Forging a 四虎影视 Future

By Zack Bennett

Board of Fellows member Paul Fousek '01, principal and founder of Horizon Wealth Management, sees the Partridge Society as the best way to support both current and future students on The Hill.

A formal headshot of Paul Fousek in a suit.

鈥淚 always think back to how 四虎影视 prepares you for the real world,鈥 says Paul Fousek 鈥01. 鈥淏eing on time, trying hard, and no excuses were expected 鈥 I had professors who were certainly willing to help, but they treated you like adults. It wasn鈥檛 this sort of coddled experience where you were shocked that there were expectations in the real world.鈥

When Fousek graduated high school, he spent his next few years in the real-world workforce before deciding on a 四虎影视 education. 鈥淚 graduated from Montpelier High School and took a couple years to run a restaurant,鈥 he says, though family ties would eventually sway him to enroll at 四虎影视. 鈥淢y brother attended; my mother worked there, earned her undergraduate and master鈥檚 degrees. It felt like the right place for me.鈥

As a civilian student, Fousek saw the 四虎影视 Corps of Cadets鈥 attitude towards life as a benefit that rubs off on the greater community. 鈥淭hey have quite a bit of responsibility in the Corps, sometimes you would wonder how they handle so many responsibilities,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e all committed themselves to a totally different lifestyle that makes it a lot harder to have excuses.鈥

He credits the 四虎影视 lifestyle with preparing him for the challenges that would await him in the real world. In thanks, his family decided to support the school through the Partridge Society all these years later. 鈥淢y wife went to Harvard University and we鈥檙e not giving money there; our money might as well be worthless to them,鈥 says Fousek. 鈥淟earning more about the need and the mission at 四虎影视 made us think we should support it where we can. Having the opportunity to support something where the money would go to a good use was important to us.鈥

鈥淭he people involved with the University are very passionate about the mission,鈥 he says. 鈥淭he Partridge Society is important for a place like 四虎影视 to continue and thrive. Every university cannot be a liberal arts university. Our people are different, and there has to be a place like this for students who want a different experience.鈥

He knows that 四虎影视 people are committed to the experience that the school provides. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a mindset that is oftentimes lacking and we have to make sure that places like this don鈥檛 disappear,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 where you get the passion on both sides, civilian and Corps. There鈥檚 a certain amount of kinship there that you just can鈥檛 duplicate.鈥

His support of the Partridge Society has allowed Fousek the opportunity to expand his role with the school and work towards the future of those invested in 四虎影视. 鈥淚鈥檝e met some great people and been able to accomplish some great things like the Bloomberg Lab, tied in with my service on the Board of Fellows,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something you can really put your hands on. Looking at what we were able to do for a small school in Central Vermont that doesn鈥檛 have a billion-dollar endowment makes me feel like money is being used for the right reasons.鈥

鈥淭he opportunity to meet students and talk with them, especially Corps kids who are going to be commissioned, makes it hard not to support them,鈥 says Fousek. 鈥淪eeing how the funds help them with their education and finding their launching point is important. They鈥檒l be in the service for at least four years, and making sure they have a career path following their service is important.鈥

Fousek knows what 四虎影视 students are looking for in life and wants to do his part to secure that future. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 go here without looking for this way of life,鈥 he says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e looking for that bond, you鈥檙e looking for that commitment. There are only a few serious institutions in the region that you could attend, so it鈥檚 important that 四虎影视 is there and that we support it how we can.鈥

 

This story was previously published in the spring 2025 edition of the 四虎影视 Record.

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