UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A newly endowed scholarship will support Schreyer Honors College Scholars in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. The Denkin/Kraus Family Honors Scholarship was created by Scholar alumnus Ben Denkin and his wife, Blair Kraus Denkin, by blending their passions: the Penn State and Schreyer communities and supporting aspiring nurses.
“When Blair and I were talking about how to maximize our impact, we decided to combine our two paths as best we could — mine through the Honors College and Blair’s through nursing,” Ben said. “There’s an underappreciation and shortage of nurses in the state and country, and we knew that our gift would play a small part in helping to fix that.”
Full-time undergraduates in Schreyer Honors College who are majoring in nursing will be eligible to receive aid from the Denkin/Kraus Family Honors Scholarship. The couple has committed $100,000 to establish the endowment, which will provide scholarships for one academic year that can be renewed for subsequent years provided eligibility requirements continue to be met.
“We are extremely grateful to Ben and Blair for their generosity,” said Patrick Mather, dean of the Schreyer Honors College. “The Denkin/Kraus Family Honors Scholarship will be a valuable asset in helping Schreyer Scholars toward their goals of making positive impacts in the nursing and healthcare fields.”
A 2011 Scholar alumnus, Ben Denkin graduated from Penn State with bachelor’s degrees in finance, Spanish and international politics. He went on to receive his MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 2019. He has been with PNC since 2011, first as a field examiner and now as a senior vice president with the bank’s Technology Finance Group. Denkin described Penn State and Schreyer as having a major influence “in every aspect of life,” including his desire to give back.
“The Honors College surrounded me with incredible Scholars who inspired and pushed me to be a better student and global citizen,” he said. “I also discovered the impact I want to have on the world and the beauty of philanthropy through my involvement with THON.”
Ben and Blair met in 2016 in Philadelphia while she was working for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The couple relocated to Raleigh in 2019 for professional opportunities and to be closer to family.
A University of Pennsylvania graduate with a bachelor's degree in nursing science and master's degrees in bioethics/medical ethics and nursing and healthcare leadership, Blair began her career as a pediatric nurse before taking on various roles in healthcare improvement. She currently works at UNC Health Rex managing the hospital’s coaching and facilitation team.
“I want nursing students to know that the training they receive is invaluable,” Blair said. “Coupled with some experience at the bedside, there are endless paths for really interesting and meaningful careers. It is a wonderful honor to support nursing students as our healthcare system is in desperate need of strong clinicians and leaders.”
Members of the Honors College and University communities can make gifts to support Scholars studying nursing through the Denkin/Kraus Family Honors Scholarship giving webpage.
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 tradition of education, research and service to communities across the Commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable our institution to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows our students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help us to serve and impact the world we share. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, please visit the Raise Penn State website.