McFarlane-Ross Gift Of $1 Million To Benefit College Of Earth And Mineral Sciences
February 28, 2001
University Park, Pa—Cathleen McFarlane-Ross, longtime friend of Penn State, has pledged $1 million that will establish two endowments to benefit students and faculty of the Materials Science and Engineering Department in the University’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

McFarlane-Ross’s gift honors her late husband, industrialist and Penn State alumnus Norris “Mac” McFarlane. He graduated from Penn State in 1934 with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgy. After holding executive positions with Pittsburgh Metallurgical Company and Airo Inc., he served as president and owner of Macalloy Corporation in Charleston, South Carolina, the single largest ferrochrome producer in the United States. A member of the American Iron and Steel Institute, McFarlane received many awards during his lifetime including the David Ford McFarland Award for Achievement in Metallurgy from Penn State in 1990.

McFarlane-Ross resides in West Palm Beach, Fla. The two new endowments she has created are:

--The Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Professorship in Materials Science and Engineering, which will provide critical financial support and encouragement to junior faculty members beginning their careers at Penn State. The fund will allow young faculty members to direct initial energies to the classroom, will provide start-up funds for new areas of research and teaching laboratories, and will offer early recognition for outstanding accomplishments.

-- The Norris B. McFarlane Scholarship Fund will provide financial support to deserving undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in materials science and engineering.

“We are delighted that Cathleen has made this commitment to materials education at Penn State,” said John A. Dutton, dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

“The endowments will have a significant impact on our most talented students and young faculty members. I think Norris, who dedicated his career to advancing the metals industry, would be pleased that Cathleen has chosen to honor him in this way. Her gift will support aspiring educators, researchers and innovators in the Department for many years to come.”

The gift is part of Penn State’s Grand Destiny campaign, a seven-year effort to raise $1 billion in private support to strengthen the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. The campaign involves all 24 Penn State locations and is scheduled to end June 30, 2003.

Contact: Mike Bezilla 863-4512 (work) 238-5842 (home) mxb13@psu.edu