UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Trustee emeritus Ira Lubert and his wife, Pam Estadt, have stepped forward with a $10 million commitment to name a new landmark space where thousands of University Park students will begin their Penn State experience each year. A key element of the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project, the Lubert Family Welcome Center will serve both as the entrance for fans on Penn State football game days and as the first stop for prospective undergraduates and their families as they begin campus tours and participate in other programming, also funded by the naming gift, intended to engage future Penn Staters.
“Ira and Pam are community leaders and philanthropists of extraordinary generosity. This latest commitment also continues their long history of support for our University and Ira’s service to Penn State, including as the former chair of our Board of Trustees,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Ira and Pam understand that the Penn State journey begins the moment that a student visits our campus for the first time, and that Beaver Stadium represents the strength and scale of the University they are joining. Through this gift, they are not only supporting vital renovations at the home of Nittany Nation, but also ensuring that new generations of Penn Staters will discover connection, community and their path to success from their earliest moments on campus.”
The Lubert Family Welcome Center will dramatically expand the University’s capacity for offering a complete campus visit experience to thousands of students and families every year. With space for organizing and orienting campus tours, offering individualized visit experiences and presenting interactive exhibits about the University’s strengths, the center will place Penn State in the forefront of higher education nationwide. In addition to its role in the pre-admissions experience, the Lubert Family Welcome Center will provide a year-round hub for campus and community activities.
“Leading institutions are reimagining how to attract, engage and enroll future students in a competitive higher education environment, and campus visits are especially important for students and families who may be unfamiliar with the benefits and impacts of a world-class degree,” said Matt Melvin, vice president for enrollment management. “The Lubert Family Welcome Center will join a select group of such centers recently launched across the country, but it will offer a uniquely Penn State experience, especially given its location at Beaver Stadium. I am deeply grateful to Ira and Pam for helping us to better serve the students and families who are considering a Penn State degree as a first step to a successful future.”
With this commitment, Lubert and Estadt join the Misitano family and PAM Health, as well as two anonymous donors, in providing leadership support for stadium renovations that are expected to increase revenue benefiting all 31 sports programs at University Park and foster economic growth in the region. These gifts will enable Penn State Athletics to execute a renovation plan that will not only allow the rich history of Beaver Stadium to be preserved, but also modernize the facility while making it a year-round venue.
“As a former student-athlete, Ira Lubert has represented Penn State Athletics and the University with distinction throughout his life and career, and his achievements reflect the kind of excellence that competition at the highest levels can foster,” said Patrick Kraft, vice president for intercollegiate athletics. “We are honored he and Pam have chosen to make this transformative investment in a project that will help all Penn Staters thrive. The Lubert Family Welcome Center is a beacon for this Beaver Stadium Revitalization project and will create a front door for the University that will not only welcome future Penn Staters, but also welcome home our amazing alumni.”
The $10 million commitment, which will offer support for both construction and programming at the Lubert Family Welcome Center, continues the long relationship between Ira Lubert and the University. A 1973 graduate of the College of Health and Human Development, Lubert competed on Penn State’s wrestling team, and his achievements earned him a place in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as its 1997 Outstanding American. Lubert went on to a career in real estate and private equity, and he is the chairman and co-founder of holding company Independence Capital Partners and real estate investment manager Lubert-Adler.
Throughout his career, he has also served his alma mater, as both member and chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees and as a volunteer leader for Penn State Abington, Penn State Athletics, the Smeal College of Business and University-wide fundraising campaigns. Lubert’s past philanthropy to the University has encompassed areas and priorities across the institution, including scholarships, student food security and Penn State Athletics, and he has received both the Alumni Fellow and Distinguish Alumnus awards.
“Coming to Penn State set me on a path that has led to professional success and personal fulfillment, and I am honored that the Lubert Family Welcome Center will offer a fresh, exciting first impression for future Penn Staters as they discover all that the University offers,” Lubert said.
“I’m proud that when they return to Beaver Stadium as alumni, they will come back to a place that bears Ira’s family name,” said Estadt, whose two daughters graduated from Penn State in 2020.
“The stadium renovations will help to keep Penn State Athletics and the Penn State community strong, and we are glad to offer our support,” added Estadt.
About Philanthropy at Penn State
Gifts to the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
About Beaver Stadium Revitalization
In May 2024, the Penn State Board of Trustees approved investing in a $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium, which will grow revenue-generating opportunities, transform the fan and community experience, and fuel the future funding for all 31 athletics programs at Penn State. The approved renovations will enable year-round use of Beaver Stadium, further driving economic growth and development in the surrounding region.
For more information on the Beaver Stadium Revitalization, visit gopsusports.com/beaverstadiumrenovation.