A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap
Dr. A. Paul Schaap's lifelong commitment to science, education, and the arts has shaped institutions across Michigan, culminating in the creation of the Schaap Center for the Performing Arts, a gift to the community he and his late wife Carol called home.
"The Schaap Center is a prominent place of fellowship and gathering for the appreciation of performing and visual arts, for the community."
Dr. A. Paul Schaap graduated from Hope College in 1967 with a major in chemistry and received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Harvard University in 1970. He joined the chemistry faculty at Wayne State University that same year, where he met his late wife, Carol. Dr. Schaap attained the rank of professor of chemistry, received the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, and was elected to the Academy of Scholars. He received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the university in 2010.
Dr. Schaap's research at Wayne State focused on the study of dioxetanes, chemical compounds that can be triggered to generate light. In 1987, he formed Lumigen, Inc. to commercialize these compounds for use in medical diagnostics. Lumigen was acquired by its largest customer, Beckman Coulter, Inc., in 2006, and the technology is still produced today at Lumigen's facilities in Southfield, Michigan. Dr. Schaap retired from the company in 2007.
The sale of Lumigen made possible the formation of the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation and the creation of the Schaap Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. These charitable institutions have focused on the support of education. A $10 million grant from the Fund to Wayne State in 2008 constructed a modern addition to its chemistry building, now called the A. Paul Schaap Chemistry Building. A Schaap-endowed chair in chemistry has also been created at Wayne State.
Through the Fund, significant contributions have been made to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit Public Television, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, University Liggett School, and the Grosse Pointe Theatre.
In 2008, Dr. Schaap and Carol began the Schaap Scholarship program at Detroit Merit Charter Academy for students graduating from the eighth grade. Approximately ten students a year now receive four-year scholarships to top-quality high schools, including University Liggett, University of Detroit Jesuit, Regina, and De La Salle. To date, the Schaap Foundation has invested over $4 million in this program, with an annual cost of approximately $400,000.
Through their Foundation, the Schaaps donated $5 million to the Grand Bargain for the Foundation for Detroit's Future, supporting the Detroit Institute of Arts' spinoff from the city and helping shore up the city's pension funds during its bankruptcy.
Across the past two decades, Dr. Schaap and Carol have provided major gifts for facilities at Hope College, including the A. Paul Schaap Science Center and the Saint Anne Oratory at the Carol C. Schaap Chapel, as well as endowed support for faculty and student collaborative research. In addition to the contributions they have faithfully made annually to the Hope Fund for more than 40 years to support students and financial aid and access to a Hope education, they have also given over $1 million to St. Ambrose Church.
Most recently, the Schaaps are the lead donors with a transformational gift of $30 million to create the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Center for the Performing Arts, opened in May 2026 in Grosse Pointe Park. The Schaap Center is a prominent place of fellowship and gathering for the appreciation of performing and visual arts, for the community.
BEFORE THE SHOW
Find Your Seat for the Season
Our Inaugurial Season is underway; an evening of music, theater, and dance is always close at hand. Browse what's on stage and reserve your seats.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
Everything for an Easy Evening
Parking, concessions, accessibility, and when to arrive; the details that let you settle in before the lights go down. A little planning makes for an unhurried night out.
AFTER THE CURTAIN
Keep the Stage Lit
The Schaap Center is a nonprofit, and every performance is made possible by people who believe in it. Your gift helps keep the curtain rising for seasons to come.