FOUNDATION PARTNER OF THE YEAR This award recognizes a foundation that has demonstrated extraordinary generosity in promotion and support of The Pennsylvania State University. Recipients are chosen on the basis of consistency of giving, support to areas of greatest need, and impact across Penn State.
THE J. WILLARD AND ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION From humble beginnings to international prominence: that’s the story of Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management, which has grown over eight decades into a top program. It’s also the story of J. Willard Marriott, who began raising sheep on his family’s small farm in the 1920s but went on to found the world’s largest hospitality company, now known as Marriott International. The opportunity to attend first Weber Junior College and then the University of Utah was made possible by the support and encouragement of an English professor who recognized his potential. His wife, Alice Sheets Marriott, was also vital to his tremendous success, serving as bookkeeper, adviser, and true partner in his early business endeavors. The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation carries on the couple’s legacy, creating opportunities for others to make positive change in their lives and achieve their ambitious dreams. The Marriott Family Foundation has furthered that goal at Penn State, primarily through its generosity to the School of Hospitality Management. The Foundation has provided funds to help build Mateer Building, the school’s home, and to endow the Marriott Professorship in Lodging Management. Its most significant gift to date came in 2019, with a $4 million pledge for renovations to and programming within the former Oak Building, now The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Building. Beyond the essential physical spaces expanding educational opportunities to students, the gift will support innovation and inclusion in the development of future industry leaders—especially meaningful as the industry rebuilds from the pandemic. The Marriott Family Foundation has played a major role in growing the School of Hospitality and its impact on the hospitality industry. In turn, the school is realizing the Foundation’s goal of giving promising students pathways to success and leadership. We are honored to partner with the Foundation to realize our shared vision for hospitality education and carry forward the Marriott family’s remarkable legacy.
25
