2026 Milton Hershey School Alumna of the Year: Maria Trinh Kraus ’89
When Maria Trinh Kraus ’89 first arrived at Milton Hershey School at age 10, she wasn’t thinking about leadership, legacy, or boardrooms. She was navigating loss.
Her mother had passed away just months earlier, and Maria and her siblings entered MHS still processing profound change. “I didn’t have any expectations,” she recalls. “We were still in shock.”
What she found instead was structure, hope, and a community that would shape the trajectory of her life.
“I learned the value of having a strong work ethic pretty quickly,” Maria says. “There were a lot more rules compared to being free to roam around Harrisburg—but that structure was exactly what I needed.”
As the 2026 Alumna of the Year—the highest honor bestowed on an alum in recognition of their accomplishments and service to the school—Maria reflects not only on her own journey but on a legacy rooted in partnership—bringing together the interconnected organizations of Hershey to expand opportunities for students far beyond campus.
Discovering Abundance and Belonging
Maria’s first memory of MHS remains vivid decades later: walking into the Clothing Center with a single suitcase.
“We were so poor that most of my clothes were made by my mom,” she says. “I remember seeing racks and racks of clothing that you could pick from.”
That was Maria’s first realization of what MHS provided to its students. It wasn’t just a top-notch education, but also clothing, food, health care, and more—at no cost—so that she could focus on her future and its possibilities.
In the student homes, abundance showed up in small but meaningful ways—cookie tins always full, lasting friendships created during summer days, and caring adults who provided stability.
Her first houseparents at student home Liberty were strict, she admits, but transformational. “At the time, I needed that because I was coming from a very unstructured home life.”
Equally influential were educators who became lifelong mentors. Her first teacher, Ms. Carol Schilling, helped ease her transition after her mother’s death. “She became like a pseudo mom,” Maria says. “She really helped me adjust to Milton Hershey after having just lost my mother.”
Trying Everything and Finding Confidence
At MHS, Maria fully embraced opportunity. She was president of the National Honor Society, a student government leader, class treasurer, a member of choir and handbells, a cheerleader, a gymnast, band front captain, a member of the cross country and track teams, and editor-in-chief of both The Acropolis and The Spartan. She chuckles, too, recalling her opportunity to try cross country and track, and realizing she was better at being the statistician for both teams.
“It kept you busy,” she says. “It’s what I tell students when I’m back on campus: Try everything. There is no school in the whole country that gives you the chance to do all the activities that MHS does.”
Through those experiences came one of the school’s most lasting gifts: confidence.
“When you’re allowed to try and fail, it teaches you to have confidence you otherwise wouldn’t learn,” she explains. “Keep trying until you succeed. When you don’t try, you don’t get it.”
The bonds she formed with her fellow students were equally foundational. “Your friends become like your cousins,” she says. “The friendships you create—beyond good houseparents and teachers—make your experience worthwhile. I can’t imagine going through MHS without them. We all supported each other—we were all friends.”
Even today, those bonds remain unchanged. Without hesitation, she shares: “Once a Milt, always a Milt. You just pick up right where you left off.”
A Foundation That Changed Everything
Maria describes herself as “a poster child” for the school’s mission—a young girl growing up in poverty, whose first language was not English.
When asked about the school’s impact on her life, she emotionally shares: “I wouldn’t be where I am—I wouldn’t be able to live the life I’m able to live—without Milton Hershey School. I don’t know if I would have been taken out of poverty.”
She credits MHS for giving her a strong foundation, rooted not only in academics, but also in essential skills—such as work ethic, manners, and social skills. She uses these tools every day in both her professional and personal life.
“When you’re a kid, when you’re not given the rules and the work ethic, you’re left to do whatever you want,” she says. “Milton Hershey gave me the foundation … you don’t learn those skills at any other school.”
From MHS Student to the Boardroom
After graduating from Penn State University with a degree in accounting, Maria built a distinguished business career, rising quickly through leadership roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later serving as corporate controller, vice president of finance, and executive vice president of corporate development and strategy at Bioclinica before becoming chief financial officer at Accelerated Enrollment Solutions and, later, Wedgewood Pharmacy.
