UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On Nov. 14, Penn State hosted the 48th annual Renaissance Fund event celebrating 2024 honorees Roger Williams and Karen Magnuson. The event recognized Williams’ and Magnuson’s lifelong commitment to the University and local community through their professional careers, volunteerism, and philanthropy, and raised $ 385,373.15 for the Roger L. Williams and Karen L. Magnuson Renaissance Fund Scholarship. The fundraising total included a $20,000 matching gift from the Penn State Alumni Association in honor of Williams’ time as the CEO of the organization.

Each year, the Renaissance Fund honors Penn State and community leaders by raising funds to create endowed scholarships in their names. Renaissance Fund scholarships are awarded to academically talented students with demonstrated financial need. More than $1.6 million in Renaissance scholarships were awarded to 820 students in the 2023-24 academic year.

“The Renaissance Fund and its honorees represent Penn Staters’ shared commitment to making a world-class degree more accessible,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “This year’s fundraising success reflects the remarkable impact of Roger Williams and Karen Magnuson, and I am deeply grateful for their dedication to Penn State and the community.”

While Williams and Magnuson met during their careers at the University, the two were active in Penn State life long before then. Williams, a native of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, knew from a young age that he wanted to attend Penn State. He went on to complete three degrees at University Park, including a bachelor’s degree in history in 1973, a master’s degree in journalism in 1975, and a doctorate in higher education in 1988. After completing his education, he went on to hold positions at Georgetown University, the University of Arkansas, and Dick Jones Communications, as well as multiple roles at Penn State, including executive director of University Relations (now Strategic Communications) from 1986 to 1995, and ultimately executive director for the Penn State Alumni Association (PSAA) from 2003 until his retirement in 2015.

Magnuson, who grew up in State College, was involved in University life from childhood, attending art camps, playing on campus athletic facilities, enjoying Friday evening family dinners at the HUB, and participating in regular family visits to the creamery, cow barns and other campus landmarks. She became an alumna in 1975 after finishing her bachelor’s degree in visual arts. Her career at Penn State — which spanned 37 years — included multiple roles in the Office of University Relations (now Strategic Communications). She was responsible for overseeing implementation and use of the University’s first systemwide graphic identity system in 1988, and remained the essential point person for the University’s visual standards throughout her tenure. She also managed the University Editor Representative System — the network of internal communicators representing the colleges and campuses — to ensure systemwide consistency with University visual and editorial standards and University marketing initiatives and campaigns. She retired in 2015 as assistant director of University Marketing.

Williams and Magnuson’s engagement in the State College community extends far beyond their personal roots and professional pursuits. Inspired by his passion for local history, Williams serves as the president of the Centre County Historical Society, a volunteer- and membership-driven organization that aims to collect, preserve, and promote Centre County’s history. He also serves on the Dean’s Development Council for the College of Education, the Penn State All-Sports Museum Advisory Board, and recently was appointed to the WPSU Board of Representatives. He has served on the boards of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State and the Schlow Library Foundation. Both he and Magnuson are life members of the Centre County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Magnuson’s primary volunteer work is with Interfaith Human Services, a State College nonprofit organization that supports low-income families in Centre County through programs that foster financial stability. After retiring from Penn State in 2015, she joined the board of the organization, and, a year later, went on to serve as president. During her tenure, she initiated and executed a full-scale strategic planning process and collaborated with "Brand[Aid]" — a State College-based philanthropic effort of creative professionals — to overhaul the organization’s visual identity. She also was instrumental in reorganizing the governing board into active working groups aligned with the strategic plan and initiating a Futures Committee to set goals for growing the organization in response to community need. She was awarded the Interfaith Human Services Volunteer of the Year award in 2022 for her service.

“We are so grateful to everyone who supported the Renaissance Fund this year,” Williams said. “It was our honor to share the love we have for the Centre County community, Penn State, and our region’s history with those who are also dedicated to making an impact on the future through student support.”

“Being Renaissance Fund honorees has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with our friends and neighbors in the community in a new way,” Magnuson said. “We cannot wait to meet the future recipients of our scholarship fund and learn about their goals and aspirations for meeting the challenges of tomorrow.”

Gifts to the Roger L. Williams and Karen L. Magnuson Renaissance Fund are still being accepted. To learn more, visit raise.psu.edu/Renaissance2024 or contact Kathy Kurtz, associate director of annual giving, at 814-863-2052.

Gifts to Renaissance Fund Scholarships 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.