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Penn State Alumni Association News

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08/12/2008—Penn State Faculty to Kick Off Home Football Lecture Series Aug. 30 “Huddle with the Faculty” To Begin 16th Season

08/07/2008—New Executive Board Announced for the Penn State Alumni Association

07/09/2008—Penn State Alumni Association Membership Surpasses 160,000 Mark

06/16/2008—Ten Alumni Elected, Three Appointed to Serve on Penn State Alumni Association's Governing Board

06/06/2008—Berlin, Chadderton, Fisher, Pechter, Ryan and Ryan Named Honorary Alumni

05/07/2008—State Legislators Hanna, Killion to Receive “Friend of Penn State” Legislative Awards

04/28/2008—Upcoming Senior Sendoff to Celebrate Graduation; All 6,000 Penn State Seniors Invited to the April 30 Event

04/24/2008—Alumni, Families Invited to Stay in Dorms During Arts Fest Alumni Reunion Weekend; Housing in Residence Halls Allow Alumni to Relive College Days

04/23/2008—Penn State Alumni Association Pledges $2.1 Million Gift to Provide Scholarship Support to Students in all Colleges, Campuses and Graduate/Professional Schools

04/22/2008—Penn State Alumni Invited to Explore Movie Making, Philly Style

04/10/2008—Penn State Alumni Invited to Explore Movie Making, Philly Style

04/09/2008—Bell Tower, Old Main Open to Tour on April 16; Students, Community Invited

04/02/2008—Ten Young Penn Staters to be Honored With Alumni Achievement Award on April 4

03/19/2008—Black Alumni to Hold Reunion Blue-White Weekend April 18-20

03/19/2008—Alumni from Classes of 1963, 1958, and Earlier Invited to Penn State Reunion Weekend June 5-8

03/19/2008—Alumni Association Organizing Caribbean Vacation For Alumni and Families

03/18/2008—Penn State Faculty, Staff Able to Join The Princeton Club through Penn State Alumni Association

02/12/2008—Penn State President, Faculty, Alumni To Gather in Manhattan for City Lights Theatre Event

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Penn State Faculty to Kick Off Home Football Lecture Series Aug. 30 “Huddle with the Faculty” To Begin 16th Season

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (August 12, 2008)—Before diving into a bag of chips or munching on an Italian hoagie, football fans can feed their minds at “Huddle with the Faculty,” the popular lecture series before all home football games held at The Nittany Lion Inn. This season’s topics range from the art of Andy Warhol to cutting-edge surgery to mergers and acquisitions.

“Huddle with the Faculty” will kick off Aug. 30 with a presentation by Penn State’s first laureate Kim Cook, professor of music, who will discuss the cello and its history as well as her stories of playing the cello around the world from Russian to Indian villages in Peru. The lecture, entitled “Getting to Know the Cello: A conversation with Penn State’s University Laureate,” will begin at 9 a.m., with a free continental breakfast available at 8:30 a.m.

The rest of the “Huddle with the Faculty” lineup is:

Sept. 6 (Oregon State): “Ice is Hot: What is the Ice in Antarctica and Greenland Really Doing?” with Sridhar Anandakrishnan, associate professor of geosciences; 10 a.m. start.
Sept. 20 (Temple): “Andy Warhol: Superstar in the Supermarket” with Sarah Rich, associate professor of art history; 9 a.m. start.
Sept. 27 (Illinois): “After 500 Years of First Contact: Exploring Contemporary American Indian Identity” with John Sanchez, associate professor of journalism and news media ethics; 10 a.m. start.
Oct. 18 (Michigan): “Big Sharks Eating Little Sharks: What Do Mergers and Acquisitions Mean to You?” with Samuel C. Thompson Jr., Arthur Weiss Distinguished Faculty Scholar, professor of law, and director of the Center for the Study of Mergers and Acquisitions; 10 a.m. start.
Nov. 15 (Indiana): “Surgery Today: Not the Same Old Cutting and Stitching” with Peter W. Dillon, M.D., John A. and Marian T. Waldhausen Professor of Surgery and chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Penn State College of Medicine; start time TBA.
Nov. 22 (Michigan State): “Memories of Mass Death: the Great War in Europe” with Sophie De Schaepdrijver, associate professor of history; start time TBA.

The start time for the one-hour “Huddle with the Faculty” on each home football Saturday is 9 a.m., but is pushed back to 10 a.m. when the football game kicks off later than 3 p.m. Each “Huddle with the Faculty” also features a complimentary continental breakfast beginning one-half hour before the lecture start time and free parking at the Nittany Parking Deck, adjacent to The Nittany Lion Inn.

“Huddle with the Faculty” is sponsored and organized by the Penn State Alumni Association and co-sponsored by The Nittany Lion Inn, Penn State Bookstore and Penn State Press. For more detailed descriptions of each “Huddle with the Faculty” and specific start times go to http://www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or call the Alumni Association at 800-548-LION (5466).

The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 160,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. “Huddle with the Faculty” is just one of hundreds of annual events and programs, organized by the Penn State Alumni Association, designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

New Executive Board Announced for the Penn State Alumni Association

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (August 7, 2008)—The 2008-09 Executive Board of the Penn State Alumni Association was announced today by President David C. Han ’88, ’05g. The 18-member volunteer board will include seven new members and will serve through June 30, 2009.

Executive Board members are drawn from the 86-member Alumni Council, the Alumni Association’s governing body. Executive Board members include the Alumni Association’s officers, the chairs of Alumni Council standing committees and several at-large appointments.

New to the Alumni Association’s Executive Board are:

• Ingrid Blood, State College, Pa., representing the Penn State Faculty Senate;
• Darryl E. Bundrige ’93, Philadelphia;
• Alan R. Gedrich ’82, Philadelphia;
• George Khoury, State College, Pa., student representative from the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments;
• Anne Riley ’64, State College, Pa., representing the Penn State Board of Trustees;
• Kay Salvino ’69, State College, Pa.;
• Jill B. Semmer ’88, Berwyn, Pa.