“Maria embodies the highest standards of integrity and leadership,” says Wedgewood Pharmacy Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Bernal. “Her financial expertise gives our organization unwavering confidence, but what truly sets her apart is her unparalleled dedication and the culture of inclusiveness that she fosters every day around her. She is admired by colleagues at every level, and her impact extends well beyond our leadership team. I am proud to see her recognized for the excellence she brings to everything she does.”
Maria’s approach puts people first. “I’m not a normal finance person,” she says with a laugh. “I’m a business partner instead of just a numbers person. I like working with others to solve problems instead of just reporting financial information. I’m a good CFO because I bring a business mindset.”
Her professional motivation remains deeply personal: impact.
“I want to impact lives,” Maria says. “I want to make sure the companies I work for do well so employees can provide for their families and build wealth.”
Building Collaboration in the Town Built on Chocolate
Maria’s leadership reached a defining moment when she began serving on the boards of MHS, Hershey Trust Company, The Hershey Company, and The M.S. Hershey Foundation. In doing so, she followed in the footsteps of fellow MHS graduate William Dearden ’40—an alumnus who also chaired The Hershey Company Board of Directors—while charting her own historic path.
Rather than viewing these roles as personal milestones, she sees them as responsibilities.
“I just want to do good,” she says. “To make sure the Milton Hershey School Trust lives in perpetuity to serve as many students as possible. It truly is an honor to serve as the first female MHS graduate to chair both the boards of the school and The Hershey Company.”
Her proudest accomplishments center on strategic growth—guiding initiatives outlined in The M.I.L.T. Plan and now The GIFT Strategic Framework—that expand the impact for students and create opportunities for even more children, including the creation of Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning.
“As an alumna and now chairman of our Board of Managers, Maria has been a great advocate of Milton Hershey School and Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning,” said MHS President Peter G. Gurt ’85. “MHS and CHS are better because of her service, dedication, and willingness to do whatever is necessary to ensure that Mr. and Mrs. Hershey’s legacy lives on in perpetuity.”
But the legacy Maria hopes to leave goes even further.
“One of the things I’m passionate about is making sure that when students leave, they have career opportunities,” she says. “What I’m proud of is expanding and involving all the Hershey entities.”
Since she first joined the boards in January 2018, she has sought to expand the school’s One Hershey philosophy: a collaborative ecosystem connecting MHS with Hershey’s surrounding companies—known as our Hershey community partnerships—most of which were founded by Milton S. Hershey himself.
The hard work is paying off. Now, more than ever, MHS students have hundreds of opportunities to engage with the Hershey entities through Career-Focused Education—such as internships and job shadowing—and mentorship programs, including Project Fellowship. And the school continues to innovate and strengthen these strategic partnerships to provide opportunities for students and alumni.
“That’s a legacy I would love to be remembered by,” Maria says. “Getting all the Hershey entities collaborating for the good of our students and graduates.”
Paying It Forward
Serving as the first female MHS graduate chairman of the MHS Board of Managers represents one of Maria’s proudest moments.
“Giving back to a school that did so much for me—I don’t know what else could top that,” she says.
Yet recognition was never her goal.
“Getting Alumna of the Year is not something I strived for,” she says. “If it’s a result of work that impacts lives, then I’m honored. I’m not any more deserving than others who serve. I just want to make sure we’re laying the foundation as strong as it can be so we can serve even more MHS students.”
Her motivation remains rooted in gratitude and responsibility—to her family, her mentors, and the school that changed her life.
“When I reflect on my journey, I am immensely proud of my father for having the courage to give my siblings and me a chance for a better life,” Maria shares. “In addition, I’m thankful for my husband Peter—especially as we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in 2026. He continually supports me, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”
Gratitude That Transcends Language
Each time Maria returns to campus, nostalgia and appreciation follow.
“It fills me with warmth and fondness,” she says. “You don’t always realize it as a student, but what the school gives to kids who don’t have a lot is astounding.”
If she could speak directly to Milton and Catherine Hershey today, she reflects on the words her sister, Dr. Mary Trinh Pentel ’86—the first female MHS Alumna of the Year—shared in her message in 2009:
“Cảm ơn, Milton Hershey.”
Which in Vietnamese means “thank you.”
“And really,” Maria adds, “thank you in every language.”
About the Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award
The Milton Hershey School Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award began in 1954. Recipients of the award have demonstrated humanitarianism and exemplary service to others, achieved distinguished service in their careers, and exhibited high standards of achievements, both personally and professionally.