UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In October 2015, Penn State's class of 2016 selected as their gift an endowment to help support the University's Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
CAPS provides an integral service to many students by helping them manage a range of personal and mental health challenges. This endowment will provide a permanent, annual source of funding to support CAPS in its efforts to ensure that accessible and timely care is available to all students when it is needed most.
In February, Penn State announced a $50,000 commitment to CAPS from University administrators Rodney and Michele "Mitch" Kirsch, to launch the Embedded Counselor Program, which will position a therapist in one of Penn State’s residence halls. Rodney Kirsch is Penn State's senior vice president for development and alumni relations, and Michele Kirsch is associate dean for student affairs in the Schreyer Honors College.
The 2016 Class Gift Committee met with CAPS Director Dennis Heitzmann and determined how the class gift could work in conjunction with the Kirsch gift. For the first year of funding for the class gift, Heitzmann will commit the income for the 2017 fiscal year to provide resources to support the embedded counselor. This extra support will allow students extended access to a counselor.
Fundraising for the CAPS Endowment will continue through December.
Seniors graduating in May 2016 are able to contribute their general deposit in support of the 2016 Class Gift Campaign at www.classgift.psu.edu. They may allocate all or a portion to CAPS or to another area at Penn State that is meaningful to them, for example, an academic program or a student organization.
Due to the implementation of LionPATH, students who are graduating starting in August may contribute online at http://giveto.psu.edu/CAPS2016.
"The Class Gift Campaign offers students an opportunity to start their legacy by supporting the part of Penn State that has had a meaningful impact on their experience," said Geoff Hallett, class gift adviser and assistant director in the Office of Annual Giving.
Anyone with questions or interested in making a gift may visit www.classgift.psu.edu or contact Hallett at gdh15@psu.edu.