“These alumni serving on Executive Board and Alumni Council are some of the most loyal and committed volunteers,” said Han. “We are grateful for their service to the Alumni Association and the University.”

The Executive Board of the Penn State Alumni Association meets four times a year and provides leadership to the Alumni Council, the all-volunteer governing body that sets and oversees programs for the Penn State Alumni Association. The Council determines strategies and programs to be carried out by the Alumni Association staff and is also responsible for electing the Alumni Association president and vice president.

Heading the Executive Board are Han (Hummelstown, Pa.), Vice President Barry M. Simpson ’69 (Harrisburg, Pa.), Immediate Past President Lewis H. Gold ’59 (Jenkintown, Pa.) and Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer Roger L. Williams ’73, ’75g, ’88g (State College, Pa.). Returning members of the Executive Board and their committee chair positions are:

• Diane Y. Delozier ’74, York, Pa., member of Budget & Finance Committee;
• Leslie N. Firth ’58, ’61g, Mercer, Pa., chair of Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee;
• Patricia G. Hayes ’75, Lemont, Pa., co-chair of Membership Committee;
• Pamela D. Loughner ’78, ’97g, ’02g, Huntingdoon Valley, Pa., chair of Program Development Committee;
• Elizabeth Skade Middleton ’63, Newport Beach, Calif., chair of Volunteer Support Committee;
• Marjorie Ganter Scholtz ’62, Pittsburgh, chair of Membership Committee;
• Kathleen Arnold Smarilli ’71, Lancaster, Pa., chair of Budget & Finance Committee.

Committee assignments for new Board members are Bundrige, chair of Diversity Committee; Gedrich, co-chair of Budget & Finance Committee; Khoury, member of Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee; Salvino, chair of Communications Committee; and Semmer, chair of Awards Committee.

With more than 160,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. For more information about the Alumni Association, Executive Board or Alumni Council, visit www.alumni.psu.edu/groups/council/

Penn State Alumni Association Membership Surpasses 160,000 Mark

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (July 9, 2008)—As of the close of the fiscal year on June 30, the Penn State Alumni Association became the first dues-paying alumni association ever to top the 160,000-member threshold, gaining nearly 1,000 members to reach a record high of 160,742.

“The world’s largest dues-paying alumni association has become even larger again this year, due to the ever-increasing desire of our graduates to stay connected to Penn State and due, as well, to a tremendous staff that works hard to recruit and retain them,” said Executive Director Roger L. Williams. “We are grateful for the incredible loyalty of our members, who have joined at a rate (34.4 percent) that is twice the national average for alumni organizations of our kind.”

In a tough economic year, the Alumni Association increased from 159,831 to 160,742 members, a net growth of 911 members for a growth rate of 0.6 percent. Over the last five years, the Alumni Association has added 14,123 members, an increase of 9.6 percent.

Within the past year’s growth dynamic, the biggest surge came from life members, whose numbers grew from 89,799 in 2007 to 93,243 in 2008– an increase of 3,444 or 3.8 percent. The Penn State Alumni Association has the largest life membership, as well as total membership, in the world. Life members now compose 58 percent of total membership, while annual members account for 42 percent.

“Our status as the world’s largest dues-paying alumni association is a point of pride for Penn Staters everywhere, and we are delighted to be No. 1 again this year,” said Alumni Association President David C. Han. “We are especially pleased to see continued strong growth in life members. Our life members represent some of the most committed and loyal Penn State alumni and form a strong core for our alumni association. Before long, we expect to surpass the 100,000 mark for life members.”

The number of “active, addressable” alumni (all alumni for whom at least a street address is available) for the year ending June 30, 2008, is 467,701. That number has grown by 4,481 alumni in the last year, up from 463,220 in 2007. While Penn Staters are scattered all over the globe, 40 percent of them live in five metropolitan areas: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Pa., New York City and Washington, D.C.

Ten Alumni Elected, Three Appointed to Serve on Penn State Alumni Association’s Governing Board

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (June 16, 2008)—Ten Penn State alumni have been elected and three appointed to Alumni Council, the governing body of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Elected to Alumni Council for three-year terms from July 1, 2008–June 30, 2011, are Alan D. Bedrick, Tucson, Ariz.; Leslie N. Firth, Mercer, Pa.; Ronald H. Frear, State College, Pa.; Katherine E. Genovese, Boalsburg, Pa.; Robert C. Landis, Alexandria, Va.; Nelson S. Loftus Jr., State College, Pa.; Pamela Loughner, Huntington Valley, Pa.; Cindy Mable, Exton, Pa.; Tom Range, Levittown, Pa.; and Kay L. Frantz Salvino, State College, Pa.

Alumni Association President David C. Han filled three appointed positions on Alumni Council. The appointees are CarolAnn Long Gentry, State College, Pa.; Heather A. James, Bentonville, Ark.; and Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Wilmington, Del.

Alumni Council is an all-volunteer governing body that guides and directs policy for the Penn State Alumni Association. The council determines strategies and programs to be carried out by the Alumni Association staff and is also responsible for electing the Alumni Association president and vice president.

“Penn State’s alumni volunteer leaders are some of the most committed and dedicated graduates of the university, and we are extremely grateful for their volunteer service,” said Han. “Like all Alumni Council members, these new and returning members will work to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni throughout the world through the programs of the Penn State Alumni Association that keep alumni connected to our alma mater.”

In this year’s election, 16,268 Alumni Association members cast ballots—a 12.62 percent participation rate among eligible voters—with more than 59 percent voting electronically via the Internet. This year’s participation reflected a 20 percent increase over the 13,574 who voted in 2007.

Following is a brief biography about each newly named Alumni Council member:

Alan D. Bedrick of Tucson, Ariz., graduated from the Penn State Eberly College of Science in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and went on to earn his M.D. from the Penn State College of Medicine. He is professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Ariz. Bedrick has represented the College of Medicine Alumni Society on Alumni Council since 2006 and is a member of the Communications Committee.

