Stories of Giving

Zweifels view the arts as critical to the life of the university

Paul Zweifel taught physics at Virginia Tech for decades. Before that, he studied the complex science of matter and energy at Duke University, where he earned a Ph.D.

“In retrospect, I think it was a mistake, but that’s what I did,” Zweifel said of studying physics.

From a young age, he had always nursed a passion for the arts.

When he was 4, Zweifel began studying music. As a youngster, his parents gave him a cello. In high school he took voice lessons. He later performed as a vocalist. After his retirement Zweifel taught an opera course at Virginia Tech and pursued a business providing supertitles for opera companies across the country.

That love of music has motivated Zweifel and his wife, Kathleen, to give to the arts at Virginia Tech.

“We want to attract people who want to lead an intellectual life,” he said. “The arts is centrally part of that. I think it’s so important to the life of the university.”

Zweifel, who retired in 1996, has endowed a scholarship to help students majoring in music be able to attend summer music festivals or professional development workshops.

“I just hope it’s one little thing that might encourage someone to take advantage of his or her gifts in music,” he said.