UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has named Morgan Advanced Materials, a global manufacturer of ceramics and carbon materials, as its 2024 Corporate Partner of the Year. The annual award celebrates corporate partners that have demonstrated exceptional commitment in the promotion and support of Penn State, have excellent track records of philanthropy and research, and actively engage Penn State students and alumni in the workplace and the classroom.
“Morgan Advanced Materials stands out as a beacon of excellence in corporate partnership,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Materials science and engineering has long been one of our University’s strongest areas of teaching and research, and over the past three decades, Morgan has made significant investments through philanthropy and sponsored research that have propelled us forward in this area. They also have shown a deep commitment to creating powerful educational opportunities for our students and fostering diversity in our programs. The strongest corporate partners are those that share Penn State’s values and support all facets of our mission, and I am deeply grateful for Morgan Advanced Materials’ continued partnership.”
Morgan Advanced Materials’ Performance Carbon division, which operates three manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, specializes in creating cutting-edge carbon, graphite and silicon carbide products for the semiconductor, transportation, energy and industrial processes sectors.
The development of carbon materials has been a major focus of Morgan’s relationship with Penn State dating back to the 1990s, when Morgan became a member of the University’s Carbon Research Center. The relationship continued to grow over the years, and in 2016, Morgan established the Carbon Science Centre of Excellence (CoE), a state-of-the-art global research and development center based at Innovation Park. The company has invested more than $25 million in the center, which serves as a hub for fostering interactions among faculty, students and employees who are pioneering carbon research in a wide range of industries and engineering applications.
Earlier this year, Morgan signed a memorandum of understanding with Penn State to catalyze research and development of silicon carbide, known as SiC, a cutting-edge semiconductor material. This agreement includes a new five-year, multimillion-dollar initiative and a commitment by Morgan to become a founding member of the recently launched Penn State Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance, as well as to supply the graphite materials and solutions needed for SiC development to Penn State for use by internal and external partners.
“While companies initially come to Penn State because of our research expertise or to recruit our students, as they get to know us, they begin to see how their philanthropy can make a broader impact while also making our relationship stronger,” said Andrew Read, Penn State’s senior vice president for research. “The partnership with Morgan is a good example of this. Morgan's new commitment to provide an in-kind gift of materials will help us to work together to make better semiconductors for global consumption. It also provides our students with access to the best resources available in the industry, enhancing their learning experience and better preparing them for successful careers.”
Morgan’s support also has focused directly on strengthening student experiences at Penn State. The company has made generous gifts to programming across multiple disciplines — primarily physics, engineering and the Materials Research Institute — which have sought to build student community and diversity, while also exposing participants to unique perspectives on how global companies operate and hire incoming graduates. The company has hired many Penn State students and is working with Penn State to build a pipeline of future female leaders in materials science. Morgan’s facility at Innovation Park also creates valuable opportunities for students and researchers.
“Having Morgan’s CoE here on campus allows our students and researchers to more easily understand and respond to industrial challenges,” said Read. “That proximity also plays a crucial role in the State College economy by creating jobs. Their presence attracts other companies and talent to the area, fostering a vibrant ecosystem at both the University and the surrounding community."
“It is an absolute honor to have received this award from Penn State,” said Thomas Connolly, performance carbon technology director for Morgan Advanced Materials. “We have been working together for decades, and to be recognized as a standout partner is an exceptional achievement to all the Morgan employees who have participated in this relationship over the years.”
Previous Penn State Corporate Partners of the Year include Wabtec, Corning, the GIANT Company, Erie Insurance, Ernst & Young, Schlumberger, AB Volvo, United Technologies Corp., General Electric, Chevron, Toshiba/Westinghouse, Dow Chemical, Boeing, Highmark, PNC, Barnes & Noble, Lockheed Martin and Bank of America. Penn State's Corporate Engagement Center helps organizations such as these to understand the many options for engagement and strategic partnership with the University.
Partners like Morgan 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.