Leslie N. Firth of Mercer, Pa., holds two Penn State degrees from the College of Agricultural Sciences: a 1958 bachelor’s degree and 1961 master’s degree.  He is the owner and operator of Firth Farms in Mercer, Pa. Firth has been an elected member of Alumni Council since 2005. He chairs the Grassroots Network Committee and is a member of the Executive Board.

Ronald H. Frear of State College, Pa., is new to Alumni Council. He is a 1954 graduate from the College of Business and is retired from his position as director of sales and marketing for Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Katherine E. Genovese of Boalsburg, Pa., holds two Penn State degrees: a 1978 bachelor’s degree from the College of the Liberal Arts and a 1984 master’s degree from the College of Education. She is vice president of programming for the Second Mile in State College, Pa. Genovese has represented the College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Society on Alumni Council since 2006 and serves on the Awards Committee.

CarolAnn Long Gentry of State College, Pa., is a 1969 graduate of the College of Education. She is a retired English teacher from the State College Area School District and has been an elected member of Alumni Council since 2005, serving on the Diversity Committee.

Heather A. James of Bentonville, Ark., is new to Alumni Council. She is a 1992 graduate of the Smeal College of Business and is the senior marketing manager for multicultural marketing for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald of Wilmington, Del.; is a 1992 graduate of the College of Communications and is owner and principal of Arts in Media in Wilmington, Del. She was appointed to Alumni Council in 2005 and serves as co-chair on the Volunteer Support Committee.

Robert Landis of Alexandria, Va.; is a 1963 graduate of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He is president of Landis Associates in Alexandria, Va. He has represented the Earth and Mineral Sciences Alumni Society on Alumni Council since 2006, serving on the Awards Committee.

Nelson S. Loftus Jr. has a bachelor’s (1958), master’s (1962) and Ph.D. (1966) from the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. He is retired from the U.S. Forest Service where he was a principal research scientist.

Pamela Loughner of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., holds three degrees from Penn State’s College of Education: a 1978 bachelor’s, a 1997 master’s and a 2002 Ph.D, She is president of Loughner and Associates in Huntingdon Valley and has been an elected member of Alumni Council since 2003. Loughner serves on the Executive Board and chairs the Program Development Committee.

Cindy Mable of Exton, Pa., has a bachelor’s degree (1969) and master’s degree (1971) from the Eberly College of Science. She is a principal with SunGlobal LLC in Rockville, Md., and was elected to Alumni Council in 2005. Mable serves on the Communications Committee.

Tom Range of Levittown, Pa., is a 1989 graduate of the Eberly College of Science with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He is a teacher at Ewing High School in Ewing, N.J., and was appointed to Alumni Council in 2005. Range serves on the Program Development Committee.

With more than 159,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. For more information about the Alumni Association, or its governing board, Alumni Council, visit www.alumni.psu.edu/groups/council/

Berlin, Chadderton, Fisher, Pechter, Ryan and Ryan Named Honorary Alumni
Award recognizes significant contributions to Penn State

University Park, Pa. (June 6, 2008)—Six longtime champions and benefactors of Penn State were named Honorary Alumni by the Penn State Alumni Association at a ceremony today at The Nittany Lion Inn.

"Like true alumni, these six University friends have demonstrated a deep loyalty to Penn State while making significant contributions to the University," said Alumni Association President David Han ’88, ’05g. “It's a privilege for the Penn State Alumni Association to add ‘Penn State alumna’ or ‘Penn State alumnus’ to the accolades of these champions of Penn State.”

The Penn State Alumni Association has given the Honorary Alumni Award since 1973 to recognize individuals who, while not graduates of Penn State, have significantly worked toward bettering the University. Since the award was established, 91 individuals have been given Honorary Alumni status, including this year's honorees:

Cheston M. Berlin
As a founding member of the pediatrics department at Penn State’s College of Medicine and also a professor of pharmacology, Chet Berlin has taught and counseled thousands of medical students, cared for countless young patients and conducted research in areas from phenylketonuria (PKU) to Tourette Syndrome since 1971. He’s also served in numerous administrative positions from director of the pediatric ICU to assistant dean for students. Throughout his nearly four decades at Penn State, Berlin has been known for providing children with the most compassionate and effective health care possible—including establishing the PKU Clinic in 1983—and his students with the best possible education.

Fran Fisher
Before ESPN and satellite television broadcast sports 24 hours a day, Penn State fans who couldn’t make it to Beaver Stadium listened to games on the radio. And starting in 1966, the voice fans heard on the Penn State Radio Network was Fran Fisher’s. Fisher provided many memorable broadcasts, including the Nittany Lions’ national championship victory in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. Fisher came out of retirement in 1994 for another five seasons of announcing with George Paterno. Fisher also served as co-host of the television program TV Quarterbacks, play-by-play announcer for Nittany Lion basketball (1976-83), host of radio call-in show Nittany Lion Hotline and executive director of the Nittany Lion Club.

Shirley A. Pechter
A lifelong resident of the Altoona area, Shirley Pechter has given generously of her time, money and creativity to Penn State Altoona. Pechter co-chaired Penn State Altoona’s 65th anniversary celebration in 2004 and has supported the campus as an advisory board member and Development Council member. She served on two steering committees for The Grand Destiny Campaign, hosting events in both Altoona and New York City. In honor of her late husband, Fred Pechter ’33, she established a scholarship at Penn State Altoona. Her support also provided for The Pechter Family Music Room in the Hawthorn Classroom Building.

Diane and Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan and Diane Krall Ryan started their Penn State careers at Penn State Wilkes-Barre: Diane as assistant to the dean of student affairs in 1980, and Jim as campus executive officer in 1981. In 1990, they moved to State College when Jim was appointed vice president for continuing education, where he would oversee the development of The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, raise more than $25 million for his division during The Grand Destiny Campaign and create the World Campus. He also coordinated the reorganization that brought continuing education, distance education, public radio and television and cooperative extension together in one division—Outreach and Cooperative Extension. At the same time, Diane was working with the Penn State Alumni Association, first as regional director and, starting in 1997, as the executive director. During her tenure, the Alumni Association built the nation’s largest life member endowment, increased membership, implemented several innovative programs and built the Hintz Family Alumni Center.

