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Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation Challenges Penn State and Alumni

Winter 2006--Penn State has been the recipient of more than $800,000 in grants from the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation since 1982. The Princeton, N.J.-based Foundation is a private foundation created in 1979 with a bequest from Philadelphia philanthropist Charlotte W. Newcombe. The Foundation has helped support hundreds of Penn State students through the annual Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarships for Students with Disabilities.

The Newcombe Scholarships for Students with Disabilities provide financial assistance to physically disabled graduate and undergraduate students enrolled as degree candidates at Penn State locations across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The scholarships provide support in the form of partial tuition or assistance with special expenses, internships, adapted equipment, and housing needs.

In 2001, the Newcombe Trustees offered Penn State a challenge grant to endow a new scholarship for students with disabilities. The University's goal was to locate a donor to accept the challenge and pledge $12,500, which the Foundation would then match on a dollar-to-dollar basis to endow the scholarship. The donor would clearly need to have a strong interest in helping students with disabilities overcome financial obstacles. Alumna Susan Woodring met the challenge and the $25,000 scholarship, the Howard C. and Betty B. Woodring–Newcombe Foundation Scholarship for Students with Disabilities at Penn State Altoona, was created.

This year, the Foundation announced that it was looking for a donor to match a new $25,000 challenge grant to create a scholarship for students with disabilities. The University found the match—and more. Penn State alumnus Jerry Polis was approached and agreed to meet the challenge with a challenge of his own. He was interested in the Foundation's offer but raised the stakes to $50,000 if the Newcombe Foundation would contribute the same. The Foundation accepted his challenge, bringing the total endowment to $100,000 and thus establishing the Polis Charitable Foundation–Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation Scholarship for Students with Disabilities.

Without the support of foundations like the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation, students with disabilities would have much larger student loan burdens. Penn State appreciates the Foundation's generous support of its students. For more information about the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation, please visit the Foundation's Web site .

Prestigious Packard Foundation Fellowships Funding Researchers at Penn State

April 12, 2004—The David and Lucile Packard Foundation was created in 1964 by David Packard (1912-1996), co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company, and Lucile Salter Packard (1914-1987). The Packards believed America to be the home of a unique type of organization dependent upon private funding and volunteer leadership. The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations in Conservation and Science; Population; and Children, Families, and Communities. Over the years, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation has contributed nearly $4.5 million to Penn State. The vast majority of grants have gone to support faculty research through the Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering Program.

Established in 1988, the Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering Program support young faculty in the natural sciences and engineering. The goals include the development of future scientific leaders, to further the work of the nation's most promising young scientists and engineers, encouragement of networking among these researchers, and the support of efforts to attract talented graduate students into university research in the United States. The Packard Fellowships provide research support totaling $625,000, awarded over a five-year period.

"Supporting young researchers early in their careers can encourage development of scientific leaders who excel in their research and in training the next generation of scientists," said Chris DeCardy, Director of Communications at the Packard Foundation. "The unrestricted nature of these fellowships also allows these best and brightest young faculty members to exercise their creativity and explore ideas that have tremendous potential--something they might not be able to pursue with funding from traditional sources."

Penn State's Packard Fellows have come from the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Earth & Mineral Sciences, and Science. A total of nine Penn State faculty have received this prestigious fellowship in the 16 year history of the program. Fellows include: Susan L. Brantley (1998), professor of geosciences; Richard B. Alley (1991), professor of geosciences; Diane M. Henderson (1992), associate professor of mathematics; John V. Badding (1993), associate professor of chemistry; David S. Weiss (1997), associate professor of physics; Vincent H. Crespi (1998), professor of physics and professor of materials science and engineering; Ari M. Mizel (2001), assistant professor of physics; Consuelo M. De Moraes (2002), assistant professor of entomology; and Mary E. Williams (2003), assistant professor of chemistry.

In 1998, Vincent H. Crespi, assistant professor of physics in the Eberly College of Science, was one of 20 researchers nationwide to earn a Packard Fellowship. The award was used for Dr. Crespi's work involving innovative research directions in the physics of nanoscale materials, which he sees as a fruitful area both for basic science and for potential applications. His interests lie in exploring nanoscale electronics, hydrogen storage, structural optimization in the design of new materials, and quantum states of helium in carbon bundles. In 2001 a team of researchers lead by Crespi, used computer simulations to discover carbon fibers with mechanical strength comparable to that of diamond. The team discovered incredibly strong and stiff carbon tubes about 0.4 nanometers in diameter. The new fiber hasn't been synthesized yet, but several physicists and chemists are interested in making them, and they may prove very useful in nanotechnology applications according to Crespi. A critical aspect of his research strategy is close collaboration with experimentalists.

Dr. Crespi earned a bachelor's degree in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1988 and a doctoral degree in physics at the University of California at Berkeley in 1994. He was a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer in graduate-level condensed-matter physics at the University of California at Berkeley from 1994 to 1995 and then a postdoctoral researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory from 1995 to 1997. Dr. Crespi joined the Penn State faculty as assistant professor in the fall of 1997 as a theoretical physicist. He was named full professor in 2000.

Dr. Crespi's awards, in addition to the Packard Fellowship, include the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award and the Research Innovation Award from the Research Corporation Foundation. In 2000 Dr. Crespi was named Penn State's first Downsbrough Professor of Physics. The Downsbrough Career Development Professorship was created to provide critical financial support and encouragement for faculty starting their academic careers in the Department of Physics of the Eberly College of Science.

"The Packard Fellowship provided the stable, long-term resources necessary to start an ambitious program in the theoretical physics of nanoscale materials," said Crespi. "I'm honored to be a recipient. During my first year as a professor, this image of the research group as a pickup truck came in my mind. Out there are all the bugs and gravel, and the faculty member serves as a plastic shield on the front of the truck that protects students from worries about funding, office space and teaching so they can focus on their work." So, while Crespi works to address cutting-edge research questions himself, he attempts to create a conducive educational environment for his students. He believes helping students ranks as his biggest responsibility.

Penn State has had three additional Packard Fellowships awarded since Dr. Crespi's grant. In 2003, only 16 Fellows were selected nationally from the nominations submitted by the presidents of 50 selected universities. Penn State's Mary E. Williams, assistant professor of chemistry, was among the 2003 recipients for her work on functional analogs of DNA. The support of faculty research provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation through the Packard Fellowships brings prestige to talented Penn State faculty. The funding allows younger faculty to conduct the scale of research traditionally undertaken by established faculty who are better funded by other sources. This support allows Penn State's younger "star" faculty to advance their experience and develop into high quality educators training the next generation of scientists. The University is grateful for the impact that Packard Foundation fellowships have made on science and engineering education and research at Penn State and for the honor it has given its young, highly talented faculty.

For more information on the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, please visit their Web site.

For information on any of the units or researchers highlighted in this story, please visit:

Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation

(Winter 2005) The Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation (PHEF) was established in 2001 to provide students and families with improved access to higher education. The Foundation is an independent, non-governmental organization that works closely with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). The Foundation’s association with PHEAA allows them to benefit from nearly forty years of experience in creating and administering innovative programs and services for lowering the cost of higher education.

PHEF’s mission is to create, expand, and enhance affordable access to postsecondary education by identifying key areas in need of financial assistance. PHEF then creates innovative programs to alleviate the financial burden of tuition and other education costs. One of the areas that PHEF has identified is the critical shortage of nurses and nurse educators in Pennsylvania. Reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, estimate that as many as one million registered nurse positions will be vacant by 2010. The reports state that 47 percent of registered nurses plan to leave nursing within the next 10 years. Pennsylvania has one of the largest aging populations in the nation and PHEF realizes the great need to assure an adequate supply of nurses to meet the total healthcare needs of citizens in the Commonwealth.

