UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As Penn State’s Renaissance Fund celebrates its 46th year of recognizing outstanding community members and helping students in need, the Renaissance Fund Committee has selected local volunteers, philanthropists and Penn State graduates Paul and Nancy Silvis as its 2022 honorees. A reception in the Silvises’ honor will be held on Nov. 1.
“Penn State’s mission to serve the public good is best expressed through the impact of our alumni in communities across the globe,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “We are lucky that Paul and Nancy Silvis have chosen to lead lives defined by service right here in Centre County. The Renaissance Fund could not have chosen a couple more fitting to receive this honor. On behalf of the entire Penn State community, I thank them for their contributions to the University and the Centre Region and congratulate them on this achievement.”
Each year, the Renaissance Fund honors an individual or couple who, through a lifetime of service, has contributed greatly to the Penn State and State College communities. In its selection process, the Renaissance Fund Committee seeks to recognize individuals who have deep roots in the Centre Region, close relationships with civic and University leaders, and a commitment to philanthropy. An endowed scholarship fund is created in the name of each year’s honoree(s), and gifts to the fund can be made by any Penn State supporter or member of the public.
Renaissance scholarships are directed to high-achieving students with great financial need. During the 2020-21 academic year, more than 750 undergraduates received more than $1.1 million in support from Renaissance Fund scholarships created since the program began in 1969. More information about the Renaissance Fund is available at raise.psu.edu/renaissance. The Renaissance Fund has already begun accepting contributions to the Paul and Nancy Silvis Renaissance Scholarship. Nancy and Paul Silvis have pledged to match all gifts of $1,000 or more to any Renaissance Fund endowment with a contribution of equal size to their own Renaissance Scholarship. The matching program will provide a 1:1 match of all gifts of $1,000 or more, up to a total of $70,000 or until December 31, 2022. Although donors may direct their gift to any Renaissance Fund Scholarship of their choosing, the Silvises’ match will be allocated to the couple’s named fund, the Nancy L. and Paul H. Silvis Renaissance Scholarship.
“Rarely do we see such philanthropic generosity matched by an abiding commitment to leadership in the communities that generosity will impact,” said Blake Gall, a member of the Renaissance Fund Committee and the 2006 Renaissance Fund honoree along with his wife, Linda. “The Silvises’ dedication to the region we call home is wide and deep. From economic development to town-and-gown philanthropy, their mark on the University and our local community is indelible. We are proud to honor the Silvises as this year’s Renaissance Fund honorees and, in doing so, recognize two people who set the standard for what it means to be a good neighbor.”
Paul Silvis earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and life science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977. In 1985, he founded Restek Corp. in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Since then, the company has grown into an international business, manufacturing chromatography columns and supplies. Paul served as chair of Restek’s Board for 37 years and continues to mentor leaders and employees to help them achieve success. Restek has positioned itself as a leader in the Centre Region, with many of its employees serving on boards and volunteering their time. In 2009, Restek became 100% employee owned through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Paul went on to form SilcoTek, a Bellefonte-based offshoot of the Restek Corp., in 2009. SilcoTek uses chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technologies to impart properties of Teflon into steel. In 2014, the company was recognized by the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County (CBICC) with the organization’s Outstanding Technical Company Award and has been recognized by “Central Penn Business Journal” and “Lehigh Valley Business” as a top-100 Pennsylvania workplace for the past five years.
Alongside his professional pursuits, Paul is an active volunteer at Penn State, in the Centre Region and beyond. From 2010 to 2016, he served on Penn State’s Board of Trustees in various positions, including vice chair. Paul also has served on the advisory board for the Schreyer Institute for Innovation and Learning, the Schreyer Honors College, Penn State Outreach, and “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students” (2007-14). Beyond the University, he also has served on the Patton Township Planning Commission, on the board of Kish Bank, as president of Central PA July 4 Inc., as chair of the CBICC, and on the State College YMCA fundraising committee.
Nancy Silvis has been a resident of Centre County since 1982 and is an entrepreneur, community volunteer and retired health care professional. She earned an associate degree from Brevard College in 1978 and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University in 1981. For 25 years, Nancy served as a pharmacist in hospitals and retail settings throughout the Centre Region, including Geisinger Health Systems and The Meadows Psychiatric Center. She also was an owner and part operator of the Mt. Nittany Inn from 1992 to 2015, navigating the aftermath of two fires that demolished the landmark. Currently, Nancy works part time with her daughter, Kristin, at Kristin’s business, Simply Health Rx Salt Spa and Wellness Center, in State College. In retirement, Nancy has acquired a certificate in interior design from New York Institute of Art and Design, and, inspired by her love of animals, she is pursuing an online degree to become a certified veterinary technician.
Nancy remains active in the community, with volunteer leadership roles at various local institutions. She serves on the medical board at Mount Nittany Medical Center and on the board of The Village at Penn State. Previously, she served on the board of WPSU, Penn State’s public media station, for 12 years. She also has served on the boards of the State Theatre and Central PA July 4 Inc.
Paul and Nancy hold the distinction of being the first and only husband and wife to graduate from Penn State’s Smeal Executive MBA program, in 2006. The couple completed their degrees and maintained successful professional and volunteer commitments while raising their six children: Amy, Kristin, and Penn State graduates Christian, Melanie, Kurt and Mike.
The Silvises have directed their philanthropy toward University priorities that align with personal passions, primarily in Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2011, the couple made a $1 million commitment to the Penn State Ice Campaign, which, led by the largest gift in Penn State history from Terry and Kim Pegula, paved the way to Penn State’s entry into NCAA Division I Ice Hockey and secured funds for the state-of-the-art Pegula Ice Arena. The Silvises’ three sons played ice hockey as children and benefited greatly from participation in the sport. Paul and Nancy also have made gifts to support additional projects in Intercollegiate Athletics and Renaissance Scholarships for students across the University, among other areas.
“We have always believed that, after family, giving back comes first,” said Paul Silvis. “Penn State and Centre County have been good to us, and it has been our great honor to give back to this community. We are very grateful for this recognition, but the best reward for our efforts has been the connections and lifelong memories we have made through our personal, professional and volunteer engagements here in State College.”
“We are humbled to have a Renaissance Scholarship named in our honor, and we are proud to know that we will continue to make an impact on those in our home community for generations to come,” added Nancy Silvis. “Penn State and State College have given so much to us and to our family, and we are proud to join the long list of former Renaissance Fund honorees who have been recognized for their service, philanthropy and leadership in the region.”
To learn more about making a gift to the Nancy L. and Paul H. Silvis Renaissance Scholarship, visit raise.psu.edu/Renaissance2022 or contact Kathy Kurtz, associate director of annual giving, at klk13@psu.edu or 814-863-2052.