Honorary Alumni receive a life membership in the Penn State Alumni Association, as well as a commemorative award. More information about the Honorary Alumni Award, including the names of all 91 recipients, can be accessed at http://www.alumni.psu.edu/awards/individual. The Honorary Alumni Award is part of the recognition program of the Penn State Alumni Association, which acknowledges outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through volunteer service to the University or through success in their personal and professional lives.

With more than 159,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

State Legislators Hanna, Killion to Receive “Friend of Penn State” Legislative Awards

University Park, Pa. (May 7, 2008)—Two Pennsylvania state representatives have been chosen by the Penn State Alumni Association to receive the third annual “Friend of Penn State” legislative award for the significant role they have played in the continued improvement of Penn State.

Michael K. Hanna (D-76th District) and Thomas H. Killion (R-168th District) will receive their awards June 20 at Penn State's University Park campus. They were named by the Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee of Alumni Council, the governing body of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, Hanna has served in the legislature since 1991. His district includes part of Centre County and all of Clinton County. A 1977 graduate of Lock Haven University, Hanna also earned a law degree in 1980 at the University of Pittsburgh.

In naming Hanna, the committee noted his consistent support for Penn State as House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee chair and his energetic efforts on behalf of a plan that would allow Penn State to purchase about 1,200 acres of underused land from the State Correctional Institution at Rockview. Penn State hopes to use the land for agricultural and forest research purposes and to make some of it available for outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, and fishing. At the same time, Penn State will preserve the land's environmental integrity through sound land-management practices in a way that can serve as a model for the entire Commonwealth.

Les Firth, chair of Alumni Council's legislative education and advocacy committee and a longtime agricultural advocate for Penn State, said Hanna is well regarded in Harrisburg and throughout the state. “anna is known by his colleagues and everyone who works with him in Harrisburg as an ‘honest broker’ who deals fairly and honestly with people on all sides of an issue,” Firth said. “This has served him, and his constituents, very well.”

Killion, vice chair of the House Insurance Committee, is a 1979 graduate of Penn State. He has served in the legislature since 2003. His district includes part of Chester County and part of Delaware County.

The committee noted Killion's staunch support for Penn State's position on the state's recently adopted open records law and his consistent backing for Penn State's appropriation requests. He has also lent particular support to Penn State Brandywine, serving on its campus advisory board since 1999. He has also helped raise funds for a campus scholarship program, backed grant proposals aiding the campus, and supported an effort to build a new campus entryway.

“Killion has been a great friend to the University at large and the Brandywine campus as well,” Firth said.

For more information on Rep. Hanna, go to www.pahouse.com/hanna/. For more information on Rep. Killion, go to www.repkillion.com/.

As the world's largest dues-paying alumni association with more than 159,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association connects alumni to the University and to each other, provides valuable benefits to members and supports the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Alumni Association oversees hundreds of annual programs and events designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Upcoming Senior Sendoff to Celebrate Graduation; All 6,000 Penn State Seniors Invited to the April 30 Event

University Park, Pa. (April 28, 2008)—Graduation is approaching, and with it, the reality for more than 6,000 seniors that their time as Penn State students is quickly coming to a close.

The Class of 2008 will be sent out in style at the sixth annual Penn State Senior Sendoff, 2-5 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, at the Hintz Family Alumni Center, sponsored by the Lion Ambassadors and the Penn State Alumni Association. The free event is open to all graduating seniors. More than 2,000 seniors joined in the festivities in 2007.

The Penn State Senior Sendoff will feature a catered lunch provided by several local restaurants including Clem's BBQ; live performances by the Blue Band, Blue Sapphire, and the Lionettes; and free T-shirts to the first 500 seniors. Prizes will also be up for grabs including, an official Penn State class ring, prize packs and other Penn State memorabilia.

Pre-registration for Senior Sendoff is encouraged. Students may pre-register April 28-29 in the HUB-Robeson Center and outside of The Corner Room restaurant on the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street. Registration is also available at the entrance to Senior Sendoff. A Penn State ID is required to be admitted to Senior Sendoff.

Information about the Penn State Alumni Association and the many benefits of membership will be available at the event. Sponsors include Liberty Mutual, Kaplan, Josten's, Bank of America, Alumni Career Services, Alumni Travel and Education, and the Senior Class Gift Committee and the Societies, Chapters and Interest groups affiliated with the Alumni Association.

For more information about Senior Sendoff, contact the Lion Ambassador office at 814-863-3752 or e-mail Christian Lane at cll207@psu.edu. Sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association, the Lion Ambassadors serve Penn State by communicating the history and personality of the University, strengthening the University's traditions and instilling Penn State pride in current and future students, alumni and friends.

Alumni, Families Invited to Stay in Dorms During Arts Fest Alumni Reunion Weekend; Housing in Residence Halls Allow Alumni to Relive College Days

University Park, Pa. (April 24, 2008)—GPenn State alumni, their families and friends are invited to stay in a residence hall on campus and enjoy special family-centered events while enjoying the 42nd annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts during Arts Festival Alumni Weekend, July 9-13.

Alumni can share the fun of their former "dorm" room and relive their college days by staying on campus in residence halls close to the Arts Festival. In addition to the many Arts Festival attractions, Alumni Weekend registrants will enjoy a Spikes baseball game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, swimming at Penn State's outdoor pool, campus tours, a commemorative photo opportunity, alumni career seminars and an ice cream social featuring Berkey Creamery ice cream and music by the band Velveeta. Alumni Weekend registrants can also enjoy two free concerts sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association: Entrain at 7:30 p.m. and Velveeta at 10 p.m., Saturday at the Festival Shell Stage on Old Main Lawn, as well as all that the Arts Festival has to offer.

Arts Festival Alumni Weekend is open to all Penn Staters. Program registration fees are $25 for Alumni Association members, $50 for non-members; children five and under are free. Room fees for the residence halls are not included and prices vary. For guaranteed housing in the residence halls, the pre-registration deadline is July X, although walk-in registration will be available beginning Wednesday, July 9 in Waring Commons on the University Park campus. More information about Arts Festival Alumni Weekend can be found at www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or by calling the Alumni Association at 800-548-LION, option 4.

