Kempes Schnell History Scholarship

Dr. Kempes Schnell was a member of the Department of History at The College at Brockport from 1963 to 1988. His colleagues noted that he was a superb scholar and superb teacher. The Kempes Schnell History Scholarship established in 1997 honors his involvement as a faculty member who grew in his contributions to the department and the college community by recognizing an outstanding Department of History student at the College.

Dr. Schnell was born into an Amish Mennonite community in Ohio in 1919. After high school in Orrville, OH, he attended Goshen College in Indiana. His academic career at Goshen was cut short when he needed to leave in order to earn enough to complete his studies. While he was working and saving, World War II broke out. He received conscientious objector status and did farm work until 1948 when he returned to Goshen College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1949.

He received his master’s and doctoral degrees in history in 1950 and 1955, respectively, from the University of Michigan. Between 1955 and 1963, he taught at colleges in Iowa and Mississippi. In 1963, Dr. Schnell joined the Brockport faculty as an associate professor. He became a full professor in 1966, and he received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1978.

At Brockport, Dr. Schnell taught courses in the politics of reconstruction, the anti-slavery movement, English constitutional law, and criminal justice history. His colleagues characterized him as a genial faculty member who offered wise and valuable counsel to students and his fellow faculty.

Dr. Schnell retired from the College in 1988 and moved to Chambersburg, PA, where he enjoyed reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family and friends. He passed away in 2009.

Applicants eligible for the Kempes Schnell History Scholarship should be history majors at Brockport who have at least one semester of student remaining and who demonstrate academic excellence with a GPA of 3.25 or better. Applicants should also demonstrate financial need as evidenced by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Senior students accepted for graduate study in any program at Brockport will receive preference.