We Are — Spring 2023

SKY’S THE LIMIT

Private support continues to shape Penn State—and a new generation of Penn Staters

All with Thee

For 168 years, artists, athletes, scientists, and scholars have pursued their unique ambitions at Penn State. And within each singular story, there is one shared page: graduation day. Below, the opening of a 1928 commencement program—part of a Penn State Alumni Association collection of memorabilia on display in the Hintz Family Alumni Center—shows the Allen Street gates and a bright horizon. Landscapes will change, but the pride and possibility that comes with the toss of the cap will always stay the same.

A Message from Dave Lieb

There are experiences that bind Penn Staters across generations: the excitement of an acceptance letter, the swell of the alma mater, the pride of completing a degree. And beside tradition, there is also change: the landscape of a campus, the scope of a classroom, the challenges our students overcome, and the ambitions they bring with them to programs across the Commonwealth and around the world.

At the foundation of who we are as a University—and leading the way for what we can become—is the generosity of our alumni and friends. In this issue of We Are magazine, we celebrate the essential role that philanthropy plays in shaping the Penn State experience. You will meet one first-year student just beginning her Penn State story with scholarship support, and you will hear from one of the University’s newest alumni who walked the commencement stage just weeks ago thanks to the generosity of this community. You will see how philanthropy has evolved Nursing at Penn State from a twenty-two-person program to a world-class college engaging students at twelve different campuses. You will read the story of one Penn State family empowering students by teaching them what’s rarely covered in a curriculum: how to learn. And you will find snapshots of how private support continues to expand opportunity in every corner of the University—from funding internship experiences to fueling study abroad programs to ensuring that Penn Staters from all backgrounds can see themselves as leaders in their fields.

To hear “We Are” is to hear two small words that carry a powerful history and limitless potential. Those words honor where we’ve come from and where we are going. And they are a reminder that the University we love today exists because of our shared belief in our students, in the communities we serve, in each other, and in our ability to accomplish more together.

Thank you for being a part of this University. We are Penn State!

David J. Lieb Interim Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

On the cover: A view from the third floor of Penn State Mont Alto’s General Studies Building. Peeking out across the quad is the Wiestling Student Center, the oldest building within the Commonwealth Campus system.

GROWING STRONGER

The University community’s generosity has always provided a foundation for student success—creating pathways to graduation, out-of-classroom opportunities, and safety when hardship strikes. Here are just a few of the ways in which private support is growing what’s possible for today’s Penn Staters.

Penn State students set a new THON™ record in February, raising $15,006,132.46 For the Kids®. Since 1967, Penn Staters have contributed over $200 million to Four Diamonds and the fight against childhood cancer— and cemented generosity as a defining Penn State trait.

17,240

In the 2022-23 academic year, 17,240 students received a donorfunded scholarship—nearly one in five Penn Staters University-wide.

82

Despite their importance, close to 40 percent of internship positions are unpaid. Last year, 82 endowments—valued at more than $8.2 million—empowered more students to say yes to these essential opportunities.

STRONGER

“The Millennium Scholars Program provided me with the network, research opportunities, and support I needed to succeed at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.” Luke Gockowski ’17 was a part of the first cohort of Millennium Scholars, a donorfunded program that supports high-achieving students from diverse backgrounds who aim to complete a Ph.D. in a STEM field. Luke recently completed his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

9,565

Penn Staters know how to weather a storm. Since 2019, 9,565 gifts have been made to student emergency and Lion’s Pantry funds, totaling more than $2.9 million of support for students.

Penn Staters need to know the world before they can change it. And donor-supported resources like Penn State Global’s Study Abroad Fund are helping students like Rickea Hudson-Simpson, who will graduate this winter with an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a minor in French, to discover new places and versions of themselves. “It’s hard to navigate an environment that you’re unfamiliar with without depending on others,” Rickea said of her experience in France. “By learning humility and vulnerability, I was able to make unforgettable memories with people from all over the world.”

The Art of Learning How to LEARN

The Art of Learning How to LEARN

The Art of Learning How to LEARN

Penn State graduate and longtime volunteer Helene Zuber Slocum always understood she was a visual learner. While studying to become a chemical engineer at Penn State Schuylkill, she brandished colored pencils to take lecture notes, then arranged the pages in a color-coded course planner. The strategy helped her to efficiently process, organize, and retain information. As a first-generation student and as a woman entering a STEM field then dominated by men, she knew she would need effective learning strategies to succeed.