With more than 159,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Penn State Alumni Association Pledges $2.1 Million Gift to Provide Scholarship Support to Students in all Colleges, Campuses and Graduate/Professional Schools

University Park, Pa. (April 23, 2008)—In a historic move, the Penn State Alumni Association has pledged a gift of $2.1 million to support students across the university.

In support of the university's new fund-raising drive, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students, the gift will establish 35 Penn State Alumni Association Trustee Scholarships, each funded at $50,000 in 12 colleges, at 20 campuses, and three additional undergraduate units. Trustee Scholarships are based on financial need and awarded to students who are Pell Grant eligible, typically coming from families whose household income is below $40,000.

In addition, the gift will include $350,000 to support graduate and professional education—$100,000 each for The Graduate School, the Penn State College of Medicine and the Penn State Dickinson School of Law—as well as $50,000 for Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

“The Alumni Association wanted to step up in a big way to address the concerns of Penn State students—our future alumni—over rising tuition,” said David Han, president of the Penn State Alumni Association. “In the land-grant college tradition, we believe this gift will help to keep open the doors of opportunity and ease the financial burden for generations of students to come.”

The gift decision was made during the annual spring meeting of Alumni Council, held April 17-18. The recommendation came from the Council’s Margin of Excellence Committee, acting on a proposal submitted by the Office of University Development. The recommendation was approved unanimously by the Alumni Council Executive Board, the governing board of the Penn State Alumni Association.

“This is a pace-setting leadership gift for the university’s campaign,” said Penn State President Graham Spanier. “Although our donors have established more than 450 Matching Trustee Scholarships over the last six years, this pledge to establish 35 new Penn State Alumni Association Trustee Scholarships is the largest single gift thus far for this purpose. The additional pledge to support students in our graduate and professional schools is deeply appreciated as well. This gift continues the Alumni Association’s tradition of philanthropy to Penn State, which since 1988 has totaled more than $12.5 million in gifts to the university.” 

Proceeds for the gift will come from the Alumni Association’s Margin of Excellence Fund, an endowment established in 2000 to support major gifts to the university. The $2.1 million pledge will be paid over seven years, at the rate of about $300,000 per year.

The Trustee Matching Scholarship Program was established by the university in 2002. It offers a novel approach to providing incentives for securing private gifts to establish new undergraduate scholarships (for which $50,000 is the minimal amount needed). The Trustee Matching Scholarship Program matches income from private scholarship endowments with funds from the university’s operating budget. Thus, a $50,000 gift for this purpose, which would generate $2,500 per year or five percent in spendable income, is matched by an additional five percent or $2,500 from the university every year in perpetuity  for this same scholarship.

“The added beauty of this gift is that it essentially enables us to double our money—and our impact—on behalf of Penn State students,” Han said. “The $1,750,000 we’ve committed for 35 Trustee Scholarships will provide the same financial support as a gift of $3,500,000.”

In addition, the University’s match to all 35 Trustee Scholarships will begin immediately, during the 2008-09 academic year. As the Alumni Association transfers its $50,000 into each of the scholarships over the next several years, they will become fully funded.

Barry Simpson, chair of Alumni Council’s 2008 Margin of Excellence Committee, noted that, “Penn State alumni the world over recognize the tremendous impact a Penn State education has made on their lives. Through this multi-year gift, we can help hundreds of students make their education more affordable. These talented students of today will become our alumni leaders of the future.

“The added benefit to this gift is that it affects nearly all academic units of the University,” Simpson said. “Each of these academic units has its own constituent alumni society that operates as part of the Penn State Alumni Association, so we are especially pleased to be making a gift that will benefit students from all colleges, schools and campuses.”

The first $300,000 payment for six Penn State Alumni Association Trustee Scholarships will be made in 2008-09 and will go to:

• Penn State DuBois: $50,000
• Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus: $50,000
• Penn State Schuylkill: $50,000
• Penn State Shenango: $50,000
• Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS): $50,000
• The Office of Educational Equity: $50,000.

“These campuses were selected because they have the highest proportion of students who qualify for Trustee Scholarships,” said Simpson. “The Office of Educational Equity was chosen because it is charged with supporting educational access for targeted groups of low-income, potential first-generation college students. The Division of Undergraduates Studies (DUS) is the university-wide academic information and advising system. With more than 7,000 students at 20 campuses, DUS is Penn State’s largest unit of enrollment for entering baccalaureate students.”

Simpson added that, each year, the Margin of Excellence committee will determine which units will receive the next round of $300,000 gift transfers.

Penn State alumni and friends wishing to establish a Trustee Scholarship in their own name or interested in making a personal contribution to one of the newly established Penn State Alumni Association Trustee Matching Scholarships may contact Dan Genard, director of development for undergraduate education and scholarships, at dqg2@psu.edu or 814-865-7594.

With more than 159,000 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Penn State Alumni Invited to Explore Movie Making, Philly Style

University Park, Pa. (April 10, 2008)—National Treasure, The Sixth Sense, Rocky and Trading Places are just a few of the many movies shot on location in Philadelphia. On Saturday, April 26, Penn State Professor Charles Dumas—veteran of stage, screen and television—will provide Penn State alumni and their family and friends with an insider's look into moviemaking as part of the 2008 City Lights series of cultural and educational events, organized by the Penn State Alumni Association.

Dumas will give his insight on working in the movie industry as part of “Penn State on Location: Inside the Philly Movie Scene.” Participants will have the option of taking a bus tour to visit a number of Philadelphia movie locations. They'll learn what happened, what didn't happen, and what ended up on the cutting room floor. Guides certified by the Greater Philadelphia Film Office will lead the bus tour.

“City Lights events are our effort to bring Penn State directly to our alumni,” said Roger L. Williams, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. “And Philadelphia has the largest concentration of Penn State alumni of any city.”

