UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Penn State will celebrate its ninth GivingTuesday on Tuesday, Nov. 28, and Penn State Student Affairs hopes to raise money for numerous units to help support student programs, services, initiatives and organizations. All efforts will continue to aid student success and well-being at University Park and across the commonwealth.
On Nov. 28, the following Student Affairs units will celebrate GivingTuesday: The Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Collegiate Recovery Community, Gender Equity Center, Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Piazza Center, and Student Care and Advocacy. All donations will help expand and create programs, organizations and initiatives led by Student Affairs offices that benefit and support students’ success and well-being. Student Affairs invites alumni and friends to show their support by participating in GivingTuesday.
Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity
The Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (CSGD) offers students, faculty, staff and alumni a comprehensive range of education, information and advocacy services honoring gender and sexual diversity. CSGD provides various opportunities to students, such as Queer Peers for first-year students, mentorship programs, LGBTQ+ discussion groups and more than 10 awards and scholarships.
Through the efforts of this office and the University, Penn State earned another spot on Campus Pride’s “Best of the Best” LGBTQ-friendly College and Universities list, achieving an overall 5 out of 5 stars in the Campus Pride Index for 2023.
“Our work would not be complete without the support of so many campus partners who provide needed resources and services for our students. This sense of community has been so important and speaks volumes to the commitment of the University,” said Sonya Wilmoth, director of the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity.
Collegiate Recovery Community
The Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) supports students in recovery from alcohol and other substance use disorders by providing ongoing support for significant lifestyle changes, a commitment to help students in recovery find success at Penn State, and a community that reinforces healthy and sustainable habits. The CRC coordinates community-building activities and travel opportunities and provides advocacy for academic, student conduct and admissions. In addition, students are supported by a strong alumni community and are eligible to apply for dedicated scholarships and awards for their active members. In 2022, the CRC celebrated 10 years of helping students fight substance use disorders.
“There are many people who worked tirelessly to grow this program into a strong source of support for students with severe substance use disorders. Without ongoing support, these students struggle tremendously. With the help of this program, we’ve seen 10 years of students who succeed in their recoveries, who thrive academically, and who achieve professional careers, all while giving back through service to their fellow students,” said Jason Whitney, CRC program director.
The Gender Equity Center
The Gender Equity Center supports students who have been impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, harassment and other campus climate issues. Over the past year, the center has expanded its office by moving to a larger space and enhancing current and new programs and services. The center has grown its Prevention Education Team, revitalized Men Against Violence, launched an Ambassadors Program, and introduced the program Flip the Script with EAAAA (the Enhanced Assess Acknowledged Act). These changes equip students with the knowledge to create change on campus and beyond.
The Prevention Education Team now has three full-time staff members, allowing for greater research, development, evaluation and assessment of the center’s offerings. The new program, Flip the Script with EAAAA, will serve as the counterpart to Men Against Violence. Its curriculum will be dedicated to changing the narrative on gender roles and expectations while meeting the needs of a gender-diverse population.
In addition, the staff has expanded its support to students who are pregnant or experiencing reproductive health care matters; the center is now designated as primary support for these students. These changes will allow the center to continue supporting the University’s Commonwealth Campuses through violence-prevention programming and education while illuminating current programming.
Paul Robeson Cultural Center
The Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC) is open to all Penn Staters to find community support, develop leadership skills, and learn about diversity and social justice. The center provides programs and support services to encourage and cultivate the appreciation and celebration of the diverse perspectives, experiences and cultures of many underrepresented communities at Penn State. The PRCC celebrated its 50th anniversary on the University Park campus in the spring semester.
The PRCC wants to expand its services and continue traditions by creating new full-time staff positions to better support affinity groups and signature events and programs such as the BLUEprint Peer Mentoring Program to continue building community. The PRCC has always provided a diverse range of events for students, such as Fun Fridays, the Pride in Our Community pep rally during Homecoming and Blue & White Weekend, and the annual STOOP event, which continues to provide students with a platform to share their voices through their diverse talents.
The PRCC continues to be a safe space and “home away from home” for many students, especially Penn State students of color.
Piazza Center
The Piazza Center, also known as the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform, works to uplift fraternity and sorority life to produce actionable data to give practitioners, campuses and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change. The center produces best practices to increase student well-being, prevent hazing and alcohol misuse, and improve experiential learning in fraternity and sorority communities nationwide. Scholars from various colleges and universities collaborate with the Piazza Center on research projects. Any funds raised will help drive research to create stronger student leaders, safer chapters, and successful fraternity and sorority communities.
The center is currently working on numerous projects focusing on hazing, substance misuse, dangerous drinking and sexual violence prevention studies. Recently, the center has partnered with the WITH US Center for Bystander Intervention at California Polytechnic State University and the Gordie Center at the University of Virginia to determine best practices in hazing and substance misuse prevention in fraternity and sorority communities. The project will produce data for a more extensive, definitive study on curbing dangerous and deadly hazing within three years.
Student Care and Advocacy
Student Care and Advocacy helps students navigate unforeseen challenges or concerns during their collegiate career by collaborating and coordinating efforts with campus and community partners. Student Care and Advocacy assists students facing concerns on academics, health and wellness, basic needs and more. Student Care and Advocacy has supported more than 700 students needing basic assistance at University Park in the past year and more than 1,300 students at Commonwealth Campuses. Through support, the office can continue to advance new and existing initiatives, such as Students United Against Poverty, the Student Emergency Fund, and the Food and Housing Needs Survey.
Students United Against Poverty is a student organization affiliated with Student Care and Advocacy that helps combat poverty and student hardship while advocating for change through research, volunteerism and project execution. The student members provide resources and education, organize projects and programming, and provide direct student support.
In addition, Student Care and Advocacy has created the Student Emergency Fund, which assists students in financial need across the commonwealth. This fund helps students in need feel more secure; be able to cover the costs of their basic, daily needs; and improve their ability to focus on learning and connecting. The Food and Housing Needs Survey has continuously provided the University with information about students’ experiences with food and housing insecurity across each of its campuses. The results of these surveys help Penn State offer resources and support to help students thrive in and outside of the classroom.
Donate to Student Affairs
Although GivingTuesday takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 28, Penn State’s celebration kicks off early on Monday, Nov. 27, at 18:55 (6:55 p.m. EST), in honor of the year of the University's founding. Donating to Penn State Student Affairs directly supports students’ success and well-being at all Penn State campuses, allowing our students to thrive.
Gifts made on GivingTuesday 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.