File photo.

Two Fresno State alumni have expanded upon their 2021 donation by planning an additional $7 million to fund scholarships from their original endowment.

Gary and Marlene Peacock’s time in Fresno can be described as a “modern fairytale script.” Though the couple spent only a short time in Fresno, they met in school, graduated together and were married only days after finishing with their bachelor’s degrees in 1977.

“It’s where I met my wife,” Gary said of his alma mater. “It provided a platform for us to be successful in the corporate world. And so we decided we wanted to make a significant difference.”

Last year, the Peacocks donated $100,000 to establish a scholarship supporting students majoring in plant or animal science at Fresno State’s Jordan College of Agricultural Studies and Technology.

The additional $7 million commitment will be used to fund additional scholarships as a tribute to Marlene’s father, Robert Krahenbuhl, who worked primarily in the agribusiness industry.

“Their gift is based on a perpetual tribute to memory because it honors Robert Krahenbuhl, Marlene’s father, and it harks back to their time here at Fresno State and how Fresno State forged an identity of the trailblazing professionals they became after graduating,” said Fresno State President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval.

Marlene was born in Madera and raised in Red Bluff, a small agricultural town in Northern California. Gary was born in Queens, New York and relocated several times before settling in Ridgecrest, where he attended high school.

“I basically acquired independence at Fresno State and the environment there,” Gary said. “We spent our time on campus with our friends and the faculty and the facilities there.”

Gary added that through the time spent on campus at the student union, library and school events, he and Marlene matured as individuals and hope the future generations of Fresno State students get to experience the same.

“We wanted to make an investment in these students,” Gary added. “We believe that it’s important that Fresno State continue to support the agricultural industry in the San Joaquin Valley.”

Fresno State student Ayden Garcia was the 2022 recipient of the Peacock Scholarship, and after graduation, hopes to become a credentialed agricultural specialist after graduation.

“The Peacock Scholarship will help me be the best agriculture teacher I can be,” Garcia said. “This support has allowed me to dedicate my time to my academic studies and pursue student leadership opportunities as I work toward obtaining my agricultural teaching credenti