Jeff Slocum and Helene Zuber Slocum are on a mission to empower students

Penn State graduate and longtime volunteer Helene Zuber Slocum always understood she was a visual learner. While studying to become a chemical engineer at Penn State Schuylkill, she brandished colored pencils to take lecture notes, then arranged the pages in a color-coded course planner. The strategy helped her to efficiently process, organize, and retain information. As a first-generation student and as a woman entering a STEM field then dominated by men, she knew she would need effective learning strategies to succeed.

Years later, however, when her own daughter Hadley became confused by some math equations in middle school, Helene began to suspect her daughter absorbed instruction differently.

Penn State graduate and longtime volunteer Helene Zuber Slocum always understood she was a visual learner. While studying to become a chemical engineer at Penn State Schuylkill, she brandished colored pencils to take lecture notes, then arranged the pages in a color-coded course planner. The strategy helped her to efficiently process, organize, and retain information. As a first-generation student and as a woman entering a STEM field then dominated by men, she knew she would need effective learning strategies to succeed.

Years later, however, when her own daughter Hadley became confused by some math equations in middle school, Helene began to suspect her daughter absorbed instruction differently.

Years later, however, when her own daughter Hadley became confused by some math equations in middle school, Helene began to suspect her daughter absorbed instruction differently.

“We took Hadley to be evaluated by a learning and cognition specialist, and the results were eye-opening,” Helene recalled. “Most people get the information into their working memory using predominantly their eyes and to a lesser extent their other senses, but she landed way out on the spectrum in the 96th percentile of auditory learners. It was an ‘aha’ moment for all of us.”

“We took Hadley to be evaluated by a learning and cognition specialist, and the results were eye-opening,” Helene recalled. “Most people get the information into their working memory using predominantly their eyes and to a lesser extent their other senses, but she landed way out on the spectrum in the 96th percentile of auditory learners. It was an ‘aha’ moment for all of us.”

“We took Hadley to be evaluated by a learning and cognition specialist, and the results were eye-opening,” Helene recalled. “Most people get the information into their working memory using predominantly their eyes and to a lesser extent their other senses, but she landed way out on the spectrum in the 96th percentile of auditory learners. It was an ‘aha’ moment for all of us.”

For years afterward, Helene and her husband, Jeff, continued to immerse themselves in the latest literature on cognitive science, which led them to found a center at their kids’ high school. When their son, Jefferson, enrolled at Penn State, they ended up hearing a flood of anecdotes from his friends at tailgates and other events about how many of them had floundered in their first months when faced with university-level course work.

Jeff Slocum and Helene Zuber Slocum are on a mission to empower students

For years afterward, Helene and her husband, Jeff, continued to immerse themselves in the latest literature on cognitive science, which led them to found a center at their kids’ high school. When their son, Jefferson, enrolled at Penn State, they ended up hearing a flood of anecdotes from his friends at tailgates and other events about how many of them had floundered in their first months when faced with university-level course work.

For years afterward, Helene and her husband, Jeff, continued to immerse themselves in the latest literature on cognitive science, which led them to found a center at their kids’ high school. When their son, Jefferson, enrolled at Penn State, they ended up hearing a flood of anecdotes from his friends at tailgates and other events about how many of them had floundered in their first months when faced with university-level course work.

The insight into her learning style set Hadley on a yearslong odyssey of discovery and self-advocacy, as she worked first with learning coaches to develop strategies for the way her brain works best, then with educators to bridge the disconnect between their instruction methods and her learning style. She mastered skills in white board planning, “audible silent” reading, and interval time management. Hadley, always a motivated student, saw her

The insight into her learning style set Hadley on a yearslong odyssey of discovery and self-advocacy, as she worked first with learning coaches to develop strategies for the way her brain works best, then with educators to bridge the disconnect between their instruction methods and her learning style. She mastered skills in white board planning, “audible silent” reading, and interval time management. Hadley, always a motivated student, saw her grades finally reflect her effort.

“It was like a broken record,” Jeff recalled. “Over time it just became so clear that Hadley wasn’t an anomaly. Every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

“It was like a broken record,” Jeff recalled. “Over time it just became so clear that Hadley wasn’t an anomaly. Every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

The insight into her learning style set Hadley on a yearslong odyssey of discovery and self-advocacy, as she worked first with learning coaches to develop strategies for the way her brain works best, then with educators to bridge the disconnect between their instruction methods and her learning style. She mastered skills in white board planning, “audible silent” reading, and interval time management. Hadley, always a motivated student, saw her

In 2021 they decided to take what they learned at Hadley’s and Jefferson’s high school to devise and spearhead a whole new approach to helping students at Penn State Schuykill. Advancing their longtime support for Penn Staters Helene has served on the Penn State Schuylkill Advisory Board since 2010 and, along with Jeff, has contributed

