UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Several current and former members of the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society Board have established new scholarships as part of Penn State’s Open Doors Scholarship Program, a component of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” the University’s current fundraising campaign.
The Open Doors Scholarship Program benefits students who are enrolled in specific Penn State programs — known as Open Doors Programs — which are designed to help students earn their degrees, reduce debt and excel at Penn State.
Kay and Ernie Salvino have established the Kay and Ernie Salvino Open Doors Scholarship with a preference for students enrolled in STEP, the Student Transitional Experiences Program. The Salvinos explained that the goal of the scholarship is to better prepare students transitioning to the University Park campus from another Penn State campus, and to help students be more successful when they make that transition.
“Our desire in creating this scholarship is to provide students with knowledge and access to the opportunities available to them,” said Kay Salvino, who graduated from Penn State in 1969, earning a bachelor’s degree in individual and family studies, predecessor to the current human development and family studies major in the College of Health and Human Development. “The Open Doors Scholarship Program is an incredible opportunity for philanthropy.”
Martha and Jonathan Kipp have established the Martha Derby and Jonathan Kipp Open Doors Scholarship and chose a preference for Complete Penn State. The scholarship will assist students who face an unpaid bill or gap in financial aid that might keep them from graduating.
“When President Barron announced the Open Doors Scholarship Program, my husband and I decided this was an effort to encourage and endorse,” said Martha Kipp, who graduated from Penn State in 1978, earning a bachelor’s degree in man-environment relations. “We believe in education and know its importance to success in life. We also know that it can be overwhelming to need financial help, even a small amount, if a funding source can’t be identified. In our own lives we received help — what seem like trivial amounts now but were huge at the time.”
Dave and Val McClung have established the McClung Family Open Doors Scholarship with a preference for RaiseMe, which enables high school students to earn points toward future scholarships at Penn State through achievements such as “A” level work in the classroom, perfect attendance, and participation in testing such as the PSAT.
“We are fortunate to have the means to give back to Penn State,” said Dave McClung, who graduated from Penn State in 1979, earning a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration. “When we looked at the Open Doors Scholarship Programs, we felt this type of gift would put monies to work quickly, and that it will benefit multiple students each year. That was very important to Val and me.”
When a donor pledges to create an Open Doors Scholarship, the University will make its matching funds available to students right away, even before the donor’s commitment has been fulfilled.
“These three couples represent the amazing group of alumni who have taken the time to be highly involved in the life of the college through our Alumni Society Board,” said Ann C. Crouter, Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development. “They are creative, energetic and generous, and they take every opportunity they can find to make a difference for our college community. These scholarships are another example of the committed leadership they provide, and I am very grateful.”
With the Open Doors Scholarship Program, the University invites alumni and friends to help meet the urgent needs of students through endowed gifts, and Penn State will provide a 2:1 match of the donor’s gift to the endowment’s principal. The program offers various opportunities to help students who are in different stages of their college education, from those who attended specific Pennsylvania high schools that serve low-income areas (the RaiseMe option), to students making the transition from a Commonwealth Campus to University Park (the STEP option), to students close to completing their degrees who face unexpected financial hardships (the Complete Penn State option), and more.
Gifts from Penn State's alumni and friends have been essential to the success of the University's historic land-grant mission to serve the public good. To fulfill that mission for a new era of rapid change and global connections, the University has begun “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” a fast-paced campaign focused on the three key imperatives of a public university: Private support will keep the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; create transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impact the world by fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more, visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.