The Philadelphia City Lights event is the fourth in the six-event series. Past events included “Penn State's Broadway Connection” in New York City, “We Are.The People” at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert with principal pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch.

The remaining City Lights events are:

• “Be a Doctor for a Day” at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. on May 3, Penn Staters and friends will scrub up for a simulated surgery, slide into the cockpit of the Life Lion helicopter and learn about the latest developments in stem cell research. This City Lights event is full, but interested alums may call about being placed on a waiting list.
• “Spring into Summer” will take place at the Seven Spring Resort in the Pittsburgh area on June 21. This family event will include activities led by Penn State Kinesiology Senior Lecturer Bob Ricketts.

All City Lights events are open to Penn State alumni and friends and vary widely in terms of ticket prices. For more information, including exact times and ticket prices for each event, or to register, go to www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or call 800-548-LION option 5.

The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 159,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association connects alumni to the University and to each other, provides valuable benefits to members and supports the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association oversees hundreds of annual programs and events designed to inform,

involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Bell Tower, Old Main Open to Tour on April 16; Students, Community Invited

University Park, Pa. (April 23, 2008)—Views of Penn State and the State College area are the main draw for the hundreds of people who turn out for the annual Old Main Open House, sponsored by the Lion Ambassadors. The Old Main Open House will be 2 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 16.

The annual Old Main Open House features guided tours of the building, its history (learn about Old Coaly) and views from the Bell Tower. There will also be free food, music, prizes and outdoor games on the Old Main porticos and lawn.

The Old Main Open House is one of a handful of times during the year when the Bell Tower is open for visitors. During the tours, characters from Penn State's 153-year history will be brought to life by Lion Ambassadors to greet visitors.

Sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association, the Lion Ambassadors serve Penn State by communicating the history and personality of the University, strengthening the University's traditions and instilling Penn State pride in current and future students, alumni and friends. The Lion Ambassadors have been offering tours of Old Main to hundreds of visitors each year since 1995. For more information, contact the Lion Ambassadors' office at 814-863-3752.

Ten Young Penn Staters to be Honored With Alumni Achievement Award on April 4
April 18-20

University Park, Pa. (April 2, 2008)—Ten young Penn State alumni will be honored for outstanding professional accomplishment and presented with the Penn State Alumni Association's Alumni Achievement Award in a dinner ceremony on April 4 at The Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus.

From an alumnus who oversees the award-winning gardens surrounding the Smithsonian museums to a producer for ABC News, the 2008 Alumni Achievement Awardees have reached an extraordinary level of professional accomplishment, all by the age of 35 or younger. These prominent young alumni are nominated by an academic college or campus, selected by a University-wide committee and invited by President Graham B. Spanier to return to campus to share their expertise with students and the University community. The Alumni Achievement Award, begun in 2005, is one of the newest awards given by the Penn State Alumni Association.

This year's Alumni Achievement Award recipients, along with their year of graduation, current title, place of employment, and residence are:

• Erik P. Keptner '94, senior vice president of marketing and advertising for Giant Food Stores; New Cumberland, Pa.;
• Todd Kohli '98, landscape architect and managing director for EDAW; San Francisco;
• John Mathew '97g, director of the project and resource management business line for BST Global; New Port Richey, Fla.;
• Jeffrey Nagle '98, supervisory horticulturalist for the Smithsonian Institution; Arlington, Va.;
• Ian M. Paul '98g, '03g, associate professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital; Lancaster, Pa.;
• Kristina K. Peachman '95, research scientist at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Rockville, Md.;
• Jessica Stuart '96, editorial producer at ABC News; Washington, D.C.;
• Bulent Tarman '06g, founder and chief administrative officer of the Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School; State College, Pa.
• Uday T. Turaga '02g, associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; Houston.

At the April 4 ceremony, 2007 Alumni Achievement Award winner Alan M. Majewski '02g, chief financial officer for Standard Steel in Pittsburgh will receive his award since he was unable to attend last year's event.

These Alumni Achievement Award recipients will be given a commemorative medal by Spanier at the April 4 dinner and ceremony. The medal was commissioned by the Alumni Association and designed by internationally recognized artist Jeanne Stevens-Sollman, a 1972 graduate of Penn State's master of fine arts program. In addition, most Alumni Achievement Award winners will meet with students during a 7:30 p.m. reception Thursday, April 3, at the Hintz Family Alumni Center, as well as guest lecture in classes within their colleges throughout the day on Friday, April 4. .

More detailed biographical information on Alumni Achievement Award recipients follows below. For full biographical information about each award recipient, go to the Alumni Association's Web site at www.alumni.psu.edu/awards/individual.

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Erik P. Keptner '94 is the senior vice president of marketing and advertising for Giant Food Stores, one of the mid-Atlantic's largest supermarket chains. He also serves on the company's senior management operating committee. After earning an MBA from Temple University, Keptner started his career with Giant in 1997 as a consumer research analyst. He held the positions of consumer research manager, director of consumer research and vice president of consumer insights and sales development before becoming a senior vice president. Keptner is also a graduate of the Ahold Retail Academy, a highly selective program offered through Giant's parent company, Ahold, to develop the breadth of retail knowledge of the company's future leaders. He and his family live in New Cumberland, Pa.

Todd Kohli '98 is a registered landscape architect and a managing director in the San Francisco office of EDAW, the world's largest land-based consulting firm. As one of EDAW's youngest senior associates, Kohli's work involves the planning and design of complex, mixed-use urban environments. Within the last several years, Kohli served as the landscape architect for Tokyo Midtown, a high-profile project that transformed a 25-acre parcel of land in central Tokyo into an internationally acclaimed mixed-use development. Tokyo Midtown has been recognized in a variety of magazines and books since opening in March 2007. Kohli has also won regional ASLA awards for his work on the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Bridge to Breakwater projects, among other downtown and campus master plans. He lives in San Francisco. .

