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[ A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ]
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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.
Operating a chapter in the vale of old Mount Nittany is no mean feat. Defying the odds, the Centre County Chapter last month celebrated its 20th anniversary. And earlier this month, more than 750 alumni and friends poured into the Bryce Jordan Center to celebrate the 40th anniversary of women’s athletics at Penn State.
What a fitting way to close out what has been a busy, yet exciting spring semester. In just days, more than 10,000 Penn State seniors will be receiving their degrees, and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments and welcoming them into our alumni family.
[FULL STORY]
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features
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Alumni Association to give $300,000 to launch undergraduate research
Continuing a tradition of philanthropy unmatched in American higher education, the Penn State Alumni Association has announced that it will contribute $300,000 to help launch an undergraduate research initiative at Penn State. “Engagement in research and other creative pursuits at the undergraduate level will provide our students with the experience necessary to excel in graduate school and their professional lives,” said Alumni Association president Marianne Alexander ’62.
[FULL STORY]
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Alumni Association names five new Honorary Alumni
The Penn State Alumni Association has announced that five individuals have been named Honorary Alumni of the University. This year’s recipients—Rene Portland, James Gardner, John and Nancy Traina, and Marion Pollock—were recognized for making significant contributions to the welfare, reputation, and prestige of the University.
[FULL STORY]
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“We Are” campaign promotes civility and respect at University Park
Penn State’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) launched the “We Are” campaign earlier this spring to promote civility and respect among members of the University Park campus community. In a year marked by racial tensions resulting from a student Web site and increased reports of sexual assault, members of USG sought to create a culture of mutual respect for all community members.
[FULL STORY]
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tips & best practices
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It’s your turn to brag
Spring is here—a great time to tackle those small projects that sometimes get missed during peak periods of activity. In this issue, we’ll offer a few suggestions. This month, we’re also putting out the call to you to share with us your best practices.
[FULL STORY]
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in the spotlight
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Centre County Chapter celebrates 20th anniversary
This month’s spotlight shines on the Centre County (Pa.) Chapter as it celebrates 20 years of promoting Penn State pride and community involvement. On April 21, the Centre County Chapter marked its 20th anniversary with a celebration at the Days Inn Penn State. More than 125 people turned out for the dinner party—including state representative Lynn Herman.
[FULL STORY]
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association highlights
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Reunions: Connecting the past with the present and future
This year, Traditional Reunion Weekend, for those alumni celebrating their 40-, 45-, or 50-year reunions, will be held the weekend of June 3–6 on the University Park campus. Arts Festival Alumni Weekend will also welcome alums back to Happy Valley on July 7–11. Both weekends will offer the opportunity for alumni to return to campus and relive some of their Penn State experiences.
[FULL STORY]
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Scholtz and Farrell receive Outstanding Council Member awards
Each year, Alumni Council—the governing board of the Penn State Alumni Association—presents the Outstanding Council Member award in recognition of incredible contributions to Alumni Council, the Alumni Association, and Penn State. With so many dedicated volunteers, the decision is always difficult, and this year two recipients were named—Marjorie Ganter Scholtz ’62 and Pat Farrell ’56, ’72g.
[FULL STORY]
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Successful student mentoring program in need of faculty, staff, and alumni mentors
FastStart, a mentoring program for first-year students at Penn State, is currently seeking faculty, staff, and alumni mentors. Over the past eight years FastStart has served more than 800 students, of which 89 percent have either graduated or remain enrolled at the University. Despite this success, a sharp increase in participation numbers has the program struggling to fill the student demand for mentors.
[FULL STORY]
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Sending the class of 2004 out in style
For 6,000 seniors at University Park, the end is near. On May 14–15, graduation ceremonies will mark the end of a college career and signify a job well done. To help celebrate the occasion, the Lion Ambassadors and the Penn State Alumni Association threw a party—and more than 1,200 seniors showed up. A free cookout-style lunch, Creamery ice cream, grilled stickies, and a Paris vacation giveaway highlighted the second annual Penn State Senior Sendoff on the sun-splashed lawn of the Hintz Family Alumni Center on April 28.
[FULL STORY]
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member center
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Maintaining a connection with young alums
This month, we thought we’d share with you some information we recently received on recruiting and retaining new Penn State graduates as members of the Alumni Association. It’s our hope that this information will be of use to you in your recruitment efforts, as together we continue to unite the Penn State family.
[FULL STORY]
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ask us
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Does the sundial on the Old Main lawn mark the geographic center of Pennsylvania?
It’s our hope that “Ask Us” will be a fun and interactive component of this publication. Please submit any questions—from the significant to the trivial—and our staff will do its best to chase down the answer. Submit all questions to mjm347@psu.edu, and be sure to include “Ask Us” in the subject line of your e-mail.
[GET THE ANSWER]
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this month in penn state history
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May 1, 1862: Farmers’ High School becomes the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania
It’s been known as Pennsylvania State since 1874—first as a college, and later a university. But that wasn’t always the case. For the first 20 years of its existence, the institution we know so well as Penn State operated under two different names. Chartered as the Farmers’ High School in 1855, the school changed its name to Agricultural College of Pennsylvania in May of 1862. This move was made in an effort to increase the school’s bid to be selected as a land-grant institution under newly proposed legislation. The plan worked, and two name changes and more than 140 years later, Penn State remains Pennsylvania’s singular land-grant institution.
[FULL STORY]
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events
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Upcoming events
Bringing alumni together is the heart of our mission and our identity. The Alumni Association’s annual events and programs such as reunions, homecoming activities, and pep rallies promote feelings of nostalgia and connection to the University and to each other among alumni.
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[ ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EVENTS ]
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[ AFFILIATE GROUP EVENTS ]
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feedback
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We want to hear from you
Please tell us about an event your group has hosted, or one that's upcoming. Share with us your successful group initiatives, or tell us about things you'd like us to include in future issues of this e-newsletter. Of course, we don't just want to hear about it, we'd love to see it, too. So if you have pictures to go along with story ideas, please include those as well. Submit all information to alumni-relations@psu.edu. And of course, if you have questions feel free to contact us at alumni-relations@psu.edu or 800-548-LION.
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[ ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS ]
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