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Pete Gurt

President

Milton Hershey School

Hershey, PA, USA

Pete Gurt

Alasdair Hadden-Paton

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Pete Gurt’s Biography

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Pete Gurt is the president of Milton Hershey School, an educational institution that houses and provides quality education for children in need. An accomplished academic, Pete continues to commit himself to giving back to the local community and serving underprivileged children as the leader of the school.

Milton Hershey School was founded in 1909 to serve the community and offer children a safe place to learn and grow, with the hope for a brighter future. As president, Pete has set ambitious goals for the school's growth, such as opening early education centers across Pennsylvania, which follows the school's mission to break the poverty cycle and give aid to disenfranchised children.

As an alumnus of the school, Pete continues to honor the school's long-lasting legacy by spending the majority of his professional career giving back to the community. Before he was appointed the school's president, Pete worked in a variety of roles, including senior vice president and chief operating officer. Other roles, such as vice president of student life and vice president of administration,... Pete Gurt is the president of Milton Hershey School, an educational institution that houses and provides quality education for children in need. An accomplished academic, Pete continues to commit himself to giving back to the local community and serving underprivileged children as the leader of the school.

Milton Hershey School was founded in 1909 to serve the community and offer children a safe place to learn and grow, with the hope for a brighter future. As president, Pete has set ambitious goals for the school's growth, such as opening early education centers across Pennsylvania, which follows the school's mission to break the poverty cycle and give aid to disenfranchised children.

As an alumnus of the school, Pete continues to honor the school's long-lasting legacy by spending the majority of his professional career giving back to the community. Before he was appointed the school's president, Pete worked in a variety of roles, including senior vice president and chief operating officer. Other roles, such as vice president of student life and vice president of administration, have also shaped Pete's perspective as an experienced administrator.

Outside of his roles at the school, Pete has engaged himself with several directorial boards and memberships so that he can offer his expertise and experience advocating for the underprivileged. Among other appointments, he serves on the Advisory Board of the World Children's Center, a community that offers both short- and long-term homes to children in need.

Pete has been recognized with many distinctions for his impressive achievements and community service. Pete was honored as Administrator of the Year by the Coalition for Residential Education in 2009, and received the 2014 Alumni Achievement Award from Penn State Harrisburg.

Pete earned his B.A. in business from Temple University and later earned an M.A. in education from Penn State University. moreless

Pete Gurt’s Newsfeed

Milton Hershey School to expand into historic Hershey building

Pete Gurt speaks on Milton Hershey School's upcoming expansions, which will offer the ability to serve more children in need.

Penn Live

Milton Hershey High School graduates its largest-ever class

"The Class of 2021 should be called the Resilient Class. They overcame so many unprecedented challenges during their senior year due to the global pandemic,” Bob Ebert, Milton Hershey high school principal, said. “We were excited to have the opportunity to celebrate this class’s many accomplishments in person along with their families.“

Pete Gurt’s Background

Milton Hershey School

President

2014 - Present

Hershey, PA, USA

Milton Hershey School, founded in 1909, is a private boarding school that commits itself to housing and educating students in need. The school provides quality education free of cost for K-12th-grade students by offering enrichment and career-advancing experiences with the hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty.

Milton Hershey School

Various Positions

Hershey, PA, USA

Prior to his position as president of the school, Pete Gurt served in many various roles, including senior vice president and chief operating officer as well as vice president of student life and vice president of administration.

Pete Gurt’s Gallery

Board Positions

Milton Hershey School Trust

President

Hershey, PA, USA

Milton Hershey School Trust funds the school and owns the property and campuses that house the institution, enabling free education, housing, and care of students.

World Children's Center

Advisory Board

Atlanta, GA, USA

The World Children's Center seeks to offer children in need a quality education and enrichment opportunities for a better future. The Center provides life-changing experiences, food, clothing, and shelter for hundreds of children.

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Previous Board Positions

Milton Hershey School Alumni Association

Officer

Hershey, PA, USA

The Alumni Association fosters a long-lasting relationship between the institution and its alumni. The Alumni Association offers volunteer opportunities and several chapters across the country.

William E. Dearden Alumni Campus

President | Advisory Board

Hershey, PA, USA

The William E. Dearden Alumni Campus offers exclusive facilities for alumni of Milton Hershey School to return and hold events on the MHS campus. Its facilities include memorial bricks and social spaces for graduates to gather on the premises.

Media

Pete Gurt, President, Milton Hershey School and Catherine Hershey Schools

Interview

May 2021

In an interview with Philanthropy News Digest, Pete Gurt discusses work to create new educational centers in Pennsylvania, the services that the new centers will be able to provide, and hopes that the work will become a national model for childhood education.

MHS Announces New Strategic Plan—Milton Hershey School

Featured

Sep 2020

Pete Gurt describes the new goals for the school to continue upon improving trends of educating students and strengthening the school's mission for a better future. Within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school will continue to move forward and serve more children in need.

Milton Hershey School's New Years Message for 2019

Featured

Jan 2019

Pete and Jane Gurt share their aspirations and hopes for success for Milton Hershey School going into 2019.

Place of belonging

Featured

Sep 2017

Pete Gurt was featured in an article for the Northeast Times, which discusses his time at Milton Hershey School as a student, and his journey to be named President of the school several years later. This article discusses the opportunities that the students are given, and Pete reflects on his own experiences.

President Gurt's Message for a New Year 2017

Featured

Dec 2016

President Pete Gurt of Milton Hershey School shares his goals and vision for the 2017 school year, with aspirations of providing quality education for children in need in order to create a better future.

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Memberships

Hershey Rotary Club

Member

Hershey, PA, USA

The Hershey Rotary Club is a network of involved members who participate in fundraising events, social meetings, and service projects to benefit the greater community.

Awards & Endorsements

Penn State Harrisburg Celebrates Alumni Achievement

Alumni Achievement Award

Oct 2014

Middletown, PA, USA

Pete Gurt was honored with Penn State Harrisburg's Alumni Achievement Award in 2014 for his extensive work at Milton Hershey School and other charitable organizations that seek to improve the lives of disenfranchised children.

Coalition for Residential Education

Administrator of the Year

2009

Coalition for Residential Education, an organization dedicated to bringing awareness to and improving the quality of the nation's boarding schools and children's homes, honored Pete Gurt as the 2009 Administrator of the Year for his work at Milton Hershey School.

Pete Gurt’s Education

Pennsylvania State University

M.A. | Education

Temple University

B.A. | Business Administration