ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona has received a $50,000 commitment from CSX Transportation to create the CSX Rail Transportation Engineering Scholarship, which will support students in the field of rail engineering.
The gift funds four scholarships of $2,500 each year for five years. The first scholarships were awarded for the 2023-24 academic year.
"We are proud to establish the CSX Rail Transportation Engineering Scholarship at Penn State, which reflects Penn State Altoona's vital role in shaping the next generation of leaders in the railroad industry,” said Diana Sorfleet, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at CSX. “We believe that investing in education is an investment in the future. This scholarship assists students while fostering a legacy of community partnership and innovation in railroading. CSX wants to inspire students, demonstrate our commitment to technology in the industry and nurture future talent for our ONE CSX team."
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a transportation company providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to shippers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products.
The company supports communities through its signature Pride in Service program and provides monetary and in-kind commitments to nonprofit organizations and select service partners to extend its impact.
“Penn State Altoona is grateful to our friends and partners at CSX for the generosity and foresight displayed in this impactful gift,” said Dr. Ron Darbau, chancellor of Penn State Altoona. “The Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) program attracts the brightest and best students and through the quality and dedication of our faculty and industry partners, produces graduates ready to reshape the industry. This gift provides opportunities for even more students to participate in this unique program.”
Stephen Dillen, RTE program coordinator, said that the scholarships will provide significant financial relief for students and their families.
“Our students in the Rail Transportation Engineering program are focused, energetic and talented,” said Dillen. “This gift is an investment by CSX in the future of rail transportation and the future of these deserving students. I thank CSX, and I look forward to the successes that this scholarship will provide for our students.”
RTE major Baleigh Mount was one of the first recipients of the scholarship. “Being offered a scholarship of this capacity is life-changing for someone who has had difficulty affording college tuition," Mount said. "This allows me to continue my education without worry, and I am forever grateful to CSX for this opportunity.”
Donors like CSX advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.