Since 2002, PHEF and its partners have provided various grants and loan-forgiveness programs with the intent of alleviating the Commonwealth’s nursing shortage and preventing further decline in the workforce. The grants help schools increase capacity in their nursing programs and generate new avenues to financial support.

Penn State has been the recipient of over $1,270,000 in grants from PHEF and its partners, including Capital Blue Cross, Independence Blue Cross, and Blue Cross of Northeastern PA. These grants have included the Nursing Education Grant, the Capital Blue Cross Nurse Scholars grant, and several supplemental awards.

The Nursing Education Grant Program has become a catalyst to produce more nursing majors, direct care nurses and nurse educators in the Commonwealth. The Penn State School of Nursing in the College of Health and Human Development has received more than $1 million and distributes the grants to nursing students who may be at risk of withdrawing or postponing completion of their studies due to financial issues. Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in the nursing program at any Penn State location is eligible to apply. PHEF and another of its partners, Blue Cross of Northeastern PA, have awarded grants of more than $43,000 to nursing students at the Penn State Worthington Scranton campus. “It has been absolutely fantastic and so very rewarding to be part of PHEF's endeavor to impact the nursing shortage,” said Raymonde A. Brown, Ph.D., RN, Professor in Charge, Undergraduate Nursing, Penn State School of Nursing. “Their very generous financial support of nursing has helped so many students successfully complete their education on a full-time basis. Ultimately, PHEF's efforts will not only impact the shortage, but also the quality of patient care in PA.”

Capital Blue Cross and PHEF recognize that the shortage of nurses is not limited to direct patient care professionals. The need to increase the number of graduate students who will be nurse educators, training the next generation of nurses, is an important piece of the puzzle in reversing the nurse shortage. Capital Blue Cross and PHEF have partnered to create the Capital Blue Cross Nurse Scholars Program and have provided Penn State’s graduate nursing students at all campus locations over $145,000 in grants and scholarships.

PHEF recently announced the new G. Fred DiBona, Jr. Fellowship Program, which will provide $5,000 to Penn State and each of Pennsylvania’s thirty graduate schools of nursing to be awarded to a graduate student. The DiBona Fellowship will help practicing nurses continue their education in an effort to become nurse educators to not only teach but to encourage others to join the healthcare profession. The fellowship was created in memory of G. Fred DiBona, Jr. former President and CEO of Independence Blue Cross.

By providing aid directly to nursing education programs, PHEF is making Pennsylvania’s nursing schools a more attractive choice to future nurses and providing Pennsylvania’s citizens with qualified nursing care. Penn State is grateful for the funds provided by PHEF and its partners. It has helped to remove many financial obstacles for over 550 nursing students since the 2003/2004 academic year and unlocks the door to a rewarding career and lifetime of success.

To learn more about the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation and its partners, please visit the Foundation’s Web site.

Information on the programs highlighted in this article can be found at the following Penn State Web sites:

PNC Financial Services Group Investing in Penn State’s Future

Summer 2006--The history of PNC Financial Services Group, one of the nation’s largest diversified fina

ncial services organizations dates back to 1863 when the First National Bank of Pittsburgh opened for business. That same year, the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania became the Commonwealth’s sole land-grant institution. First National Bank of Pittsburgh evolved into PNC Financial Services Group, and the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania became The Pennsylvania State University. The relationship between the two spans several decades with PNC investing more than $3.8 million in Penn State’s future.

PNC’s most recent commitment to the University is a $1 million gift to the Penn State Children’s Hospital, which was made by PNC through the PNC Foundation. The gift will support the construction of the 160,000 square-foot, freestanding Children’s Hospital located at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. In recognition of the contribution, an area will be designated as the new PNC Child and Family Resource Center. The center will provide a place for the Injury Prevention Program to educate children and families about child safety as well as distribute PNC Grow Up Great materials.

The center is an extension of PNC’s commitment to the well being of the region’s children. That commitment is best reflected in PNC Grow Up Great, a ten-year, $100 million investment to help prepare children from birth to age five - especially those from underserved communities - for success in school and life. The ultimate goal is to help produce stronger, smarter and healthier children, families and communities. Key components include employee volunteerism, grants, advocacy and awareness.

Children’s Hospital is the only children’s hospital in central Pennsylvania and the region’s only pediatric trauma center. It houses 120 beds and treats more than 250,000 patients each year. The Children’s Hospital is the leader in several specialties including neonatal care, pediatric oncology, pediatric surgery, pediatric cardiology, and pediatric trauma.

“This is truly a natural fit for PNC,” said PNC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Rohr. “Through establishing the PNC Child and Family Resource Center, we add another chapter to a long and rewarding relationship we have built with Penn State and Hershey Medical Center. We also can use this opportunity to expand our support of children and related causes, which has been highlighted by PNC Grow Up Great.”

“We are fortunate to have PNC as a friend and benefactor,” said Harold L. Paz, M.D., Senior Vice President for Health Affairs; Dean, College of Medicine; Chief Executive Officer, Penn State Hershey Medical Center. “Like Penn State Children’s Hospital, PNC is committed to the well-being of the children in central Pennsylvania. Their gift to help build the new Children's Hospital will make a lasting impact on families in the region.”

PNC’s investment in the Penn State Children’s Hospital follows an earlier contribution to the establishment of the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), which Penn State created in 1998 to build leaders for the global digital economy. The Pittsburgh-based financial services company announced its support of IST in October 1999 with a contribution of $1 million to benefit students and a faculty position within IST.

The gift endowed IST’s first career development professorship with $250,000. The funds help IST recruit and retain top-level faculty members by supporting their efforts in teaching, research and service. Within nine months, a faculty member was recruited and hired as the first PNC Technologies Career Development Professor.

PNC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the PNC Financial Services Group and has supported Penn State campuses statewide through endowed scholarships and other contributions. PNC has provided support for a range of projects, including the construction of the College of Medicine Biomedical Research Building, and the establishment of Interfaith Chapel at the Medical Center’s nondenominational sanctuary. The Penn State Commonwealth Campuses of Abington, Beaver, Delaware County, Erie, Fayette, Great Valley, Hazleton, McKeesport, New Kensington, Wilkes-Barre, and Worthington Scranton have been the recipients of scholarships, fellowships or endowments.

Both PNC and Penn State have worked together to expand and enhance opportunities for the people they serve. The investments on the part of PNC contribute to the University’s ability to produce highly qualified college graduates, who are well prepared to enter the work force, and to enhance the quality of life for children through improved health. This commitment actively demonstrates PNC’s support for Penn State’s mission of teaching, research and service. Penn State is grateful to PNC, where over 300 Penn State graduates are employed, and hopes that the relationship remains strong for many years to come.

To learn more about the PNC Financial Services Group, please visit the PNC Web site. For additional information on the PNC Grow Up Great program, click here. Information on the programs highlighted in this article can be found at the following Penn State Web sites:

• College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Penn State Children’s Hospital
• Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine

The PNC Financial Services Group is Investing in the Future of Information Technology Professionals

Summer 2002 - The School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at Penn State was created in 1998 to build leaders for the global digital economy. In reaction to the shortfall of information technology employees in the workforce, Penn State leadership held plenary sessions with industry executives to solicit input about the ideal information technology professional. The University listened carefully to the skill set the marketplace demands from the next generation of information technology personnel, including a balance of technical skills with leadership and "people" skills. Nearly thirty industry professionals representing Fortune 500 firms and Pennsylvania-based organizations provided valuable feedback during this early planning. The result was a solid set of principles and directions for IST's educational programs.

