Harrisburg

Penn State Harrisburg marks campaign achievements, pushes to finish line

Credit: Sharon Siegfried / Penn StateCreative Commons

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — As Penn State celebrates the success of its current fundraising campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” Penn State Harrisburg is recognizing the thousands of donors who have supported its students and programs since the effort began in 2016.

At an April 22 event in the Bryce Jordan Center, outgoing Penn State President Eric J. Barron, President-elect Neeli Bendapudi, and other members of University leadership announced that the campaign had surpassed its $2.1 billion goal and raised $2,166,032,798 to date. Supporters of Penn State Harrisburg have contributed $44.5 million to that total.

“Penn State Harrisburg has received a historic level of philanthropic support during this campaign,” said Chancellor John M. Mason. “This collective generosity will have a long-lasting impact on the future of the college and its most important stakeholders — our students. On behalf of the entire Penn State Harrisburg community, I express our deepest gratitude to the many individuals and organizations who have enabled access to academic excellence at our campus for many years to come.”

Among the achievements of the “Greater Penn State” campaign at Penn State Harrisburg are:

  • $12.5 million raised for undergraduate and graduate scholarships.
  • Donors secured additional funds for Penn State Harrisburg from the campaign’s scholarship matching programs, including $2.4 million through the Open Doors Matching Program and $550,000 through the Educational Equity Scholarship Matching Program.
  • $32 million to enhance facilities, classroom instruction, research, outreach, and student life.

“We are grateful for the support from so many donors who embraced the priorities of this campaign. The new funds generated enhance access to a college degree, provide expanded opportunities for students and faculty, and impact our community in a number of initiatives, including addiction prevention and economic development,” said Campaign Chair Rick Barger, a 1971 alumnus of Penn State Harrisburg.

The campaign continues until June 30. Mason said, “There is still plenty of time for supporters to make a positive impact through their charitable investments and to advance the vision for ‘A Greater Penn State.’”

"A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence" is a focused campaign that seeks to elevate Penn State’s position as a leading public university in a world defined by rapid change and global connections. With the support of alumni and friends, “A Greater Penn State” seeks to fulfill the three key imperatives of a 21st-century public university: keeping the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; creating transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impacting the world by serving communities and fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” visit  greaterpennstate.psu.edu

Last Updated April 28, 2022