he graduated, Poorman opened his first retail music store. Within 10 years, it became the ninth-largest chain of music stores in the United States. After graduating, he studied law and obtained a master’s degree from Norwich University. In addition to his business ventures, he developed real estate investments in Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Poorman also offered turnaround services and was appointed president of Lancaster County’s Charles Chips and Nibble with Gibbles Snack Foods in Chambersburg, Pa. Recently, he authored a book based on his experiences, titled “Navigating the Business Swamp.” In 1982, Etown dubbed Poorman its “most enterprising graduate.”
Etown also honored Poorman with the Educate For Service – Service Through Professional Achievement Award in 2017, which is among the most distinguished given to alumni of the College who demonstrate a commitment to the institution’s motto, Educate for Service.
“Giving back to your community and the College is a rewarding responsibility,” Poorman said.
View more Etown Changemakers at etown.edu/125.