Raise Penn State:
Through the Office of University of Development, Penn State’s main program to raise money for its students and various other philanthropic organizations is Raise Penn State.
THON: This student-run organization strives to bring positivity and enhance the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. Their mission is to provide emotional and financial support, spread awareness, and ensure funding for critical research—all in pursuit of a cure. Their yearlong efforts culminate in a 46-hour dance marathon. https://thon.org/
Student Philanthropy Network: This is a student-run organization that comes together to promote philanthropy work at Penn State. Their mission is to “engage and educate students and community at Penn State about our philanthropic culture.” They provide students with professional development opportunities as well as a comprehensive understanding of Penn State’s Division Development and Alumni Relations (DDAR).
Class Gifts: Every year, the PSU senior class likes to give back to their alma mater by choosing a scholarship to support or landmark to build and realize the gift through their own philanthropy. It’s a way for students to celebrate their Penn State experience while solidifying their legacy as Penn State alumni.
- 2022 Class Gift: Supporting the UHS/UPUA Wellness Fund.
- Designed to provide relief from the financial strain many Penn State students experience when worrying about affording medical costs, the UHS/UPUA Wellness Fund was conceived through a collaboration between University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) and the university’s health services. Supporting the fund would provide students with the necessary resources that would help cover their financial services from University Health Services, empowering them to be better able to focus on succeeding throughout their academic endeavors.
Entrepeneur Assistance Clinic (EAC): This program is part of Penn State’s initiative to support the state of Pennsylvania’s economy by providing free legal resources to small business owners and entrepreneurs around Pennsylvania. https://www.psu.edu/impact/story/sustaining-communities-through-small-business/
Penn State Extension: Through the College of Agricultural Sciences, this educational organization seeks to deliver science-based information to people, businesses, and communities. https://extension.psu.edu/
- Saving the Chesapeake: “PSE is bringing together farmers, industry, and government agencies to come up with science-based solutions for reducing pollutants in Pennsylvania’s watersheds impacting the Chesapeake Bay.”
- https://www.psu.edu/impact/story/saving-the-chesapeake/
We Are Magazine
This magazine highlights Penn State’s philanthropy every semester.
Some article from the Spring 2022 issue:
- DiversiBoard: PSU Law Professor Eleanor Brown launched DiversiBoard in 2020 to bring the technology sector to the developing world. She states, “DiversiBoard’s mission is twofold: giving people in the developing world access to exciting employment opportunities in the developed world, and providing those companies with a more diverse range of talent from a broad international pool.”
- Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) Center: This program was developed with the goal in mind that sexual assault survivors deserved a new standard of care that prevented further traumatization during highly invasive exams while also providing critical emotional support.