Student Philanthopy Council Newsletter
How Alumni Support Benefits My Club Sport
by Katie Sheehan '09 Sci
In addition to NCAA sports, Penn State offers students a multitude of club sports that provide many students with their place in the Penn State home. The Penn State Equestrian Team is the club that is near and dear to my heart. Last year, the team finished with a 3-1 record, and we were neamed the Reserved National Champion--making us the number 2 team in the country.
The Equestrian Team competes in the Intercollegiate Horseshow Association (IHSA). Thier goal is to provide students with the ability to participate in horseshows regardless of their financial status or riding level. There is a place on the team for every level of interest. IHSA has given students, myself included, the chance to travel around the country to compete in many different shows with riders of varied skill.
The Equestrian Team continues to succeed with the help of donations in the form on money, equipment, and our favorite four-legged teachers. Money from alumni support has helped to defray some of the costs--including traveling expenses.
Our greatest donations have come from those who know the barn and the program Eastwood Farms offers in the form of some of the greatest horses and teachers that a rider could ask for. With continuing support from alumni and those who share the love of the sport, the Penn State Equestrian team will continue to represent Penn State, locally and nationally, as the well-rounded school that makes us so great!
How I Benefit From a Scholarship
by Lindsey Passaic ('07 Lib)
Bill and Joan Schreyer's first gift to the University was $10 to the College of Liberal Arts in 1960. Almost forty years later their $30 million contribution to establish the Schreyer Honors College benefits University Scholars, like me. The Schreyers' magnificent generosity provides each University Scholar with an Academic Excellence Scholarship to fund students' academic and extracurricular education. As a senior in the Honors College I am fortunate to be a recipient of this award.
The financial assistance I receive from the Schreyers' philanthropic commitment to the University allows me to pursue a variety of activities on campus that I would otherwise be unable to participate in. As a Scholar I get to work with specific Honors advisors, enroll in Honors courses, and take part in a special living, learning environment. The contributions the Schreyers made in 1997 provides opportunities for civic engagement, international travel, and relationships with other students, faculty, and staff who care deeply about their impact at Penn State. Whether I am traveling in Europe with the assistance of a SHC ambassador travel grant or playing the piano in Atherton Hall, I am reminded daily of the benefits I receive from the Schreyer legacy.
Imagine Campus Without Senior Class Gifts
by Jamie Urbanowicz ('09 Com)
I really believe in school spirit. I love the Lion Shrine and football games and I especially love the places on campus that are unique to Penn State: Willard Plaza, the elm trees outside the library, and the Old Main chimes. Penn State just wouldn't be Penn State without them.
The other day I was thinking of what campus was like before those things existed. All of those places are the result of philanthropy through Senior Class Gifts, and every year, a senior class adds something to the University that wasn't there before, something that becomes a part of the tradition. Whether it's a scenic spot, a great place to study, or chimes that tell us when we're late for class, it's an opportunity for graduating classes to add to the glory of Old State in a very tangible way.
I sometimes wonder if students twenty years from now will wonder what campus was like before some incredibly “Penn State” landmark was made possible because of my class—the class of 2009. By participating in philanthropy while in school, it's making it possible for you to add to the great atmosphere that is Penn State .