Dear Alumni Volunteers:

Celebrations are the best part of alumni life, and the Penn State Alumni Association was part of two big ones recently, both in State College.

On April 21, the Centre County Chapter celebrated its 20th anniversary, tracing its origins to the efforts of Penn State President Bryce Jordan ’87h, Alumni Association executive director Bill Rothwell ’89h, field directors Frank O’Brien ’54 and Jerry Wettstone ’62 and the chapter’s first president, Philip Philip Mitchell ’43, who later endowed his eponymous alumni achievement award.

With 660 members, the Centre County Chapter is one of our largest chapters. In 2001, it received the Alumni Association’s award for outstanding student support and interaction, particularly for the support it provides to Penn State’s international students.

Operating a chapter in the vale of old Mount Nittany is no mean feat. At one of the annual chapter leadership conferences some year back, the Duke University alumni director observed that no alumni association had much success with an active chapter in the home area of its university. Three leaders of the Centre County Chapter practically leaped out of their front seats to set him straight.

Current president Richard Weiler ’61 and Immediate Past President Bruce Rathfon ’52, who chaired the event, have done a splendid job keeping the chapter’s proud legacy alive and moving forward. Rep. Lynn Herman presented a citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives acknowledging the chapter’s contributions over the years.

Ten days later, on May 1, more than 750 alumni and friends poured into the Bryce Jordan Center to celebrate the 40th anniversary of women’s athletics at Penn State. One of the proudest achievements of our alma mater is that in 1964—nine years before Title IX mandated equality in men’s and women’s sports—Penn State inaugurated nine intercollegiate women’s varsity programs.

Today, close to 400 women compete on 14 varsity teams based at University Park. Thus far, Penn State’s women’s programs have won 14 national championships and combined with the men’s fencing team for another nine NCAA crowns. Since starting Big Ten competition in 1991-92, Penn State’s women’s programs have captured 23 Big Ten Championships and nine conference tournament titles. Penn State also has had more than 20 individual national champions among its female student-athletes.

The Penn State Alumni Association was the leading corporate sponsor for this spectacular event, along with Gatorade and the Nittany Lion Club. Former Lady Lion basketballer and current ESPN reporter Lisa Salters ’88 served as emcee and two-time Olympic diving medalist Mary Ellen Clark ’86 gave the main talk.

The event also recognized the enlightened women and men who brought women’s varsity sports into being at Penn State and sustained it during the early years: Martha Adams, chair of the women’s physical education committee; Della Durant ’57, associate athletics director; Lucille Magnusson, chair of the Division for Girls’ and Women’s Sports; Eric Walker, University President; Ernest B. McCoy, director of athletics and dean, College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; Edward M. Czekai, director of athletics; and Robert J. Scannell ’59, dean, College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

What a night it was! And they’re already talking about the 50th.

For the future,