For the Spring 2014 Strength - Pennsylvania State Universitygiveto.psu.edu/s/1218/images/editor_documents/... · The campaign may be coming to a close, but Rodney P. Kirsch, senior

Spring 2014

For thefutureStrength

And still

It’s not too late to make history For the Future!

counting!

FTF newsletter_Spring 14.crw1.indd 1 6/2/14 1:55 PM

Thank you.Since the Trustee Matching Scholarship Program was created in 2002, hundreds of the University’s alumni and friends have become our partners in supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise be able to earn a Penn State degree. One of the most successful fundraising efforts in the University’s history, the program has now exceeded its goal of $120 million in new need-based aid. By leveraging University matching funds, donors to Trustee Scholarships have multiplied the impact of their gifts and ensured that our tradition of opportunity will continue for generations to come.

For more information on other Penn State matching programs, please visit

giveto.psu.edu.

More than…

1,000

For the students who need it the most.

26,000 850$120

T h e T r u s T e e M AT c h i n g s c h o l A r s h i p p r o g r A M

endowments

recipients to date

donors

million.


A Message from Peter Tombros

They said that it couldn’t be done. They said that the global economic downturn would stop us. They gave up on us when our community faced the greatest crisis in our history. But you never stopped believing in Penn State and Penn State students. You never stopped believing that with your support, and the support of other alumni and friends, the University could be better and stronger than ever, a leader now and a leader For the Future.

And we did it! On April 12, I had the privilege and the joy of announcing that For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students has passed its goal and raised, as of that evening, $2.158 billion. In this issue—our final issue—of the campaign newsletter, you’ll learn about the celebrations surrounding that announcement. We honored not just those volunteers and philan-thropic leaders who kept us inspired over seven tough years, but every donor and every gift that helped us to reach our goal. So many of our students and faculty took the opportunity to say thank you, too, both in person and in vid-eos that you can watch at giveto.psu.edu/closing. In their stories, you’ll discover the real impact of this campaign, measured in opportunities created and dreams fulfilled.

The campaign closing celebration was a moment with deep meaning for Penn State and Penn Staters, and it was also a moment with deep meaning for me, personally. I was the first generation in my family to go to college, and this University changed my life. Chairing the For the Future campaign has been an opportunity to give back, as best I can, and to ensure that Penn State can go on changing lives for generations to come.

That work isn’t done, not for me, not for any of us. The campaign continues until June 30, and we want to show the world that Penn Staters always go above and beyond. And even after the campaign ends, philanthropy will continue to shape what Penn State and Penn State students can become. As I step down, Martha Jordan ’76 will take the lead in our fundraising efforts as chair of the Penn State Advisory Council on Philanthropy. You can learn more about Martha on page 5, and I think you’ll agree that I couldn’t have a better successor.

Although my time as campaign chair is ending, this isn’t a good-bye. Seeing what Penn Staters can accomplish together has made me more committed than ever to keeping our community strong, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much more we can achieve, for our students and For the Future.

Sincerely,

Peter G. TombrosChair, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students

For the Future1


“First rule of show busi-ness: Never work with animals,” joked campaign chair Peter Tombros as he and the Nittany Lion waited backstage at Eisen-hower Auditorium on the evening of Saturday, April 12. But not even Penn State’s beloved mascot—or a DeLorean!—could steal the show from Tombros and the announcement he made to a crowd of more than 1,400 volunteers, donors, and Penn State community members: For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students had shot past its goal and raised $2.158 billion.

The Eisenhower event took its theme from the 1985 movie Back to the Future, and the crowd enjoyed special effects, MCs on skateboards, and a Penn State version of the film’s soundtrack hit, “Power of Love,” per-formed by undergradu-ates from the Musical Theatre program. But

For the Future2

Campaign leaders celebrate a historic fundraising success

the real power of love—“love for Penn State, love for our students and all they represent, love for the future we can create together,” said Tombros—became clear as students and faculty, onstage and in videos, shared the impact of philanthropy in their lives.

Saturday’s show was the centerpiece of a celebra-tory weekend, planned around the Blue-White Game and highlighting the many ways in which the campaign will trans-form the opportunities and experiences that Penn State offers. Banners throughout State College and posts on Facebook and Twitter thanked not just the guests who led the campaign with their volunteer service and landmark gifts, but all the supporters—more than 603,000—who helped Penn State to reach the biggest fundraising goal in its history and fulfill

1. A new comedy team: Peter Tombros and the Nittany Lion brought light-hearted entertainment as well as seri-ous gratitude to the stage and screen.

2. Musical Theatre students Brinie Wallace and Liz Schmitz rocked a 1980s-style performance that opened the Eisenhower show.

3. Evan Pugh Professor in Geosciences and Nobel Prize winner Richard Alley thanked Saturday’s audience on behalf of all Penn State faculty members.

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the campaign’s vision.

“From creating new scholarships to funding groundbreaking research to allowing our faculty to innovate in the class-room, For the Future has enhanced every aspect of a Penn State education,” President Rodney A. Erickson told reporters covering the weekend. “Penn State will thrive for generations to come because of the generosity of our supporters and the ongoing dedication of our alumni and friends.”


For the Future3

4. From special effects to sound design, every aspect of the produc-tion was handled by a team of School of Theatre faculty and students, led by Travis DeCastro. Sydney Rusak ‘14 (left) served as stage manager for the event.

5. Complete with flux capacitor, a “time-traveling” DeLorean got Tombros and the Lion to the show on time.

6. Chloe Weaver ’14 and Ryan Wood ’10 served as MCs for the evening and shared their own Penn State stories.

7. A 40’ LED wall showed videos about philanthropy and the Penn State experience, but you can also view them online at giveto.psu.edu/closing.

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For the Future4

8. At events throughout the weekend, retiring President Rodney A. Erickson received thanks for his leadership and his support of the campaign, includ-ing a new $1 million commitment he and his wife, Shari, announced during the week before the closing.

9. Restored through an estate gift from L. James Schmauch ’36, Penn State’s Land-Grant Frescoes were a popular stop over the weekend.

10. More than 72,000 fans cheered for the Nittany Lions—and welcomed campaign chair Tombros onto the field—at the Blue-White Game.

11. Before the Blue-White Game, fans and friends tail-gated at Pegula Ice Arena, created through the largest single gift to the campaign.

12. The Nittany Lion Inn hosted a Saturday night soi-ree, with music and refreshments reflecting different eras in Penn State history.

13. A rainy Friday couldn’t keep visitors away from a tour of the Children’s Garden, one of the many spaces within The Arboretum at Penn State made possible through philanthropy.

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“From creating new scholarships to funding groundbreaking research to allowing our faculty to innovate in the classroom, For the Future has enhanced every aspect of a Penn State education.”—President Erickson


For the Future5

14. The campaign may be coming to a close, but Rodney P. Kirsch, senior vice president for development and alumni relations, and Martha Jordan ’76, new volunteer chair, will lead Penn State’s continuing fundraising efforts. With an M.B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, Martha practiced law for more than twenty-five years at global firm Latham and Watkins LLP. Now retired, she has chaired the Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors, and during For the Future, she has led the Annual Giving committee and served on the campaign executive committee. With her husband, David, she has created scholarships and supported programs across the University.

PHOTO CREDITS: Matt Bellingeri: 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12. John Baranoski: Cover Photo, 3, 7, 14. Leah Eder: 11, 13. Tina Hay: 5. Penn State Public Media: 4. Patrick Mansell: 10

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“Penn State gave me the oppor-tunity to get our American dream accomplished.”

While most of his fellow ninth graders were just getting used to high school, Alex Han ’10 and his family were pack-ing up their lives and moving a continent away. Giving up successful careers in South Korea, Alex’s parents moved ev-erything to the Philadelphia suburbs to give their son a chance at a U.S. college education.

Alex, who earned a degree in account-ing from the Smeal College of Business, says, “My parents really wanted to make an investment in my education because they envisioned how it would make a difference in my life and my family’s life.” The tuition bills were soon more than they could afford, however.

“I truly believe that without the schol-arships I received, I wouldn’t be able to stand here today with these same opportunities,” says Alex, who is now a client relationship manager for Ernst & Young while also working for his family business, which prepares healthy sushi lunches for schools. “My parents know it wasn’t just them that made all of these things happen. I had great teachers, and Penn State’s donors provided a great education. ”

In videos shown during the campaign closing celebration, three recent alumni shared the impact of philanthropy in their lives.

Proof Positive

“Philanthropy tells students that there isn’t a limit to what you can do with your education.”

Applying to college can be an over-whelming experience for any high school senior, but as the first mem-ber of her family to attend college, Genevieve Miller Brown ’10 had no sibling, cousin, or parent to turn to for advice, let alone to help pay the bills.

“To take that step going to under-graduate study was really frightening because it was unknown territory,” says Genevieve, who became a Bioengi-neering major at Penn State. “Luckily, I had a lot of help at the beginning. I was given scholarships which showed me that going to college was some-thing I could do.”

At Penn State, she joined the Mashavu engineering project to design low-cost medical devices for communities in Kenya, and her faculty members encouraged her to conduct research, experiences which motivated her to pursue a Ph.D. in bioengineering at Columbia University.

“The people I met at Penn State, in-cluding the donors who supported me, are definitely the ones that gave me my confidence,” Genevieve says. “When I was 18, I would never have thought that I’d be a researcher, but Penn State saw that potential in me.”

“No doubt that where I am now has been completely launched by my time at Penn State.”

When Connor Sattely ’11 first arrived at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, he had no clear idea of his career path—but he did know he had options. He joined the campus newspaper and connected with his fellow Schreyer Honors College students. And thanks to scholarships, he was able to study overseas and discovered that being a global citizen means more than just learning another language.

“While I was abroad, I realized, ‘I have to get back out here. This is what I’m supposed to do,’” says Connor, who completed degrees in media studies and political science before pursuing a gradu-ate degree in Switzerland. He is now the chief operating officer of GovFaces.com, an international online platform to con-nect citizens and politicians.

“When you have such a good experience in college like I did, you start to think about, ‘How can I eventually give back?’” Connor says. “I really hope that as many students as possible get the same great opportunities as I did. Gifts to Penn State help students to make the most of their education.”

For the Future6

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It All Adds Up

More than 91,000 privately funded scholarships and awards funded by campaign donations have benefited nearly 45,000 students across penn state since January 1, 2007.

Donors to the campaign represent all 50 states and 91 countries around the world.

nearly 13,000 faculty and staff from across penn state have given over $61 million to the campaign.

The campaign has raised over $175 million to endow faculty positions and programs.

corporate philanthropy has totaled over $400 million throughout the campaign.

Donors gave over $65 million to build the newpenn state hershey children’s hospital.

During the campaign, Thon has raised over $73 million for the Four Diamonds Fund.

The campaign has raised over $175 million for penn state’s campuses across the commonwealth.

More than 600 penn state alumni and friends have volunteered their time for the campaign.

$2.158 billion

Total dollars raised

Total number of donors

603,000

$783million

Total raised towards

endowment

$519 million

Total raised for undergraduate scholarships

$879 million

Total number of dollars from alumni

giveto.psu.edu/closing

You can find out more about the achievements of For the Future and watch videos that share the stories of Alex, Genevieve, Connor, and other Penn State students at:

While stories like those of Alex and Genevieve and Connor are the real measure of the campaign’s success, For the Future has also produced impressive and important numbers.

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For the Future8

While this is the last issue of the For the Future campaign newsletter, Penn State will continue to share stories about the impact of philanthropy at the University, and we want to make sure that you’re getting the news and information that interest you most. Following the Winter issue, we sent out a survey to a sample of our reader-ship, so that your feedback can shape future newsletters and other communications.

More than 1,100 readers responded, and many of you praised our commitment to sharing personal stories of the impact that your gifts have on the students, faculty, and the community. You agree that quantitative mea-sures are important, too; they help to create a shared sense of accomplishment, while letting us know that there’s always room for progress. Based on your interest in different kinds of support opportunities, we’ll continue to look for compelling stories about undergraduate scholar-ships and interesting research initiatives throughout Penn State. Fifty-two percent of you found the explanations of these opportunities and programs useful.

While we love to read positive feedback, we are mak-ing a point to listen to your critiques as well. In this issue, you’ll find more numbers and charts with shorter articles. We’ll also continue to feature positive stories on the impact of philanthropy on all of Penn State’s cam-puses and colleges, not just University Park.

Your preference between electronic and printed ver-sions was split. We have and will continue to provide newsletters and other publications via mail and on our website—they can be found at giveto.psu.edu on the “Media & Events” page.

Feedback For the Future

Top Areas of Interest among Respondents

1. Scholarships

2. Research initiatives and centers of excellence

3. The Penn State giving experience

4. Funding for innovations in teaching and learning

How do you prefer to receive/read this newsletter?

Printed/Hard-Copy Only 29%

Online Only 25%

Both 13%

Other 4%

No Response 29%

Your responses help to fine-tune our communications

Beginning in late summer, we’ll be offering the oppor-tunity for you to provide feedback on all publications sent out from the Office of Development Communica-tions. Whenever you see the logo below, you can log on to giveto.psu.edu/feedback, type in the short code printed on the piece, and answer a short survey about that publication. Thank you for your help in making Penn State—and Penn State’s communications—the best that they can be.

backFeed


As alumni and friends gathered for the closing weekend of For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students at University Park, members of the Penn State community took the celebration to social media. Using #FortheFu-turePSU on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms, they thanked donors and highlighted the weekend’s festivities. On Twitter alone, 287 people par-ticipated and generated 570 tweets with the hashtag, reaching 341,695 unique accounts. Here are some of our favorite posts from the effort, which helped to an-nounce the 2.158 billion ways donors have helped Penn State and its students.

Online and Onward!Penn Staters share their gratitude on social media


T H e C A M PA I G n O B j e C T I v e S

ensuring Student OpportunityStudents with the ability and ambition to attend the University will have this opportunity through scholarship support.

enhancing Honors educationStudents of exceptional ability will experience the best honors education in the nation.

enriching the Student experienceStudents will thrive in a stimulating atmosphere that fosters global involvement, community service, creative expression, and personal growth.

Building Faculty Strength and CapacityStudents will study with the finest teachers and researchers.

Fostering Discovery and CreativityStudents and faculty members will come together within and across disciplines to pioneer new frontiers of knowledge.

Sustaining a Tradition of QualityStudents will continue to work and study with faculty whose scholarship is enhanced by continuing philanthropic support.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is commit-ted to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other protected groups. Nondiscrimination: http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD85.html U. Ed DEV 14-08

Office of University Development2 Old MainUniversity Park, PA 16802

W E A R E P E N N S T A T E

quality

discovery

faculty

student exp

honors

ensuring opport

44%

22%

9%

16%

6%

4%

Total Raised

$2,157,887,540As of April 12, 2014


Documents

For the Spring 2014 Strength - Pennsylvania State Universitygiveto.psu.edu/s/1218/images/editor_documents/... · The campaign may be coming to a close, but Rodney P. Kirsch, senior