A Message from Peter Tombros When I came to Penn State as a freshman in 1960, Joe Paterno was just an assistant football coach who had recently met a redhead named Sue. More than fifty years later, the Paternos have changed my alma mater and my life in ways that I could never have predicted. I would probably not be writing this message to you today, in my role as chair of a $2 billion fundraising campaign, without the extraordinary example of generosity and service that Joe and Sue have set for all of us who share their love for the University. In this issue of For the Future, we celebrate the belief in giving back that the Paternos have embodied and encouraged for decades. Joe and Sue have been especially committed to transforming the experience that we offer to undergraduates, and we are highlighting just a few of the ways in which philanthropy, from the Paternos and other visionary donors, has changed what it means to be a Penn State student today. From the Liberal Arts fellows program that bears their name to opportunities for service in the community and around the world, private support is challenging undergraduates to be leaders, and scholarships, travel funds, and other gifts are making sure that young people from every background can become engaged and educated citizens. Even as philanthropy has allowed the Penn State experience to change in response to a changing world, Joe and Sue have reminded us that a strong library remains the core of any academic institution. In the pages that follow, you’ll learn more about a project that’s especially close to my own heart: the Knowledge Commons in the University Libraries. My wife, Ann, and I are proud to have joined with our friends Jeanette and Jack McWhirter, as well as other donors, to support this extraordinary new home for learning. On a recent visit to the facility, as I watched undergraduates using digital tools to connect with each other and with all the resources of the University, I was struck by how far we have come as an institution since my own Penn State years, and how much farther philanthropy can still take us. Thank you, Joe and Sue, for showing us the way. Sincerely,
Peter G. Tombros Chair, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students If you’d like to read other stories about Penn State Cover photo: Andrew Dunheimer
philanthropy or learn more about how you can support the University, please visit giveto.psu.edu.
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