Alan Majewski '02g is chief financial officer for Standard Steel, a position he has held since 2002. That year, Majewski, at age 29, was part of a team that bought Standard Steel's assets from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy estate. He and the management team restructured and grew the business for the next four years, which resulted in the sale of Standard Steel to Trimaran Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. Prior to his position with Standard Steel, Majewski was the audit manager in Price Waterhouse's Pittsburgh office. In 2006, the Pittsburgh Business Times named Majewski "CFO of the Year" in the large, private company category. He lives in Pittsburgh. .

John Mathew '97g is director of the project and resource management business line for BST Global, a technology firm that provides business management solutions to architecture and engineering firms around the world. As a project manager with BST, Mathew led the development of a solution that integrated BST's software with Microsoft's new Project Server platform, which won the Silver Medal in the 2002 Microsoft Project Business Value Challenge. He was promoted to director in 2004. Prior to joining BST, he was part of a start-up software company delivering Internet-based knowledge management solutions to the architecture and engineering industry. Mathew began his career at Deloitte Consulting. He lives in New Port Richey, Fla..

Jeffrey Nagle '98 is a supervisory horticulturist for the Smithsonian Institution, the largest museum complex and research organization in the world. In addition to setting policies and planning long-term projects for the Smithsonian's Horticulture Services Division, Nagle also oversees the care of 180 acres of landscaped public gardens surrounding 17 Smithsonian museums throughout Washington, D.C. Gardens under his care include the 4.2-acre rooftop Enid A. Haupt Garden, the Katherine Dulin Folger Rose Garden, the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden and the Butterfly Habitat Garden. Under Nagle's leadership, the Smithsonian won the 2006 Professional Grounds Management Society Honor Award and the 2007 Grand Award for Excellence in Grounds Management. Nagle and his family live in Arlington, Va..

Ian M. Paul '98g, '03g is an associate professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. While maintaining a thriving general pediatric practice, Paul conducts research and has become an internationally recognized expert on treating cough and cold symptoms in children. In 2004, Paul's team found that over-the-counter cough medicine did not improve symptoms any more than a placebo. In 2007, he found that honey was an effective treatment for children's cough and cold symptoms. As a result of his work, the FDA's Advisory Board recently recommended major changes in how cough and cold drugs are used for children. His work has been featured in major newspapers, on television and published in academic journals and textbooks. He and his family live in Lancaster, Pa..

Kristina K. Peachman '95 is a research scientist in the Division of Retrovirology in the Department of Vaccine Production and Delivery at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Rockville, Md. WRAIR is the largest and most diverse biomedical research laboratory in the U.S. Department of Defense. Peachman's research includes studying new vaccine delivery systems and adjuvants for a variety of diseases, including HIV. Peachman also has had Center for Disease Control clearance to work with select agents and has been involved in the study of the Ebola virus, yellow fever, anthrax and other microorganisms considered a threat to public safety. Peachman earned her doctorate in microbiology and immunology from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She lives in Rockville, Md..

Jessica Stuart '96 is an editorial producer for special projects at ABC News in Washington, D.C. She oversees and negotiates booking strategies for the network across all news platforms, and maintains external relationships with newsmakers and their press staffs, including political figures, heads of state and celebrities. Prior to joining ABC News, she was a field producer and senior associate producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Stuart started her career with NBC Network News where she worked on the 2000 political conventions and presidential election and the 2002 Winter Olympics among other projects. In 2006, she traveled to South Africa as a consulting producer with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stuart and her husband live in Washington, D.C. .

Bulent Tarman '06g is the founder and chief administrative officer of the Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School, located in State College, Pa. The school, now in its third year, enrolls 140 students in kindergarten through sixth grade and provides a multicultural educational experience including instruction in Spanish and Chinese starting in kindergarten. Among other accomplishments, Tarman oversaw the construction of a $1.2 million state-of-the-art school facility, which opened in 2007. The school earned a Keystone Achievement Award in 2007 for meeting its adequate yearly progress targets for two consecutive years. Tarman has published several articles as well as written a new book, expected to be released this year, on international education and teaching methods. He and his family live in State College, Pa.

Uday T. Turaga '02g is an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., a global leader in management and strategy consulting services. He previously worked for ConocoPhillips Company, one of the largest energy companies in the world, where he was a senior scientist and program director in corporate research and development. There, he contributed to the development and commercial implementation of a new clean fuel technology now used at a number of refineries. Turaga has authored numerous papers published in professional journals, presented at more than 30 scholarly conferences and has filed more than 20 patent applications. He has been honored by the National Academy of Engineering, the National Science Foundation, the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers. Turaga and his wife live in Houston..

Black Alumni to Hold Reunion Blue-White Weekend
April 18-20

University Park, Pa. (March 19, 2008)—All Penn State African American alumni are invited to attend the second Black Alumni Reunion April 18-20 during Blue-White Weekend at University Park.

The biennial reunion, titled “It's About Legacy,” will feature a game-day tailgate; a Punt, Pass, and Kick Football event with former football players and cheerleaders; campus tours; a Student-Alumni Reception and Career Fair; and a panel discussion on the African American legacy at Penn State. Penn State President Graham Spanier will make introductory remarks before the panel discussion. Reunion participants will also have other opportunities for informal socializing throughout the weekend.

Leading the group organizing the Black Alumni Reunion is chairperson Jeff Moore '91, '95g. Moore says in addition to reconnecting with classmates and establishing mentoring relationships with current Penn State students, another reunion goal is to continue the effort to raise $50,000 to endow the African American Alumni Organization Scholarship Fund. To help with that, one-third of the $99 registration fee will go directly to the scholarship fund. (That portion of the fee, $33, is tax deductible.)

The last Blue-White: Black Alumni Reunion in 2006 attracted more than 400 alumni from throughout the East Coast, California, Texas, Florida, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association, the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world, organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Alumni from Classes of 1963, 1958, and Earlier Invited to Penn State Reunion Weekend June 5-8
April 18-20

University Park, Pa. (March 19, 2008)—Penn State alumni celebrating their 45th and 50th reunions are invited to join alumni from earlier years in returning to University Park for Traditional Reunion Weekend, June 5-8.

Sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association, Traditional Reunion Weekend features a full slate of activities including campus tours, college open houses, class dinners, the All-Class Luncheon, receptions, sing-a-longs and more. One of the weekend's highlights is the Friday night induction of the Class of 1958 into the Penn State Pioneers, a program begun in 1957 to honor alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago from Penn State.

Other highlights during the weekend include the 58th annual Alumni Institute, featuring 10 Penn State faculty members lecturing on wide-ranging topics from the beneficial effects of Mediterranean foods by Dr. Peter Bordi to human rights in China by Dr. On-Cho Ng; tours of Beaver Stadium, Pattee Library and Paterno Library; Old Main Bell Tower open house, and more.

The Traditional Reunion Weekend schedule and registration information can be found at www.alumni.psu.edu/events/reunions/traditional.htm. Registration is free for members of the Penn State Alumni Association and $25 for all other attendees. Additional fees are charged for some meals during the weekend. For more information, alumni can call 800-548-LION, option 4.

Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association, the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world, organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Alumni Association Organizing Caribbean Vacation For Alumni and Families

University Park, Pa. (March 19, 2008)—Penn Staters and their families will enjoy a slice of paradise in the Caribbean this summer during the Penn State Family Escape vacation in St. Maarten on July 20-27, organized by the Penn State Alumni Association.

The Penn State Family Escape caters to alumni with children and grandchildren as well as couples and singles. Activities during the week include a sunset catamaran cruise, golf scramble, private-island snorkeling, a zip line adventure course, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, and much more. Kids and teens age 5 to 17 can attend the resort's children's camp and teen club, which features a range of activities from beach sports and games to island arts and crafts.

One of the optional activities will feature an America's Cup Yacht Race, where guests 15 and older can join one of two Penn State teams—the Blue Team and the White Team—racing on multi-million dollar America's Cup race boats.

Penn Staters will stay at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, which sits on 10 tropical beachfront acres and features pools, restaurants and a spa and fitness center. The all-inclusive vacation is $1,395 per adult and $100-$575 per child, depending on age, which includes oceanfront accommodations, all meals and drinks, day camps for children and teens, special Penn State activities, and more. For more information, visit www.alumni.psu.edu/travel/2008/ or call 800-548-LION (5466), option 5.

The Alumni Association offers a full slate of travel opportunities around the world each year. To view the 2008 schedule visit www.alumni.psu.edu and click on “Travel.”.

Penn State Faculty, Staff Able to Join The Princeton Club through Penn State Alumni Association

University Park, Pa. (March 18, 2008)—As part of an affiliation agreement, Penn State faculty and staff, as well as Penn State Alumni Association members, are now eligible to join The Princeton Club of New York as associate members.

“For Penn State faculty and staff who travel to New York from time to time this affiliation can provide a convenient ‘home away from home’ in midtown Manhattan,” said Roger Williams, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Located at 15 West 43rd Street, The Princeton Club is minutes away from Grand Central Station, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, and the Theatre District. The facility offers 50 hotel rooms at reasonable rates for members as well as a fully equipped fitness center; business center; and catering, conference and meeting facilities. The Princeton Club also offers a series of cultural, social, networking and educational programs. In addition, members have access to more than 110 affiliated private clubs worldwide.

For more information on membership in The Princeton Cub of New York or to submit an application, Penn State Alumni Association members and University faculty and staff can go to www.princetonclub.com. Membership rates vary, and those who work at an educational institution are eligible for discounted membership fees.

Established in 1870, the Penn State Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Alumni Association organizes hundreds of annual events and programs designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.

Penn State President, Faculty, Alumni To Gather in Manhattan for City Lights Theatre Event

University Park, Pa. (Feb. 12, 2008)—Alumni and friends can learn about Penn State's strong ties to Broadway during a reception and presentation on Feb. 29 at The Princeton Club of Manhattan featuring President Graham Spanier and the head of Penn State's Musical Theatre Program. This event is the second in the 2008 City Lights series of cultural and educational events, organized by the Penn State Alumni Association.

The "Broadway Connection" event, from 6-8 p.m. on Leap Day, will take a behind-the-scenes look at Penn State's extraordinary Musical Theatre Program and its reputation as the door to the stage, presented by Spanier and Professor Cary Libkin, head of the Musical Theatre Program. The reception and program will take place at The Princeton Club of New York, 15 West 43rd Street. Also part of the City Lights series is a specially discounted performance of Hairspray on Saturday, March 1.

“City Lights events are our effort to bring Penn State directly to our alumni,” said Roger L. Williams, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. “And we are holding this theatre-related program near the bright lights of Broadway at the nearby Princeton Club, which Penn Staters can now join as part of the Alumni Association's affiliation agreement.”

The City Lights event in New York is the second in the series. Additional City Lights events are scheduled monthly through early summer in East Coast cities with the largest concentrations of Penn Staters. The remaining events are:

• March 6, “We Are.The People” City Lights event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will feature Clay Calvert, the John and Ann Curley Professor of First Amendment Studies, professor of communications and law, and co-director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment. Calvert will discuss freedom of speech and of the press, while examining the “culture wars” as
  government tries to police language and violence in media.
• April 26, “On Location: Inside the Philly Movie Scene” at the Independence Hall Visitors Center in Philadelphia will feature Charles Dumas, a Penn State faculty member and actor. Dumas will discuss the movie business and its connection to Philadelphia. A tour of Philadelphia's scenic movie locations is an optional add on.
• May 3, Penn Staters and friends will gather at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., for a reception and “Be a Doctor for a Day” event. Participants can scrub up for a simulated surgery, slide into the cockpit of Life Lion and learn about the latest developments in stem cell research.
• June 21, “Spring into Summer” will take place at Seven Springs Resort in the Pittsburgh area. This family event will include activities led by Penn State Kinesiology Senior Lecturer Bob Ricketts.

All City Lights events are open to Penn State alumni and friends and vary widely in terms of ticket prices. For more information, including exact times and ticket prices for each event, or to register, go to www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or call 800-548-LION option 5.

The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 159,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association connects alumni to the University and to each other, provides valuable benefits to members and supports the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association oversees hundreds of annual programs and events designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu..