Impact of eight-figure estate commitment will be felt across the University

With pledges to seven different funds across Penn State, a donor who has chosen to remain anonymous will have a profound impact on the University far into the future. The eight-figure estate commitment will bring the donor’s total support of Penn State to more than $13.5 million and enhance scholarship support in the College of Education and the College of Agricultural Sciences and at Penn State Berks; further pediatric cancer research at Penn State College of Medicine; provide top academic leaders with flexible resources; and help the Blue Band to continue inspiring pride across the Penn State community.

“The tremendous generosity of the donor is matched only by the great humility that inspired the decision to remain anonymous,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “The care and thought that went into this estate commitment reflect a deep appreciation for Penn State’s mission to serve students, families, and the communities of our commonwealth, as well as our alumni and fans, and I am deeply grateful and honored that such a far-reaching legacy will be entrusted to our institution.”

Among the largest scholarship endowments ever established in the College of Education, the donor’s support will assist students who are preparing for careers teaching world languages or English as a secondary language. Dean Kimberly A. Lawless said, “To address Pennsylvania’s shortage of K-12 teachers, it is imperative that we incentivize young people to enter the profession. This extraordinary gift will eliminate financial barriers to a College of Education degree, empowering students from diverse social and economic backgrounds to pursue meaningful careers that impact communities, the Commonwealth and society as a whole. Our gratitude to this special donor is immeasurable.”

That gratitude is echoed by László Kulcsár, interim dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences, for a new scholarship endowment that will direct support to first-generation college students with financial need, with a first preference for those with an interest in poultry science.

“The College of Agricultural Sciences has long represented a pathway for undergraduates who are the first in their family to pursue higher education, and our opportunities in poultry and avian science are highly regarded. On behalf of the college, I offer my thanks to the donor for helping us to keep these opportunities in reach for future generations,” Kulcsár said.

At Penn State Berks, an endowed scholarship for undergraduates with financial need has been paired with a chancellor’s excellence fund to provide campus leadership with resources to address urgent needs and seize emerging opportunities. Chancellor Radha Pyati said, “These gifts will help us to support ambitious students in choosing Penn State Berks and to sustain the strong academic programs and campus community that will help those students to thrive both at our campus and long after graduation. We are so honored by and grateful for this commitment to the future of Penn State Berks.”

Two funds will also be created at Penn State College of Medicine: a dean’s excellence fund and a research endowment that will complement the investments made by Four Diamonds in pediatric cancer research. Dean Karen Kim said, “As we work to prepare aspiring physicians for leadership in the field of medicine, and as we continue our pursuit of a future cure and better care for young patients facing childhood cancer, these endowments will help to grow and accelerate our efforts, and my gratitude will be shared by students and families for many years to come.”

The impact of the donor’s estate commitment will also be felt by the members and fans of Penn State’s Blue Band through an endowment that will offer flexible resources to meet the program’s most urgent needs.

“The Blue Band has long embodied the Penn State spirit, and its members are among the most dedicated and accomplished collegiate musicians in the country,” said B. Stephen Carpenter II, the Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Dean, College of Arts and Architecture. “Just as the Blue Band inspires audiences with tremendous pride, this support will similarly inspire future generations of the Blue Band to uphold the highest standards of excellence and will help us ensure they can have the same extraordinary experience our Blue Band alumni remember so fondly. I am deeply grateful for the donor’s commitment to our current and future students and to the entire Penn State community.”

Estate commitments 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.