“It was like a broken record,” Jeff recalled. “Over time it just became so clear that Hadley wasn’t an anomaly. Every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

In 2021 they decided to take what they learned at Hadley’s and Jefferson’s high school to devise and spearhead a whole new approach to helping students at Penn State Schuykill. Advancing their longtime support for Penn Staters

Helene has served on the Penn State

Schuylkill Advisory Board since 2010

In 2021 they decided to take what they learned at Hadley’s and Jefferson’s high school to devise and spearhead a whole new approach to helping students at Penn State Schuykill. Advancing their longtime support for Penn Staters Helene has served on the Penn State Schuylkill Advisory Board since 2010

Jeff Slocum and Helene Zuber Slocum are on a mission to empower students

Over time it just became so clear…every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

Over time it just became so clear…every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

Over time it just became so clear…every student would profoundly benefit from being supported in understanding and taking advantage of their own style of learning.”

LEARN

LEARN

LEARN

gifts including the Jeffrey and Helene Zuber Slocum Student Emergency Fund and the Hadley and Jefferson Zuber Slocum Scholarship—and in extended consultation with Chancellor Patrick M. Jones and high-level administrators, they stepped forward with a gift to create the Zuber Slocum Academic Success Program at Penn State Schuylkill.

Zuber Slocum Scholarship—and in extended consultation with Chancellor Patrick M. Jones and high-level administrators, they stepped forward with a gift to create the Zuber Slocum Academic Success Program at Penn State Schuylkill.

gifts including the Jeffrey and Helene Zuber Slocum Student Emergency Fund and the Hadley and Jefferson Zuber Slocum Scholarship—and in extended consultation with Chancellor Patrick M. Jones and high-level administrators, they stepped forward with a gift to the Zuber Slocum Academic Success Program at Penn State Schuylkill.

strategies, motivation, and anxiety management—but the marquee finding was even more dramatic: GPAs for firstsemester first-year students rose to the highest level in the last decade of recorded scores to an average of 3.37.

The program, inaugurated in spring 2022, focused resources and programming on new students enrolled in first-year seminar classes. Students explored how they learn best, developed study strategies, and received oneon-one coaching from peer academic coaches embedded in seminars.

The program, inaugurated in spring 2022, focused resources and programming on new students enrolled in first-year seminar classes. Students explored how they learn best, developed study strategies, and received oneon-one coaching from peer academic coaches embedded in seminars.

By spring semester of 2023, the program had been scaled up to serve every one of the more than 200 incoming first-year students at Penn State Schuylkill—and the results were extraordinary. Pretest and posttest data showed an uptick in scores across a wide range of measures— including information processing, time management, concentration, test-taking

semester first-year students rose to the highest level in the last decade of recorded scores to an average of 3.37

strategies, motivation, and anxiety management—but the marquee finding was even more dramatic: GPAs for firstsemester first-year students rose to the highest level in the last decade of recorded scores to an average of 3.37.

back to the program by becoming an academic coach myself down the line.”

“I’ve seen students beat themselves up over the misperception that they’re not working hard enough or they’re not ‘college material,’” Jeff said. “We wanted to dispel that notion by giving every incoming student access to the tools and one-on-one mentorship and training to understand how their brains work and to become advocates for their own success at Penn State and in their subsequent careers.”

The program, inaugurated in spring 2022, focused resources and programming on new students enrolled in first-year seminar classes. Students explored how they learn best, developed study strategies, and received oneon-one coaching from peer academic coaches embedded in seminars.

“I’ve seen students beat themselves up over the misperception that they’re not working hard enough or they’re not ‘college material,’” Jeff said. “We wanted to dispel that notion by giving every incoming student access to the tools and one-on-one mentorship and training to understand how their brains work and to become advocates for their own success at Penn State and in their subsequent careers.”

Stephan Spolski, a first-year biology major at Penn State Schuylkill, credits the program with guiding his academic achievement.

“I’ve seen students beat themselves up over the misperception that they’re not working hard enough or they’re not ‘college material,’” Jeff said. “We wanted to dispel that notion by giving every incoming student access to the tools and one-on-one mentorship and training to understand how their brains work and to become advocates for their own success at Penn State and in their subsequent careers.”

For her part, Helene is acutely aware that unfair barriers to success persist even today, having witnessed and experienced bias against women in her STEM-focused field. She credits the unflagging and open-ended support of her parents as pivotal to her ability to surmount challenges and earn her degree in 1985, after which she eventually transitioned to a career performing simulation-based employee assessments and behavioral-based interviewing. Today, she is focused on how to build a future that empowers everyone to thrive.

back to the program by becoming an academic coach myself down the line.”

