UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Board of Trustees held annual elections for various representatives and approved the reappointment of directors for Penn State Health and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, among other actions, on May 9.
During their meeting, the trustees approved:
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The renewal of air handler units serving the biomedical research spaces at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center’s Basic Science Building in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The $15.7 million project will demolish and replace the existing 1960s-era units;
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The reappointment of directors for the Penn State Health board of directors; and
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The reappointment of Jeanne Arnold as a member of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center board of directors.
In his remarks, Board Chair David Kleppinger thanked Penn State students for their support with this year’s Capital Day event to advocate for state funding for the University, and recognized President Neeli Bendapudi’s three-year anniversary with Penn State.
“This year’s Capital Day, held on April 9, was a remarkable success, with over 200 Penn State students from across the commonwealth gathering at the Pennsylvania State Capitol to advocate for critical state funding that supports our mission and benefits more than 40,000 in-state students,” he said. “Students shared personal stories and highlighted Penn State’s impact on education, research and workforce development, while underscoring the need for equitable funding — particularly given Penn State’s lowest-per-student state support among its peers.”
Kleppinger also highlighted some of the most recent Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics successes, including the women’s volleyball national championship, wrestling’s fourth consecutive national championship, men’s volleyball Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament championship, and the men’s ice hockey team’s first appear in the NCAA’s “Frozen Four” national semifinals.
The board also heard from Outgoing Faculty Senate Chair Josh Wede, who delivered remarks reflecting on his time as chair, and from Bendapudi.
In her remarks to the board, Bendapudi acknowledged the students who will earn degrees at this weekend’s commencement ceremonies and commented on Penn State graduates’ legacy of resilience, leadership, curiosity and purpose. She recognized the effort of students over the past academic year and highlighted the work showcased during the annual Startup Week event. The president also recognized Jainendra Jain, Evan Pugh University Professor of Physics, who was recently named a 2025 Wolf Prize Laureate.
After Bendapudi’s remarks, Ami DeWaters, director of the Health Systems Science Office and associate professor of medicine, and Lydia Smeltz, a student in the College of Medicine, discussed their work and impact in the health care field.
The schedule of upcoming meetings can be found on the Board of Trustees website.