Penn State welcomed the first class of students into its newly created school in August 1999. Shortly thereafter, PNC responded with a leadership gift to help launch corporate support for this initiative. The Pittsburgh-based financial services company announced its support for IST in October 1999 with a contribution of $1 million to benefit students and a faculty position within the school. PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services organizations in the United States, employing more than 1,500 technology workers to address the technology needs of its six business units. The partnership with PNC underlines the value of technology training and leadership in Pennsylvania.

The gift endows the school's first career development professorship with $250,000. These funds help IST recruit and retain top-level faculty members by supporting their efforts in teaching, research, and service. Within nine months, Dr. James Ze Wang, an expert in visual database search and retrieval, joined the IST faculty as the first PNC Technologies Career Development Professor. Formerly with the Biomedical Informatics Group and the Computer Science Database Group at Stanford University, Wang's work makes possible the retrieval of specific images from databanks of photos. One particular application of this technology is a doctor searching x-rays to determine if an image displays characteristics of a disease. Dr. Wang's studies also involve pattern recognition to retrieve information from large-scale genome databases. An assistant professor of information sciences and technology and assistant professor of computer science and engineering, Dr. Wang has taught a variety of courses at University Park including IST 210 Organization of Data, IST 230 Language, Logic, and Discrete Mathematics, and IST 497/IST 597 Multimedia Indexing and Retrieval.

"The addition of Professor Wang is a tremendous boost for IST and PNC is proud to play a role," says James E. Rohr, President and Chief Executive Officer of The PNC Financial Services Group. "I don't think there is a CEO of a major corporation in this world today who wouldn't list technology as one of the most important determinants of future success," declares Rohr. "Advances in technology are driving businesses in every industry, including financial services, and developing a talented workforce is critical to future success."

The remainder of the PNC gift was used to establish the PNC Technologies Scholarship endowment. The fund, created with a principal of $750,000, is designed to provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate students enrolled in IST. "We are truly grateful to PNC for making such an important difference in the educational development of our students. Our goal is to produce leaders for the digital, global economy," commented Dr. James B. Thomas, Dean of IST. "PNC's generosity allows us to support and encourage students who are demonstrating the potential to make a real difference when they begin their professional careers."

The first PNC Technologies Scholarships were awarded for the 2000/2001 academic year and went to four deserving students. All Commonwealth residents, the winners were Max Borshansky (Allentown), Sean P. Frantti (Moon Township), Kara Hartman (Easton), and Purvi S. Shah (Allentown). Additional awards were made for the 2001/2002 academic year, bringing the total number of PNC Technologies Scholars to eight. The recipients for this most recent academic year were James P. Bolton (Edinboro), Charu Chander (State College), Alexis Meier (Parsippany, NJ), and Parveen L. Shamsi (Smithfield).

PNC's sponsorship is truly making a difference in the growth of IST. It helps the school attract the best and brightest students in the nation, while also aiding the recruitment of top-notch faculty to provide world-class teaching and research resources to Penn State. But PNC is contributing more than just financial support to IST. Timothy G. Shack, Group Executive and Chief Information Officer at PNC, serves on the school's advisory board, bringing a real world corporate viewpoint and practical experience to IST administration. "Technology today is the business. There is not a product or service we offer that doesn't somehow have technology wrapped around it," Shack said.

PNC gets something in return. "To have the right technological capability, it is to our benefit to partner with academia to develop the technology leaders of the future," Shack said. And part of that is demonstrating that PNC is a company that understands the importance of technology, is willing to commit resources to it, and is doing interesting things with that time and money.

All signs are pointing to success for IST. According to recent figures, undergraduate enrollment across the Penn State system has climbed to nearly 2,700 students in only two and one-half years since the first class was admitted. Last fall, the IST Ph.D. program enrolled its first twelve candidates. "Online IST" course participation has cumulatively topped 3,200 in 199 sections. Currently, IST has the expertise of nearly 90 faculty members to provide instruction to students across the Penn State system. Ground was broken in October 2001 for a state-of-the-art IST building to house both IST and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Just last month, IST was proud to introduce the first Penn State student at University Park to earn his bachelor's degree in information sciences and technology, as well as twenty additional IST bachelor's degree graduates from four other Penn State campuses including Penn State Berks, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Penn State McKeesport and Penn State New Kensington. The first full class of IST students who began and complete their bachelor's degree programs will graduate in May 2003.

The administration, faculty, staff, and students of Penn State's School of Information Sciences and Technology are appreciative of the generous support they have received from PNC. This type of commitment to IST has served as an example for other corporate donors. Companies such as 3Com, Honeywell, Raytheon and Kimberly Clark have provided over $1.75 million in support for IST. Commenting on the importance of corporate partnerships Dean Thomas said, "In order to be successful, we need to stay current. It's not only important, it's mandatory." To learn more about IST, please visit the school's web site at http://ist.psu.edu/.

From Local to National Perspectives: Raytheon Involves Alumni/Friends to Strengthen Their Penn State Partnership

October 30, 2003 - Penn State has enjoyed a broad relationship with Raytheon, both locally and nationally, and is designated as one of Raytheon's strategic universities. This program provides an executive liaison and campus manager to facilitate various activities at the institution with Raytheon business units across the company. Additionally, the location of a Raytheon unit in State College, Pennsylvania, has provided Penn State with further opportunities to link to the company. Interactions began in the College of Engineering, expanded to the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, and now include the School of Information Sciences and Technology. From recruiting to research, this relationship has grown to include contract support of over $2.6 million and philanthropic investments of over $1.25 million.

Raytheon is an industry leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business aviation and special mission aircraft. The company's four strategic business areas are aligned to provide customers with solutions that draw upon the capabilities of the entire company. These strategic business areas are: Missile Defense; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Precision Engagement; and Homeland Security. Headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, the company had revenues in 2002 of $16.8 billion and employs over 76,000 employees worldwide, approximately 425 of whom are Penn State alumni. The company has a significant recruiting presence on campus having conducted seventy-two interviews during the 2002/2003 academic year.

The company's activity in the College of Engineering focused on the electrical engineering department with faculty research and expertise. When Raytheon acquired E-Systems, the HRB division, located in State College, became part of the company. HRB established the HRB Professorship in Signal Processing in the Department of Electrical Engineering with an initial grant in 1988. Dr. Nirmal Bose was named the HRB Professor in Signal Processing. This helped to lay the foundation for future interactions with Raytheon once HRB became part of the corporation.

Raytheon also fosters a strong relationship with the Applied Research Lab (ARL) on campus. The U.S. Navy established ARL at Penn State in 1945, and the lab serves as a university center of research excellence in naval science and technologies with focus in undersea missions and related areas. Since 1999, Raytheon has contracted over $2.2 million in sponsored research with ARL covering topic such as missiles, submarines, projectiles, and rotors. Together, ARL and Raytheon collaborate on government-funded initiatives as well.

With the advent of the School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), Raytheon became one of an initial group of corporate sponsors to the college. In 2000, the company established the Raytheon endowed and annual scholarships in IST for underrepresented minorities and women enrolled in the school. A total of $100,000 has been contributed to establish these funds, which have impacted ten students in IST. The endowed portion of the gift will continue to support future IST students for years to come.

The first IST student to receive a scholarship from the endowment was Bethany Lee, a freshman from Silver Spring, Maryland. Bethany resides in the IST Interest House where she can interact closely with other IST students. Bethany received a $2,700 scholarship for the 2003/2004 academic year from the Raytheon Information Sciences and Technology Endowed Scholarship.

"I am truly grateful for Raytheon's kindness and charity as well as Penn State's devotion to helping students. I believe that giving others the opportunity to learn is one of the greatest things a human can give. Raytheon's scholarship amounts to more than I have ever made in a whole summer," commented Bethany. About the IST Interest House, Bethany adds, "Living among my peers allows us to learn through our actions as well as get support from others who are experiencing similar things. As a Penn State IST student, I cannot help but be optimistic about the future and excited to see how my life turns out."