For her part, Helene is acutely aware that unfair barriers to success persist even today, having witnessed and experienced bias against women in her STEM-focused field. She credits the unflagging and open-ended support of her parents as pivotal to her ability to surmount challenges and earn her degree in 1985, after which she eventually transitioned to a career performing simulation-based employee assessments and behavioral-based interviewing. Today, she is focused on how to build a future that empowers everyone to thrive.

For her part, Helene is acutely aware that unfair barriers to success persist even today, having witnessed and experienced bias against women in her STEM-focused field. She credits the unflagging and open-ended support of her parents as pivotal to her ability to surmount challenges and earn her degree in 1985, after which she eventually transitioned to a career performing simulation-based employee assessments and behavioral-based interviewing. Today, she is focused on how to build a future that empowers everyone to thrive.

By spring semester of 2023, the program had been scaled up to serve every one of the more than 200 incoming first-year students at Penn State Schuylkill—and the results were extraordinary. Pretest and posttest data showed an uptick in scores across a wide range of measures— including information processing, time

By spring semester of 2023, the program had been scaled up to serve every one of the more than 200 incoming first-year students at Penn State Schuylkill—and the results were extraordinary. Pretest and posttest data showed an uptick in scores across a wide range of measures— including information processing, time

Stephan Spolski, a first-year biology major at Penn State Schuylkill, credits the program with guiding his academic achievement.

“You expect the instructor to push you to do your best, but having the feedback and support of peer mentors who really know you on a personal level makes the Schuylkill community feel like family,” Spolski said. “My hope is that I can give

Stephan Spolski, a first-year biology major at Penn State Schuylkill, credits the program with guiding his academic achievement.

“You expect the instructor to push you to do your best, but having the feedback and support of peer mentors who really know you on a personal level makes the Schuylkill community feel like family,”

“You expect the instructor to push you to do your best, but having the feedback and support of peer mentors who really know you on a personal level makes the Schuylkill community feel like family,”

“Jeff and I know how lucky we were to be born into families that supported our dreams and educational ambitions,” Helene said. “With this program, we want to end up in a place where luck isn’t part of the equation anymore because every Penn Stater will have access to an affordable education and all the diagnostic resources they need to understand their learning process and strive for excellence.”

“Jeff and I know how lucky we were to be born into families that supported our dreams and educational ambitions,” Helene said. “With this program, we want to end up in a place where luck isn’t part of the equation anymore because every Penn Stater will have access to an affordable education and all the diagnostic resources they need

to understand their learning process

“Jeff and I know how lucky we were to be born into families that supported our dreams and educational ambitions,” Helene said. “With this program, we want to end up in a place where luck isn’t part of the equation anymore because every Penn Stater will have access to an affordable education and all the diagnostic resources they need to understand their learning process

FACES OF PHILANTHROPY

TALIA WALTON ’27 GREW UP IN MARYLAND—OUT OF STATE, BUT NOT OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. INSPIRED BY POSITIVE STORIES FROM PENN STATE PEERS, TALIA BECAME A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT IN THE FALL OF 2022 AND FOUND ALL THE EXCITEMENT SHE’D BEEN LOOKING FOR—ALONG WITH THE CHALLENGES OF MOVING TO A NEW STATE. TODAY, SHE CREDITS THE JONAH A. KLEINSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND—AND THE MENTORSHIP OF LAURA KLEINSTEIN BLOCK, WHO CREATED THE FUND IN HER FATHER’S MEMORY—AS A REASON FOR HER SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR. BELOW, TALIA TALKS MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF PHILANTHROPY AND THE START OF HER PENN STATE STORY.

As an out-of-state student, why did you choose Penn State?

Living only a few hours away from University Park, Penn State had always been on my radar. I knew so many people who either attended the University or were Nittany Lion fans—it’s almost like I was being recruited from childhood! Once I looked into all of the amazing educational and extracurricular opportunities that the University provides, I understood the hype. I could tell that my time at Penn State had the potential to be special, and I’m so glad that I took the leap.

Have you had an experience that’s made Penn State feel like home?

When I enrolled last fall, I was nervous about adjusting to college life and finding people I could be comfortable around. I met with the leaders of both Penn State CHAARG—a health and fitness group for women—and the Nittany Grotto Caving Club, and I immediately found the opportunity I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and get to know people. If you would’ve told me a year ago that I’d love crawling through caves, I wouldn’t have believed it.

