Supporting Bright Futures

Tom Schwenger ’89 Bus has seen technology rapidly advance in the two decades since earning his Penn State degree in quantitative business analysis.

Now, as president and chief operating officer of Veeva Systems, which provides cloud-based software for the global life science industry including the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechs, Schwenger anticipates that the demand for skilled technologists will continue well into the future.

“Students with degrees in IST, and data sciences specifically, will see significant opportunities in the coming years,” he said.

Knowing the College of IST’s reputation for producing graduates with these unique, in-demand skillsets, Schwenger and his wife, Audrey, initially donated $100,000 to establish a scholarship in the college, which was matched 1:1 by the University through the Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence Campaign and First-Time Endowed Scholarship Donor Matching Program. Recently, the Schwengers committed an additional $50,000, increasing the scholarship’s total to $250,000.

The scholarship will benefit IST students with demonstrated financial need and who contribute to the diversity of the student body, with preference to those from Philadelphia and its surrounding counties and who are majoring in data sciences.

“Through Audrey’s work with independent Catholic schools in Philadelphia, she has seen firsthand both the challenges and potential that students in that region experience. It is important to us that a diverse cross section of students graduate into the data sciences field and that there are opportunities for as many qualified students as possible to succeed in this critical area,” said Tom. “Through our involvement with Penn State, we hope to make an impact for deserving students from our local community.”

The Schwengers have Penn State in their blood, with Tom’s parents, Walt and Jean, graduating from the University in the early ’60s, and their son Michael earning a degree in supply chain management in 2020. Tom has been active in recruiting Penn Staters as interns and employees throughout his career, and he and Audrey are avid Nittany Lion fans and football season ticket holders.

“Penn State has been a key part of our family in so many ways, so we want to make sure that we help others to have the same opportunities that Penn State has afforded to us,” said Tom.

GET INVOLVED

As a member of the College of IST community, you can share your expertise, experiences, and story to inspire future generations of IST students. Check out the opportunities below to connect, volunteer, and engage. » Become a mentor » Speak in classrooms » Participate on an alumni panel » Assist with student recruiting » Host students at your organization » Become a member of the Alumni Society Board

Learn more about these and other ways to engage with IST ist.psu.edu/alumni-engage.