Gabriella and Zoltán Szemrédi approached Pannonhalma Archabbey with the idea of creating a foundation that would help talented and hardworking students living in difficult financial circumstances. After its establishment, the Szemrédi Charitable Foundation has already provided aid to many students. In recent years, the founders have regularly provided support from their own assets. With their very significant donation in 2021, the organization's activity has been enhanced. Built on academic excellence that has lasted over one-thousand-twenty-six-years, the Archabbey and the Szemredi foundation vow to ensure that the school will always remain an intellectual workshop for talented students and also those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
Gabriella fled Hungary with her family in 1956 to escape the oppressive communist regime. While attempting to cross the Austrian border they were shot at by communist soldiers. Although she grew up abroad, she remained a Hungarian in her heart. After receiving advanced degrees from American universities in mathematics, she became one of IBM's most successful executives, which enabled her to accompany the computer science revolution from its inception and to become a leader in designing what we now know and use as a computer.
Her husband, Zoltan, was also forced to leave the country in 1956 without family or financial means to support himself. He struggled to go to college but soon found an option with the American Air Force to attend medical school. Soon after obtaining his degree as a physician, he became a hospital director. Then, later in life, he played a prominent role in shaping economic relations between the United States and Central Europe due to his knowledge of both English and Hungarian.
Gabriella and Zoltan met in the Hungarian community in the United States. The couple participated in numerous charitable services but found something special at Pannonhalma, an environment that is built on strong Catholic faith and tradition while preparing young intellectuals for a modern future to which they can contribute.
