The Rodel Foundation of Delaware is a fast-paced, non-profit organization focused on improving public education in their state with a small, dedicated team of talented and passionate people. Their office is in Wilmington, but they work state-wide with an intent for Delaware to be a model for the nation. Their vision is for Delaware to be a global leader in educating each of its students to contribute and thrive.

What if all children in Delaware…

• - Enter kindergarten prepared to excel
• - Have outstanding and inspiring teachers
• - Have access to the best educational content in the world at their fingertips – not just literature, math, and science, but also arts, music, and world languages
• - Are truly prepared for college or the career of their choice in an increasingly competitive and diverse world

This is their shared vision for Delaware. The Rodel Foundation of Delaware are committed to helping make it happen. Working with educators, policymakers, community leaders, and parents in communities from Wilmington to Delmar, they believe Delaware can create a system of public schools by 2020 that is among the best in the world.

The mission of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware is to help Delaware build one of the finest systems of public education in the world by 2020.

Rodel, Inc. began in 1968 as a garage start-up in the home of William “Bill” Budinger. The firm produced specially surfaced rollers used to sweep dust and other bits off printing press plates. In fact, the name “Rodel” is short for “Rollers of Delaware.” The key to the roller was the chemical coating, and Rodel went on to adapt that chemical for polishing semiconductor surfaces, working with electronics industry leaders. Its watchwords: constant innovation and an insistence on quality.

The company grew to about 1,000 employees with plants in Delaware, Arizona, North Carolina, France, Germany, Japan, and Malaysia. It was privately held until it joined the Rohm and Haas’s Shipley Electronics Group in 1997 and is now part of Dow.

In 1999, Bill, Don (Rodel’s co-founder and Bill’s brother) and Susan (director at Rodel and Bill’s daughter) Budinger, wanting to give back to the community that they called home, decided to address what they believed to be the most important issue for the future: preparing students for a 21st century global economy and a more diverse world.

The result? The creation of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware. And over a decade since then, their founders are still inspiring them to help Delaware build one of the best school systems in the world.