UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Davis Mullholand always looks for ways to collaborate with those around him and help others succeed. As a Penn State architectural engineering alumnus, he credits the program and its faculty for helping him find success in his career and other aspects of his life. Now, he wants to give back to the program, inspire students to follow in his footsteps and have them serve as mentors in their communities. 

Mullholand, who earned his bachelor of architectural engineering in 1990 and is now the senior vice president of EMCOR Mechanical Services, and his wife, Marcy, have endowed the Mullholand Family Scholars in the Department of Architectural Engineering with a $150,000 commitment. 

“We need well-rounded people in the world, willing to give their time and energy to help others, whether it be through community service, mentoring or other activities,” Mullholand said. “We wanted to create a scholarship program that not only helps students financially but also encourages them to mentor and interact with each other beyond just their immediate class or discipline.”

This scholarship program will support full-time third-, fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students in architectural engineering who have exhibited acts of mentoring or helping others through nonacademic passions, including but not limited to nonprofit, charity or other volunteer work, cultural activities, athletics and community leadership roles. 

“We are very grateful for the generosity of Mr. Mullholand and his wife, Marcy,” said Sez Atamturktur Russcher, head of architectural engineering. “Such intentional efforts to enhance our students’ skills to lead in collaborative environments, in tandem with their in-depth technical education, stand to better prepare our students for the ever-changing world and will surely have substantial long-term benefits for the construction and building industries.”

According to Mullholand, he has used the collaborative skills he learned at Penn State to achieve success throughout his career. It was while obtaining his degree, playing ice hockey and working a part-time job that he learned interpersonal dynamics, priority management and conflict resolution, skills he said he uses on a daily basis. 

“Between the strong bond developed within the architectural engineering department — through hundreds of hours of studio time and group projects — and my time playing for the hockey team, I gained incredible experience in working with others, team dynamics and leadership,” Mullholand said. “This coupled with the strong education in building engineering and construction gave me an edge compared to those graduating from other programs around the country.”

Mullholand now seeks to provide students with the same opportunities he had. He said he wants to motivate students to engage with each other, faculty and industry, and he hopes this scholarship can give students the chance to succeed through collaboration and mentorship.  

“My career has been built on collaboration and helping others to achieve success, whether it means the successful completion of a project, someone finding their true passion, or even a young athlete learning the benefits of hard work and sportsmanship,” Mullholand said. “This collaboration serves the greater whole and through it, we all achieve greater success.”

This gift will advance "A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence," a focused campaign that seeks to elevate Penn State’s position as a leading public university in a world defined by rapid change and global connections. With the support of alumni and friends, “A Greater Penn State” seeks to fulfill the three key imperatives of a 21st-century public university: keeping the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; creating transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impacting the world by serving communities and fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.