Under the leadership of Harry Mayhew, site executive, the relationship between IST and Raytheon was recognized with the designation of special workspace at the local facility. The space, called the Raytheon-IST Imagineering Team Room, was designed for IST interns and Raytheon employees to have designated space to work on projects collaboratively.

Michael D. Keebaugh ('67, '71M SCI), president of Intelligence and Information Systems, was recently named executive champion on behalf of Penn State within the company. Keebaugh spent twenty-eight years working for HRB and was the general manager when the company was acquired by E-systems in 1990. Having spent many years in the State College community before relocating to Texas, Keebaugh is very familiar with Penn State from both an alumni perspective as well as from the local business perspective. "It is gratifying, both personally and professionally, to see the relationship between Raytheon and Penn State flourish," said Keebaugh. "Raytheon's long-standing partnership with Penn State's School of Information Sciences and Technology and the College of Engineering has been a model of academic and business cooperation. We look forward to strengthening these bonds in the years to come."

Penn State's involvement as a strategic university for Raytheon is further strengthened from the support of Joseph Biondi ('87 ENG), Penn State campus manager and Advanced Technology Program manager with Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

"We have come a long way the past few years strengthening long standing local Penn State/Raytheon relationships and continue to build what has become a great strategic partnership across all of Raytheon," shares Joe.

This corporation represents a wonderful example of how Penn State has worked with local business partners to create and expand their relationship to include other business units. The support from the local site and the dedication of alumni and friends of Penn State within the corporation has significantly contributed to this relationship. Penn State is grateful for corporate partnerships like the one enjoyed with Raytheon. For more information about Raytheon, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.raytheon.com/.

For more information about the following Penn State programs, please refer to the following Web sites:

Charitable Giving From The Riversville Foundation Helps Students Graduate Nearly Debt-free

Spring 2007--Four years ago, The Riversville Foundation of New York granted Penn State $120,000 to develop the Riversville Scholars program. The program awarded four sophomore undergraduates a $10,000 annual scholarship that covered tuition and room and board through their senior year of college. Four years, and countless hours of studying later, this first group of Riversville Scholars is ready to graduate. Thanks to the generosity of the Foundation, these students will be virtually debt-free after graduation.

In 2003, the Foundation’s trustees, Art and Mary Lou Thivierge, chose to contribute to Penn State after learning about its Student Support Services Program (SSSP). SSSP, a Federal TRIO program, commits itself to nurturing the academic growth of first generation college students; students whose family income falls within the limits set by the U.S. Department of Education; and students with documented disabilities. SSSP monitors the progress of students throughout all four years of college. In addition, the Foundation also wanted to focus on underrepresented students at Penn State.

“The Riversville Foundation and SSSP are a natural marriage,” said Dr. Audrey Kharem, director of SSSP. “They both, in their own ways, work toward increasing access to higher education among underrepresented students.”

The Riversville Scholars Program was designed to help students concentrate on academic endeavors, without being burdened by tuition expenses and the worry of repaying huge debts. The greatest impact, however, is on the families of these students. “It is a real sigh of relief for parents who struggled financially to put their children through school during their first year of college,” said Dr. Kharem. “When the parents watched their children receive the Riversville scholarships at the recognition dinner, the tears of joy spoke louder than any words could, of their appreciation.”

The four Riversville Scholars proved their academic talent and their perseverance to succeed during their freshman year. All four students exceeded the Foundation’s requirements of a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, while juggling work-study jobs, and leadership positions in non-classroom activities. The success of these students will truly be reflected in their upcoming graduation ceremonies. Three recipients will be graduating in spring and summer of 2007 with degrees from the Colleges of Business, Science, and Health and Human Development. Two of the three students will be attending medical school, and another will be pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology. The fourth scholarship recipient graduated in May 2006 with a pre-law degree and will be moving on to law school after a year of teaching. In 2004, the Foundation recommended another four students to join the Riversville Scholars program and increased its donation to $148,000 and the annual stipend to $12,000.

Penn State is one of only nine universities to receive scholarship grants from The Riversville Foundation. Others are: Loyola University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, Xavier University of Louisiana, Johnson C. Smith University, Spelman University, and Elon University in North Carolina. The Foundation’s total contributions to Penn State now exceed $217,000.

The Riversville Foundation, headquartered in New York City, was established in 2000 by a retired New York businessman. Penn State and SSSP are extremely grateful for the Foundation, and its trustees’ support in promoting diversity and enhancing the academic performance of our underrepresented students. Information on the Student Support Services Program can be found on this Penn State Web site: www.equity.psu.edu/sssp/

Shell Oil Company Exploring Penn State Students and Programs

January 16, 2004—Since 1997, Shell Oil Company has contributed more than $900,000 in support of Penn State's programs and people. The company employs approximately 128 Penn State alumni and regularly recruits students for employment. In 2002/2003, Shell conducted ninety-two interviews on campus and has sponsored an interview room in the MBNA Career Services Building. Because the company has a significant recruiting history at Penn State, they have targeted the University for a special program.

In 2001, Shell Oil Company announced a Campus Leadership Program, directed toward universities identified by Shell as being of highest interest in the areas of recruitment and future funding. A motivating factor in the creation of the program was to ensure continuity in the company's interactions with these universities. Texas A&M, University of Texas, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, and Penn State are among the twenty-five universities selected for the program.

As part of the program, a Shell senior executive is assigned to each school. Penn State's senior executive is Stephen O. Sears, production surveillance manager for EP Americas and Penn State alumnus, 1976 Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

"As a Shell executive and a Penn State alumnus, I'm very pleased with the relationship that Shell has with Penn State. Both organizations share the goal of excellence," said Sears. "Shell has benefited both from the Penn Staters who have come to work with us, as well as the knowledge and ideas generated by the students and faculty. I've enjoyed interacting with the administration, students, and faculty during my visits to the campus, and look forward to an ongoing relationship."

Included in the Campus Leadership Program is the coordinated management of funding to the University through the Shell Oil Company Foundation as well as company divisions. The goal of Shell Oil Company Foundation is to improve and benefit communities within the United States. It does this through planned giving in the areas of education, charities, the arts, and public policy. In 2002, 44 percent of the company's donations went to education.

Part of the support that Penn State receives from the foundation includes career counseling grants, departmental grants, and doctoral fellowships. The purpose of Shell educational funding is to support the work of educational institutions at all levels, to further the knowledge and skills required of individuals in the future labor pool, and to promote an interest in the disciplines of science, engineering, and technology.

Each departmental grant helps the department's senior administrative officer bring increased strength to the area selected. This may be in support of research, students, faculty, and methods of instruction; to purchase research materials and equipment; or for other related purposes.

The Shell Doctoral Fellowships, initiated in 1982, are awarded to the nation's leading universities with strong graduate programs. Their purpose is to encourage outstanding students, particularly those who are interested in a teaching career, to seek doctoral degrees in engineering and science disciplines. The Fellowship is for expenses incurred in one academic year of study for a full-time doctoral candidate. It is intended to give special recognition to the Fellow by offering a stipend above the normal level. If funds are available, the Fellowship may be renewed for up to four years. Over the years, Penn State has had many Shell Doctoral Fellows. Some recipients from the Geosciences Department have included David McConaughy (1997-98), Roberta Hotinski (1998-99), Thomas D. Olszewski (1999-2000), Brandon Dugan (2000-01), Matt Hurtigan (2001-02), and Scott Miller (2002-03).

"The Shell Foundation Fellowship provided me with research freedom that expanded my research to new levels and strengthened the foundation for my career in academia. The scope of my research and post-graduate career were enhanced through the resources provided by the Shell Foundation," commented Brandon Dugan, a 2003 graduate with a Ph.D. in Geosciences. Dugan completed his degree and is currently working for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a Mendenhall Post-Doctoral Fellow in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. "While supported through the fellowship, I collaborated with academic and industry colleagues, sailed on an Ocean Drilling Program cruise to study sea-level variations offshore Australia, performed a suite of sediment deformation experiments that were integral to my dissertation research, and completed a seismic data project to expand my work to a regional scale offshore New Jersey." In January 2005, Dugan will begin his career in academia as assistant professor in Earth Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

A major initiative funded by Shell Oil in 1998 is the Petroleum GeoSystems Initiative in the College of Earth & Mineral Sciences. The Initiative is an interdisciplinary educational model that links the Department of Energy and GeoEnvironmental Engineering (Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Section), the Department of Geosciences, and corporate partners. The Initiative is based on the premise that fundamental research problems lie at the interface of Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering and that interdisciplinary scientists and engineers who are trained in problem-based collaborative research will be tomorrow's industry leaders.

A common approach used by companies today is to form teams of specialists to explore and/or produce hydrocarbons. A typical team might include a geologist, geophysicist, petrophysicist, and a petroleum engineer. These teams must work synergistically together to find and produce hydrocarbons amidst an extremely competitive environment driven by low hydrocarbon prices. Because of this, teams need to form quickly, have both technical depth and breadth, and function well. From this need came the vision to provide interdisciplinary research and education to geoscientists and engineers so they are more prepared for the team-based approach used in the industry. Penn State and Shell worked together to devise a two-year masters program, the Petroleum GeoSystems Initiative. Between 1998 and 2001, Shell Offshore, Inc. and the Shell Oil Company Foundation contributed $350,000 to the Initiative.

Through the Initiative, high quality students were attracted from around the world, enthusiasm and excitement about careers in the oil and gas industry was generated, and exciting research was promoted. This funding also helped the team to recruit and train four GeoSystems students and allowed development of four new courses.

The first GeoSystems Team began study at Penn State in August 1999. Over the following two years, they took common, cross-training, and disciplinary depth courses; shared common office and lab space; and interned during summer 2000. The success of the first team earned the departments additional funding of $105,000 in 2001 to support a second GeoSystems Team. The newest team in the program started study in Fall 2003.

Peter Flemings, professor of Geosciences and co-director of the GeoSystems Initiative, states, "The success of the GeoSystems Initiative lies in the fact that it is a true partnership. Shell provided financial support and extraordinary data sets that academia has never seen. Furthermore important people within the Shell organization committed the time to make this a success. Shell and Penn State have found common ground where we can pursue innovative research and education as well as address an important societal and business need—meeting the demand for technical leadership in the petroleum industry."

The Shell-Penn State partnership continues to evolve. Because of the GeoSystems Initiative, Shell is now actively involved in a major international research project: the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (the IODP). In the next few years, based on data that Shell has provided and a research proposal written by Penn State geoscientists and industry colleagues, a team of researchers may explore the properties of ocean sediments in the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, Shell and Penn State are exploring the possibility of pursuing research and education in geosciences and engineering through AESEDA, Penn State's Alliance for Earth Science Engineering and Development in Africa. "There is ample room for the Penn State-Shell relationship to continue to grow because there is a confluence of Shell's business need for quality people around the world and our desire to pursue research and education around the globe," says Flemings.

Penn State appreciates the generous investment Shell Oil Company has made in the University's innovative programs, outstanding faculty, and promising students. Without major support from partners like Shell, programs like the GeoSystems Initiative would not exist. To learn more about Shell Oil Company, please visit the company's web site at http://www.shell.com.

Information about the academic programs and colleges at Penn State can be found at:

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Helps Penn State Distance Education Reach New Students Globally

"In order to respond to citizens' needs in the information age, I have convened a group with the purpose of exploring the potential for a 'world campus' of Penn State. This 'virtual campus' will not be built with brick and mortar but with the creative use of technology led by our faculty to extend selected undergraduate and graduate programs nationally and internationally. Through this approach, we anticipate propelling Penn State's expertise not only to every citizen of Pennsylvania but potentially to new students globally." Graham B. Spanier, President, The Pennsylvania State University, State of the University Address (September 1996)

August 1, 2002 - In 1997, the World Campus received a major push toward realization with a $1.3 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This grant was part of the Foundation's "Asynchronous Learning Networks" (ALN) program, which supports the use of technology to extend educational access to adult learners. Commenting on the receipt of the Sloan Foundation gift, Dr. Spanier said, "We are especially appreciative of this grant, because it will allow us to use ALN to extend well-known Penn State academic programs to new national audiences. Over the long term, it will help us develop an innovation that I believe will shape the character of the land-grant university for the 21st century."

Indeed the Sloan gift had a large impact on Penn State. The initial funding was used to create a large-scale ALN environment to meet two major goals for Penn State. The first was to provide University access for a new pool of qualified students by extending educational programs to the growing number of learners in their workplaces and homes. Second, through the appropriate application of a technology-based learning environment, the World Campus seeks to enhance the quality of the educational experience throughout the University.

The first set of students enrolled in a core set of Penn State's signature programs in 1998. These programs included Fundamentals of Engineering, Noise Control Engineering, Chemical Dependency Counseling, and Turfgrass Management. The success of the initial program prompted the addition of new programs and over twenty courses for the 1998-99 academic year, including certificate programs in Geographic Information Systems, Customer Relations Management, Educational Technology Integration, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management. An initial group of twenty-six students were admitted to World Campus programs in the pilot semester. One year later, 459 students from around the globe attended Penn State through the World Campus. Now, the program offers about 200 courses and 26 certificate and degree curricula with enrollments of about 2,700 students.

"The Sloan Foundation is committed to the democratization of education through technology, ensuring that every learner who wants to learn has the opportunity," said Frank Mayadas, foundation program officer. "We decided to give significant support to this University-wide initiative because of Penn State's historical commitment to serving the off-campus learner and the vision and commitment of the president and academic leadership." As testament of this commitment, Sloan has continued to support the World Campus in subsequent years. To date, the Foundation has contributed nearly $5 million.

World Campus students and faculty typically interact online or via telephone, however the summer of 2000 presented a unique opportunity for five members of Dr. Courtney Burroughs' Noise Control Engineering course. The five students traveled from Michigan, Washington, Florida, and Minnesota to University Park to surprise and honor Dr. Burroughs, senior research associate at the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory and an associate professor of acoustics in the College of Engineering, for his dedication to his students and his commitment to teaching an acoustics course designed to address pressures to control product, workplace, and environmental noise levels. Burroughs developed personal connections with his students through a series of ice-breaking questions, frequent encouraging phone calls, and on-line chat rooms. Students admit this approach is refreshing, and not what they expected of a distance education course.

Commenting on her experience in this class, Julie Wiebusch, president of the Greenbusch Group, an environmental architectural and acoustics firm based in Seattle, Washington, said, "When I first signed up for this program, I expected a sterile environment where I posted answers and received feedback. By reaching out on-line, we have really gotten to know each other and we've all become really good friends." And about Dr. Burroughs, Julie said, "He has helped me to understand the theory that supports the practical, hands-on experience I have."

Most recently in July 2001, Penn State's Board of Trustees approved an online MBA degree designed and taught by a University-wide faculty group and delivered through World Campus. The Penn State Intercollege Master's in Business Administration (iMBA) represents a collaboration among business faculty from four Penn State Colleges: Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; Penn State Great Valley, The School of Professional Studies; Penn State Capital College, Harrisburg Campus; and the Smeal College of Business Administration. The 48-credit degree is delivered largely online, with two four- to five-day residential experiences serving as culminating learning activities. The first class admitted to the iMBA program will begin in fall 2002.

