UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This month, Penn State will join the full roster of Big Ten institutions for the third annual One Big Week, a race to see how much support for students each university community can generate across a single week. And for the first time since the Tackle Hunger Challenge in 2019, Penn State will face Ohio State in an event-closing, head-to-head fundraising challenge off the field.
From Sunday, Oct. 15, through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, Penn State alumni, friends and fans can participate in One Big Week by making a gift at onebigweek.psu.edu, choosing from a menu of emergency funds and food pantries representing every University college and campus. This event is the third Big Ten fundraising match-up of its kind, and last year, Penn State outperformed its Big Ten peers for the second year in a row, raising $126,000 from more than 2,100 gifts to support the Tackle Student Hunger Fund. Overall, these numbers accounted for roughly a third of the total dollars and gifts collectively raised by the Big Ten.
As Penn State remains committed to providing an accessible education for all students — including those facing unexpected crisis or hardship that threatens personal welfare — One Big Week will offer the University community the opportunity to partner both with the institution and with the many students already engaged in supporting their peers.
Madison Jackson, outreach coordinator for The Lion’s Pantry at University Park, said, “The Lion’s Pantry is essential for Penn State students carrying the burden of wondering where their next meal will come from, and having the support of our community beside us in this work makes a huge difference. For me, volunteering at the Pantry contributes to the Penn State ‘We Are’ feeling and the sense that this University community is a family.”
Before the event ends, Penn Staters also will have the chance to defend a title won in 2019 during the Tackle Hunger Challenge against Ohio State. Kicking off in advance of football gameday in Columbus, Ohio, the Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes will go head-to-head in a three-day sprint to see which school can bring in the highest number of gifts to support their student-athletes. Penn Staters can claim victory by making gifts to the Levi Lamb Fund, which supports all 31 varsity teams via grant-in-aid-scholarships and academic, medical and operational resources. The challenge begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22.
“I’m predicting a double victory against the Buckeyes next weekend and, most of all, I’m rooting for our students,” said Interim Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations David J. Lieb. “One Big Week has become an incredibly powerful way for our alumni, friends, families and fans to step up with their support for fellow Penn Staters when they need a hand, and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together this year.”
More information about One Big Week can be found at onebigweek.psu.edu, and gifts can be made through the event website starting Oct. 15. Collective Big Ten fundraising progress will be updated across the week at onebigweek.com, and student stories and fundraising updates will be published across Penn State’s digital platforms, including Raise Penn State on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Penn State alumni and friends are encouraged to share information about the challenge with their personal networks.
Contributions made during One Big Week 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.