How has the Jonah A. Kleinstein Memorial Fund helped to shape your first-year experience?

When I got the news that I’d been selected to receive funding, I felt absolutely amazing. I knew the financial support would take so much stress off my shoulders. But what I didn’t know was that I’d have the opportunity to connect with the alumna who created the scholarship, and I cannot stress enough how much that has meant to me. Laura Kleinstein Block has become both my mentor and my friend, and I am so grateful for the ways in which she’s helping to make my Penn State story a great one so far.

Has scholarship support motivated you to want to give back to Penn State after graduation?

If I can provide a future student with the same type of confidence and joy that I felt when I received my scholarship, then sign me up! I now have firsthand knowledge of how powerful it is to know that someone has invested in your educational experience—and I would love to make that happen for more Penn Staters after I graduate.

With lots of time ahead, do you have a sense of what career path you would like to take as an alumna one day?

As a first-year psychology student, I’m still exploring what I would like to pursue once my undergraduate career is over. But with all of the professional development opportunities, advising options, knowledgeable faculty, and alumni support at my disposal here, I’m confident that I will find my passion and develop the skills that I need to land a meaningful job that makes me proud.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Laura Kleinstein Block ’98 began her own Penn State story as a student in the College of the Liberal Arts in 1994. Recently, she created the Jonah A. Kleinstein Memorial Fund to honor the man who first inspired her love for Penn State, and you can read more about Laura’s success and reasons for giving at raise.psu.edu/we-are.

THEN/NOW

In 1964, twenty-two students took their first steps on a new educational journey at Penn State: they enrolled in the University’s first nursing program. In the nearly sixty years since, Penn State Nursing has grown tremendously, moving from its original home in the College of Health and Physical Education (now Health and Human Development), to its designation as the School of Nursing in 2008, and then, in 2013, to its separation from HHD to become the College of Nursing. Today the college is one of the largest educators of nurses and nurse scientists

in Pennsylvania, with nearly 2,300 students enrolled annually and multiple baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree and certificate programs offered at University Park, twelve Commonwealth campuses, and the online World Campus.

Philanthropy has played a powerful role in the college’s growth in recent years. Certainly the most prominent gift was the $27.125 million commitment in 2021 from Ross and Carol Nese, whose name the college now bears. This gift is enhancing the college by providing

financial support on nearly every front, from scholarships, to faculty funding, to technology and infrastructure, to research and entrepreneurship endeavors.

Yet it is not just multimillion-dollar gifts that are transforming the nursing program at Penn State. The University’s most recent campaign, A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence, also saw a range of gifts that bolstered the college’s efforts across the Commonwealth. For example, two grants totaling $900,000 from the Orris C. Hirtzel and Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation allowed Penn State Behrend to expand and upgrade its simulation and nursing skills labs. WellSpan Health committed more than $1 million to Penn State Mont Alto to support two full-time nursing faculty member positions. And a young Penn State

Scranton alumna, Katelin McAndrew Mentz, made a $10,000 pledge to support two student awards that honor the legacy of her mother, the late Linda McAndrew, RN, a beloved member of the campus’ faculty for over twenty years.

The future is bright for the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing and the students whose journey to professional success in this critical field begins here. That future will be brighter still with the continued generosity of donors who share our commitment to improving the lives of those students and the countless people around the Commonwealth and the country who benefit from their skillful, compassionate care.

Left page: Undated archival Penn State nursing photos from the Eberly Family Special Collections Library at the Penn State University Archives

Right page: Nursing students in a 2022 trauma simulation at Penn State Mont Alto, classroom instruction at Penn State Scranton, a Mont Alto student packs her first-year nursing bag

Why I Give

In his last year as an undergraduate, Nicholas Cedeño ’23 joined his interest in fundraising with his Penn State pride to serve as president of the Student Philanthropy Network. And while rallying students across the Commonwealth to select the 2023 Class Gift—scholarship support for Complete Penn State, a program that helps students facing financial hardship within two semesters of graduation—Nicholas couldn’t have imagined how powerful that choice would become. Months away from his own graduation date, a family crisis put Nicholas in a position to qualify for program support himself, and he walked the stage just weeks ago thanks to support from alumni and his peers. “It’s hard to describe how it felt to be so close to graduation but have it all thrown into question because of financial struggles,” he said. “The generosity of the Penn State community turned my uncertainty into relief. I hope that I can provide this kind of support for students one day.”

The Penn State community’s support got me to where I am today, and I’m excited to give back to the institution and people who have meant so much to me.