A number of partnerships have also been realized as a result of early course offerings. For instance, the Golf Course Superintendents' Association of America (GCSAA) Board of Directors approved the offering of courses to their 18,500 members. Members who complete Turfgrass Management courses offered through the World Campus can apply the courses toward the association's certification for golf course superintendents. Additionally, the association is promoting Penn State's Turfgrass Management courses on its Web site and in its newsletter and professional development catalog.

A national advisory board, comprised of education, business, and technology leaders from across the United States, was recently appointed to the World Campus. Senior executives from professional associations, research organizations, and corporations like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AT&T Labs, IBM, Lucent Technologies, Inc., Computer Sciences Corp., and Newsweek constitute the World Campus Advisory Board.

In 2002, the Sloan Foundation granted an additional $650,000 to stimulate several new initiatives in the World Campus. These include an e-Student Union, enhancements to the World Campus online help desk, an invitational conference to help faculty develop standards for teaching online, and administrative technology enhancements. "With this grant, the Sloan Foundation is recognizing that the World Campus has matured from a start-up organization to one that needs to enhance its support services in order to better serve students and faculty," said Dr. Gary Miller, associate vice president for distance education and executive director of the World Campus. "It is now helping the World Campus to become better integrated into the mainstream of the University."

Penn State is grateful for the generous support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and other organizations that have contributed to the overwhelming success of the World Campus. These contributions are helping make a difference in the University's three-fold mission of teaching, research, and outreach. For a complete listing of World Campus courses and other information about Penn State's 25th campus, please visit their Web site.

3Com: Computers, Communications, Compatibility and a Committed Corporate Friend to Penn State

The three C’s in the name 3Com are denoted as Computers, Communications, and Compatibility. Penn State has been the recipient of over $1.29 million in gifts and grants from 3Com and has formed a deep relationship with the technology company and its CEO. Headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, 3Com has offices and sales capabilities in forty-one countries worldwide.

3Com sells networking hardware and software, including Local Area and Wide Area Network (LAN and WAN) infrastructure gear (switches, routers, gateways), Internet telephony systems, network intrusion prevention systems, and wireless networking equipment for enterprises. The company also provides services ranging from technical support to high-end consulting and systems integration. 3Com focuses primarily on enterprise customers and targets companies in the education, financial services, government, health care, insurance, manufacturing, and real estate sectors. 3Com owns approximately 1,660 patents issued and has more than 500 patents pending. FORTUNE Magazine ranked 3Com fourth in the annual “America's Most Admired Companies” in its 2003 industry segment.

Led by Chief Executive Officer and President Bruce Claflin, 3Com committed $1.25 million in late 1999 for support of Penn State’s new School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST). The 3Com grant included $500,000 to support construction of the IST Building and $750,000 in equipment and services to outfit the building with state-of-the-art networking technology. This was the lead corporate investment in the building and provided an important model for other corporate partnerships.

Dedicated in January 2004, the IST Building spans a major Pennsylvania highway and links the east and west areas of the over 15,000-acre Penn State University Park campus. It brings together in one place the disciplines of Information Sciences and Technology and Computer Science and Engineering. The building is home to one of the best IST programs run by a public university. The facility is critical to Penn State's ability to prepare leaders for the fast changing, technologically advanced 21st century. To thank 3Com for their important gift to the IST Building fund, several rooms were named in recognition of their generosity.

“The generous gift from 3Com was an important step in making the IST Building a real home for information sciences innovation in learning and research,” says Jim Thomas, dean of the School of Information Sciences and Technology. “It was also an opportunity to develop a relationship with one of the world’s leading technology companies.”

Claflin is a 1973 graduate of Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of the Liberal Arts and has maintained a strong connection ever since. In 1998, Claflin was named a Penn State Alumni Fellow in recognition of his professional achievements and support of the University. The Alumni Fellow is the most prestigious award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. In 2002, Claflin was honored by Penn State with the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University’s highest distinction bestowed upon an outstanding alum. The award salutes the achievements of alumni whose “personal lives, professional achievements, and community service exemplify the objectives of their Alma Mater.”

Claflin was selected as the commencement speaker for the largest graduating class in IST this past spring. In his speech, Claflin charged graduates to “challenge their preconceived beliefs and to question everything. Individuals who know how to learn are fundamental today as technology ushers in almost constant change.”

“Contributing to the development of tomorrow’s technology leaders is extremely rewarding, both on a personal and a professional level,” added Claflin. “3Com and Penn State share the same commitment to creating the most innovative technology solutions. I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished to date and I am equally excited by the promise the future holds for the IST Program, Penn State, and 3Com.”

Thanks to technology giants such as 3Com and engaged alumni such as Bruce Claflin, Penn State is better equipped to prepare its IST students to become tomorrow’s technology leaders. Penn State is grateful to 3Com for supporting Penn States’ vision for IST.

Information on the programs highlighted in this article can be found at the following Web sites:

Penn State and United States Steel: Forging a Longstanding Relationship

Summer 2006--Two of the founding fathers of United States Steel Corporation (U. S. Steel) had ties to Penn State back in the early 1900’s. Andrew Carnegie and Charles Schwab were Penn State Trustees and two of the first philanthropists to provide private funding to support the construction of buildings at the University, Schwab Auditorium and Carnegie Library (now housing the College of Communications). U. S. Steel continues to be a strong ally to Penn State to this day with over $3 million in gifts and grants to the University and over $222,000 in research contracts.

U. S. Steel, with 2005 sales over $14 billion, has an annual global steelmaking capacity of approximately 26.8 million tons. U. S. Steel manufactures a wide range of value-added steel products for the automotive, appliance, container, construction, and oil and gas industries. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States Steel Corporation is the sixth largest steel producer in the world, the largest integrated steel producer headquartered in North America and one of the largest flat-rolled steel producers in Central Europe.

The company employs more than 150 Penn State alumni. The most notable alumnus is John Surma, Chairman and CEO. Surma, a 1976 Penn State graduate with a B.S. in accounting, remains an involved supporter of the Smeal College of Business and serves on the Board of Visitors. In 2005, Penn State presented Surma with several honors. He was inducted into the Penn State ACHA Division I Icers’ Hall of Fame for serving on the Penn State Nittany Lion Icers hockey team as a standout defenseman from 1973-1976. He also received the Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year award from the College of Business. The award recognizes the college’s most eminent graduates and honors them for their outstanding professional accomplishments and exceptional allegiance to Smeal and its Department of Accounting. In the spring of 2003, Surma served as the undergraduate commencement speaker for the College of Business.

Penn State McKeesport and U. S. Steel have a longstanding relationship. The company’s Mon Valley Works—comprised of the Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, the Irvin Plant in West Mifflin and the Clairton Works in Clairton—is located in the heart of the campus’ educational service area. In August 2003, Penn State McKeesport received a $75,000 grant from the U. S. Steel Foundation for its new Student Community Center. The gift helped fund the upper level concourse in the $5.5 million, 25,000-square-foot facility. The building features a wireless environment, performance spaces, meeting rooms and lounges, as well as a bookstore, health center, radio station and game room.

“We are pleased that the United States Steel Corporation is a permanent part of this exciting facility,” said Penn State McKeesport Chancellor Curtiss E. Porter. “The company and the campus have roots in this region and we have a history of workforce development collaborations. It is very appropriate that we named the concourse with its exposed steel beams in recognition of United States Steel Corporation.” The Concourse is a central meeting place for students, faculty and visitors to the campus and the facility serves as the cornerstone of the community.

According to Dr. Susan Lewis, director of Continuing Education at Penn State McKeesport, the two organizations have collaborated on more than 25 continuing education programs in the last decade. These educational programs have ranged in length from a few days to a few years. In early April 2006 the third class of Mechanical Learners completed its two-year program. In August 2006 the second class of Electrical Learners programs completed its two-year program. Both the Mechanical Learner and Electrical Learner programs are designed to prepare employees to fill craft and trade jobs. New groups of U. S. Steel employees will begin in the Mechanical and Electrical Learner programs within the next several months.

