UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For Penn State student Madison Dowdell, a sense of the connection to the University has developed not only through her studies; it’s also come through her involvement with the Blue & White Society, the student arm of the Penn State Alumni Association.
“The reason I got involved with Blue & White Society was because I wanted to make the most of my Penn State experience and Blue & White Society offered that,” said Dowdell, who now serves as president of the organization. “The Blue & White Society is such a well-rounded organization that everything I could have wanted to do, I found there.”
“The decision to join the Blue & White Society was easily the best decision I made while at Penn State. It's provided me with friends, it's built my resume, helped me make connections to start my career post-graduation, and has given me the ultimate Penn State experience,” Dowdell added.
On GivingTuesday, Nov. 29, donors can help students like Dowdell have access to the power of the Penn State alumni network by supporting the Blue & White Society.
Each gift of $15 will provide a student with one full year of membership to the organization, which is the student arm of the Penn State Alumni Association. Preference will be given to first-year and underrepresented students at all Penn State campuses across the commonwealth. Blue & White Society membership gives students access to leadership opportunities, special events, exclusive networking tools, and exposure to the scope and power of Penn State’s alumni network.
“It's important for the Penn State community to support the Blue & White Society because it opens so many doors for students. It gives them an advantage that non-members don't receive without a Blue & White Society membership,” Dowdell said. “It provides connections, experiences, and opportunities that could be life-changing. Penn Staters help Penn Staters, and this is one way the community can provide support for a student that will benefit them for the rest of their lives."
Although GivingTuesday won’t come until Nov. 29, the Penn State Alumni Association will begin accepting donations Nov. 14. Donations can be made here. This early fundraising period is critical to the group’s overall fundraising goal.
“The Blue & White Society positions students for success in multiple ways. The organization provides students with the ability to get a leg up. We provide professional development such as resume building, networking, email writing workshops and more,” Dowdell said.
“We facilitate connections between students and alumni through bus trips, speaker events, alumni panels, provide access to the alumni directory, alumni dinners, and one-on-one alumni interactions. But we also make Penn State a home for students by creating the ultimate Penn State experience and helping them be successful during their time on campus. We participate in Homecoming activities, THON, and host our own member-exclusive events to connect students to 'Dear Old State.'”
The Blue & White Society’s mission is to enhance student life at Penn State through diversified experience, with an emphasis on service to the community, civil leadership, tradition and outreach, while establishing the foundation of a lifelong commitment to the University as members of the Penn State Alumni Association. Led by students, its membership spans the commonwealth and helps to build the relationships between students, faculty, staff and alumni.
“Your act of kindness can be the first time a first-year student sees just how powerful the Penn State community is, how big our hearts are, and how willing We Are to help each other,” Dowdell said of the Alumni Association’s GivingTuesday campaign.
Established in 1870, the Penn State Alumni Association serves more than 172,000 members and 750,000 alumni worldwide. Its mission is to connect alumni to the University and to each other; provide valued services to members; and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. For more information, visit alumni.psu.edu.
With the record-breaking success of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” which raised $2.2 billion from 2016 to 2022, philanthropy is helping to sustain the University’s mission of education, research and service to communities across the commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable Penn State to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help serve and impact the world. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, visit raise.psu.edu.