The Pasquerilla Gift

In March 1998, the Pasquerilla family of Johnstown , Pennsylvania , gave $5 million to help build a new interfaith spiritual center at Penn State 's University Park campus. Known as the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center , the facility includes Eisenhower Chapel and supports the religious and spiritual activities of 35 student organizations. Thousands of students, as well as faculty, staff, and community members attend events at the Center each week.

Frank Pasquerilla died in April 1999 and his wife, Sylvia Pasquerilla, died in July 1999. The Pasquerillas were investors in and managers of shopping malls and hotel properties through Frank's companies, Crown American Realty Trust and Crown American Hotels. In 2003, Crown merged with Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust of Philadelphia, where the Pasquerilla's son, Mark, is a trustee as well as president and chairman of Crown Holding Company. The couple's daughter, Leah, has also been involved with the family business.