U. S. Steel donated steel coils and the cost of roll-forming decking for the construction of the new Smeal College of Business Building, which was dedicated in September 2005. The 210,000 square foot building is the largest academic building at Penn State and welcomes all Penn State visitors to the eastern gateway of University Park campus.

U. S. Steel demonstrates its desire to maintain a strong relationship with Penn State through its support of students, programs, research, and improved facilities for the University’s campus communities. Surma sums up U. S. Steel’s partnership with Penn State by saying, “The best relationships have always been those that together create value. Penn State graduates excel in every field of endeavor from the arts to the sciences to engineering and business. At U.S. Steel, we believe our support of the university is an investment in excellence – helping to prepare young men and women to lead us through tomorrow’s challenges wherever they may lie.”

To learn more about U. S. Steel, please access the U. S. Steel Web site. For more information on the Penn State programs highlighted in this article, please refer to the following Web sites:

• Penn State McKeesport
• Penn State McKeesport Continuing Education
• Smeal College of Business

Farewell to a Valuable Partner and Friend to Penn State: The Whitaker Foundation

The Whitaker Foundation has proven to be a valuable partner and friend to Penn State since 1976. The Foundation has contributed over $12.4 million in grants to the University, enhancing the educational and research efforts of the College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Development, College of Medicine and the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Dickinson School of Law, and Penn State Harrisburg.

The Whitaker Foundation was established in 1975 upon the death of U. A. Whitaker, founder and chief executive officer of AMP Incorporated, which became the world’s largest manufacturer of electrical connectors and connecting devices. An inventor, engineer, and philanthropist, Whitaker and his wife Helen supported collaborative medical research involving engineers, scientists and physicians. The mission of the Foundation is to improve human health by supporting research and education in biomedical engineering. The Foundation is credited with providing $825 million in grants for biomedical engineering education and research over the years. The Rosslyn, VA-based foundation led the field through its infancy by providing funds for the creation of biomedical engineering departments at 30 universities and colleges across the country, supporting dozens of researchers in the United States and Canada, and the construction of 13 buildings to house classrooms and laboratories. The Foundation made a strategic decision thirty years ago to close after a 30-year run. That day has come and its assets have been spent down. The Whitaker Foundation fulfilled its mission and the doors closed on June 30, 2006.

Penn State was the first recipient of an award from the newly created Foundation. In 1976, the award was granted to William Pierce, M.D., who was using a ventricular assist devise to wean postoperative patients off the heart-lung machine. In 2002, the federal government approved the heart assist pump as a permanent implant for patients with severe heart failure, making it available to tens of thousands of Americans who are terminally ill but do not qualify for a heart transplant.

The Whitaker Foundation was instrumental in the creation of the Department of Bioengineering and undergraduate degree program within the Penn State College of Engineering. Prior to 2000, bioengineering was only available as a graduate-level program. The first class of undergraduates graduated with a B.S. in Bioengineering in 2005. Eighteen students completed their degree requirements, of which approximately one-third went on to medical school, one-third to graduate school and one-third to industry. The undergraduate degree program requires students take a core of common engineering and life science courses that are complimented by a concentration in one of four traditional engineering areas: electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or materials science. David Wormley, Dean of Penn State’s College of Engineering said, “The creation of a full department in bioengineering allows Penn State to offer our undergraduate students the opportunity to learn and research at the crossroads of life sciences and engineering through bioengineering. The creation of the department would not have been possible without strong support from The Whitaker Foundation.”

In 1998, the Biomedical Engineering Institute was formed at Penn State with a Special Opportunity Award from the Whitaker Foundation. The purpose of the Biomedical Engineering Institute is to educate graduate bioengineering students at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in the research and development of medical devices.
The Biomedical Engineering Institute is comprised of faculty from the departments of Surgery, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, and Radiology. The Institute provides a distinct program in Bioengineering within Penn State’s graduate bioengineering program as well as a unique academic infrastructure at the College of Medicine campus in Hershey, PA. This infrastructure includes office and laboratory space in the Biomedical Research Building, teaching support, specialized courses, access to courses between Hershey and University Park through distance learning technology, a biomedical engineering library, housing, and a unique opportunity to work closely with practicing physicians and bioengineering faculty.

The history of collaborative research involving bioengineers in the College of Engineering and faculty and research staff from the College of Medicine goes back to the start of the artificial heart program in 1970. Since then, numerous collaborative efforts have taken place in this unique environment for engineers, which enables them to gain an understanding of a clinical practice and the role of biomedical devices and technology that they could not have gained in a pure engineering environment.

The funds provided to Penn State by the Foundation have been invested in the creation of self-supporting programs that will help the purpose of The Whitaker Foundation live on. Penn State will always be grateful to the Foundation for its vision and the legacy of its mission to promote better human health through advancements in medicine.

To learn more about The Whitaker Foundation, please visit the Foundation’s Web site. Information on the programs highlighted in this article can be found at the following Penn State Web sites:

• College of Engineering
• Department of Bioengineering
• Biomedical Engineering Institute
• College of Medicine

The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program Investing in Penn State Harrisburg's Expanding Academic Opportunities

January 16, 2004—Since its inception in 1975, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program has proved time and again to be a valuable and productive partner with Penn State. To date, the foundation has contributed more than $5.6 million in grants throughout the University, enhancing the educational and research efforts of the College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Development, College of Medicine and the Hospital at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Dickinson School of Law, and Penn State Harrisburg.

The Whitaker Foundation was created upon the death of U.A. Whitaker, the founder of AMP, Inc. Its initial purpose as a private foundation was to improve human health through support of biomedical engineering. During his lifetime, Whitaker also created the foundation's Regional Program which continues to support human service agencies to stimulate economic self-sufficiency and educational institutions in the Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry county region in the area of inquiry-based math and science education.

Through the Harrisburg Regional Program, the foundation has been a major factor in the expansion of academic opportunities for students attending Penn State Harrisburg. In 1996, the foundation earmarked $300,000 to assist in the expansion of the Science and Technology Building on campus to enhance environmental education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The grant matched an equal commitment from the University to support construction costs for new labs and facilities.

Simultaneous with these commitments, Miles J. Gibbons Jr., then president and CEO of the foundation, expressed a desire that Penn State Harrisburg offer baccalaureate engineering degrees, in addition to engineering technology degrees. "The ability of Penn State Harrisburg to offer an engineering degree program is a major step forward. Hopefully, environmental engineering will be the first of several engineering degree programs available at Penn State Harrisburg," commented Gibbons at the time of the grant.

Founded in 1966 as an upper division college and graduate school, Penn State Harrisburg traditionally delivered the junior and senior years of study in its undergraduate majors with a limited number of freshman and sophomore classes available. Gibbons' hope for expanded pathways to a Penn State engineering degree at the Harrisburg campus became a reality in fall of 2003 when the college began accepting first-year students into a program of study leading to the majors in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, and Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology. Again, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program administered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation was at the forefront of the initiative, committing $360,000.

Further options for midstate students will come to the campus in fall 2004 when Penn State Harrisburg will offer the first two years of study leading to more than 160 Penn State undergraduate majors available throughout the University system, including 26 of its own programs.

Provost and Dean Madlyn L. Hanes announced the availability of first-year study at Penn State Harrisburg in 2002 saying, "With the generous support of community partners, this initiative will enable freshmen to begin and complete a nationally respected Penn State undergraduate degree here on our campus."

"We are confident our efforts will elevate interest in engineering education in the capital region," Dr. Hanes added. "And as a result of our continuing work with our colleague academic institutions, we are creating additional educational options and pathways for students in the area."

The program is aimed at retaining skilled graduates to fuel the economic vitality of the region and counteract a recognized brain drain. Designed to provide a unique experience for the entire four years of baccalaureate study, the program emphasizes internships and other out-of-classroom field experiences for students, with continuous exposure to the real-world environment of business and industry. This involvement further links students from the onset of their college education with regional employers.

Most recently, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program funded the purchase of equipment and the creation of physics and drafting laboratories on campus to enhance study in engineering and engineering technology. As a means of thanking the foundation for helping make the four-year program a reality, Dr. Hanes invited representatives to campus in October of 2003. Gibbons toured Penn State Harrisburg along with The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program Governing Committee and other foundation staff members. While on campus, the group had lunch with two freshmen in the new program, toured the facilities, and spoke with students in the labs about their academic experiences.

Following the tour, The Whitaker Foundation Governing Committee member Harold A. McInnes commented, "I was delighted with what I saw during my lab and classroom visit. The setup of the computer-aided design lab (CAD) was well-equipped and I was very impressed by the way the course was being taught. And the physics lab equipment is really on the cutting edge."

Since the initial grant to assist in the expansion of baccalaureate opportunities at Penn State Harrisburg, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program administered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation continues to provide support to help the program reach full implementation.

The foundation has also funded another dynamic outreach program at Penn State Harrisburg—the Capital Area Institute for Mathematics and Science. A recent $440,000 grant from The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program administered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation is enabling the college's School of Behavioral Sciences and Education to continue efforts aimed at enhancing mathematics and science education in area schools. Through this generous grant from Whitaker, the college has assumed management of this established and respected program.

The Capital Area Math and Science Alliance was established in 1995 as a project of the Council for Public Education through a Whitaker Foundation grant. The Alliance's initial charge was to serve as a catalyst to bring together education, business, industry, labor, government, and the community in order to promote excellence in science, mathematics, and technology education for all students in the Capital Region.

The Whitaker Foundation then awarded the alliance a grant to establish the Capital Area Institute for Mathematics and Science in January of 1997. In the fall of 2002, the Institute became affiliated with Penn State Harrisburg's Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning.

The Institute provides a variety of services to schools and educators. These services are organized into three areas:

curriculum resources -- access to curriculum resources for preview and evaluation;
materials center -- rental of nationally validated materials for use in the classroom; and
professional development -- professional development programs for teachers and administrators.

Through expanded programs and services, the Institute now serves more than 2,000 teachers in 28 area school districts with the potential to impact more than 50,000 students through hands-on science kits or math and science curriculum assistance. The focus of the institute is to improve teaching and learning in the areas of mathematics and science through the use of research-based materials and practices with a primary emphasis on long-term, sustained professional development of those directly involved in the education of children and youth.

The Institute is being operated as part of Penn State Harrisburg's Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, which establishes research-based partnerships to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the schools of the Commonwealth, especially those located in central Pennsylvania. The Center serves as a regional clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of research and knowledge on teaching and learning, generating solutions to educational problems through collaborative, action research activities in local K-12 school sites.

Through its commitment to Penn State Harrisburg, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program administered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation serves the residents of the midstate. The University is grateful for this generous support of its programs. In 2006, The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program will spend out its assets. The funds provided to Penn State now are being invested in the creation of self-supporting programs that will help the legacy of The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program live on in the region.

To learn more about The Whitaker Foundation Regional Program administered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation, please visit the Web sites: www.ghf.org. For information on Penn State Harrisburg, visit www.hbg.psu.edu. Information on the Capital Area Institute for Mathematics and Science can be found on the web at http://www.mathscience.psu.edu/.

Xerox Corporation Supports Innovative Programs at Penn State

Spring 2006--Xerox Corporation is a $15.7 billion technology and services company that helps businesses utilize smart document management strategies and find better ways to work. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Xerox is ranked 132nd among the Fortune 500 and has 55,200 employees worldwide. Penn State and Xerox share a partnership that has lasted over two decades and continues to strengthen. Xerox knows Penn State well as a business partner and is familiar with the University’s commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities for its students. As one of its core recruiting schools, the company actively seeks Penn State graduates. Xerox has contributed more than $1 million to Penn State to support a variety of projects and programs.

Like Xerox, Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) has aggressive goals to remain at the forefront of the technology revolution. In 2003, Penn State received a $100,000 grant from Xerox to name the Xerox Innovation Center. The space, located on the bridge level of the new IST Building, showcases state-of-the-art Xerox systems that are enhanced by Web-based software applications to allow students to access and print information anywhere, at any time. The center is used to support instructional and research programs.

Remaining one of the world's top technological innovators is crucial to Xerox. To help achieve this goal, the company interacts with multiple academic areas at Penn State. Xerox is one of the original sponsors of the University’s eBusiness Research Center (eBRC). The eBRC is dedicated to fostering and disseminating theoretical, empirical, and applied research in e-business. This activity provides learning and research insights to members and supports them in shaping e-business practices. The center is home to a network of researchers from universities around the world as well as consultants, hardware and software suppliers, and other enablers of e-business.

Another way Xerox engages with academic research is through gifts of equipment. The Hemingway Letters Project is a long-term initiative to publish the complete letters of Ernest Hemingway. It is a cooperative venture of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, Hemingway’s family, and Penn State. The project, directed by Sandra Spanier, Professor of English, will result in the publication of an estimated twelve volumes of the author’s nearly 8,000 letters. To support the project, Xerox has provided Document Center advanced multifunction systems—which perform document scanning along with copy, print, and fax functions—and
Xerox DocuShare software, a secure, Web-based enterprise content management application. Penn State's information technology managers were able to customize the software to organize the thousands of images in the project’s central archive and make the letters accessible to researchers around the world. The project offers a unique application of the software.

Most recently, The Xerox Foundation awarded Penn State a second $25,000 grant to support the Quality and Manufacturing Management Program (QMM). QMM is an interdisciplinary academic program leading to the Master of Manufacturing Management (MMM) degree. Its faculty guide professional students through an intensive one-year master’s degree program that is unrivalled for its integration of business, engineering, and Lean Six Sigma principles. An advisory board of industry managers and executives meets regularly to discuss the program’s direction and curriculum, ensuring that it remains at the leading edge of manufacturing education. By drawing upon the knowledge of the advisory board and the expertise of the faculty, the QMM program offers its students a chance to learn about “real-world” manufacturing issues as well as the latest research and theory related to process improvement. Xerox representative, David Whitmyre (’70 Bus), iGen3 plant manager, sits on the QMM Advisory Board.

“The Xerox Foundation gift to QMM dramatically accelerated our ability to realize a vision that was inspired by everyone with a stake in the program's future, including our industrial advisory board, recruiters, and faculty,” says Gerald Susman, former co-director of QMM and current Associate Dean for Research, Smeal College of Business. “That vision is to provide our students with the knowledge, skills, and tools to create value immediately for their employers through enhanced creativity, productivity, and quality.”

A portion of The Xerox Foundation support is being used to recruit talented students into the QMM program as Xerox Fellows. The balance of the funds provides scholarships to current QMM students to attend the recently created Lean Six Sigma seminar as a capstone to the MMM degree. The QMM students along with Penn State’s undergraduate population provide a vital pipeline of talent that can help contribute to Xerox’s ongoing success.

“Xerox and Penn State share a passion for innovation, and our long partnership with the University is one we highly value,” says Greg Sosinski (’78 Eng), vice president, strategic platform development, for Xerox’s Engineering & Enterprise Center. He also serves as Xerox’s “focus executive” for Penn State. “The University continues to be a strategic source of the best and brightest creative minds and cutting-edge technology.”

For more information about Xerox Corporation, please access the Xerox Corporation Web site.