UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A Penn State alumni couple has made an anonymous seven-figure estate commitment that will impact areas across the University. The planned bequest includes a unique new endowment to support the preservation of historic buildings on campus. It also will support THON, the Penn State Blue Band, The Arboretum at Penn State, the Palmer Museum of Art, and the College of Engineering.
“These donors truly embody the ideal of engaged Penn Staters, dedicated to making a positive impact,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “This latest commitment is one more powerful example of the tremendous generosity they have shown through their philanthropy and their service to the University and our students. I appreciate their humility in choosing to remain anonymous, but I am honored to be able to thank them publicly. I am deeply grateful for everything they do for the University and the ways they inspire those around them to stay engaged with our community and make a difference for our students.”
The donors, who live in State College, both have strong personal and family ties to Penn State. Both moved to State College at a young age and had parents who worked for the University; both received their undergraduate degrees here in the early 1980s; and both are currently employed here. Theirs is a deeply emotional connection to the University — its people, its traditions and its spirit.
“We’re hugely passionate about Penn State,” said the wife. “Education was really important in our families. My father used to say, ‘Never stop learning.’ Penn State gave our parents careers, gave us both an education, and now we are both continuing our own careers here. So this place is very special to us.”
“Hearing the alma mater brings tears to my eyes,” the husband said. “When we sing the line ‘Thou didst mold us, dear old State,’ my wife always looks at me because that line is absolutely true. The University has shaped me since I was a young child, when I came to campus often, then through college, and now through my professional and volunteer engagement. I am who I am because of Penn State.”
The donors have given generously to Penn State for many years, and their philanthropy has touched many areas across the University. They created an Open Doors Scholarship in the College of Engineering, which supports engineering students with the greatest financial need. They regularly give to THON, the student-run dance marathon that raises money for the Four Diamonds organization to combat childhood cancer. They have made major gifts to the Penn State Alumni Association, The Arboretum at Penn State, Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Palmer Museum of Art, including support for the new Palmer Museum building under construction at the Arboretum. They are also deeply engaged with the Penn State community as volunteers — for example, through active involvement in the Alumni Association, leadership in past University fundraising campaigns, and service as mentors for students involved with THON.
One of the key elements of their estate gift is a new historic preservation endowment, which was inspired by the donors’ lifelong interest in history and the husband’s interest in architecture. Both grew up touring Civil War battlefields regularly, and his passion to help preserve those historic spaces led to an estate gift for the National Trust for Historic Preservation several years ago. More recently, they attended an event at University House, the former residence of Penn State’s President, while the house was being renovated, and they began to inquire about the issues surrounding the preservation of historic buildings on the University Park campus.
The donors recognized that the University’s desire to renovate older buildings “the right way” — that is, maintaining functionality while preserving as much of the buildings’ original look and feel as possible — often conflicts with budgetary limitations. The first of its kind at Penn State, their endowment will provide supplementary funding to such projects, filling the budgetary gaps so the University can strike a balance between the demands of past and present, helping to keep Penn State’s historic character alive for future generations to enjoy.
“When we walk across campus, we often think of the buildings that are now gone, and some of those held fond memories for us,” said the wife. “We know change is inevitable, and sometimes change is good. But we are very excited to be able to help preserve some of what is still there, whether it’s the frescoes and the bell tower in Old Main, or Sackett Building on the mall, or the cottages — or other buildings that aren’t as old now but will someday be considered historic and may have special meaning for people who come after us.”
THON also has been one of the donors’ chief passions for many years. They work behind the scenes with THON’s student leadership and direct their funding to the group’s most pressing operational needs in a given year. “THON is proud of the fact that 96% of the money they raise goes to Four Diamonds,” the husband said. “But I realized that, as a result, they operate on a very tight budget. So we’ve designed our giving specifically to make their infrastructure stronger, to empower them to become a more impactful and more sustainable organization.” The recent estate commitment includes a sizeable endowment that will provide similar funding in perpetuity.
The donors hope that their giving will inspire others to find their own ways to support Penn State that will likewise be fulfilling, and they encourage a mindset of flexibility and creativity in doing so. “I think many donors limit themselves to existing types of gifts — for example, outright cash gifts, maybe supporting scholarships or well-established programs,” said the husband. “But there’s so much that you can do to support the University. Work with the Penn State folks to develop something unique that really connects with your passions. When you find it, it will be deeply rewarding.”
The wife added, “We have gotten so much joy out of giving to the University. So to other donors, we say find your joy in your philanthropy, and it will enrich your life and your relationship to Penn State in exciting ways even as you make it possible for new generations to have deeply meaningful – and joyful – Penn State experiences of their own.”
Donors like these 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.