“When some young man or woman says, ‘I was going to drop out of school; I wasn’t going to make it….’ Well, I know what that’s like because I was there. And I’m very proud and glad that I could afford to do this.”
– Don Bellisario is a 1961 journalism graduate who had to borrow $600 from Penn State to finish his education. Years later, the creator of JAG, NCIS, Quantum Leap, and Magnum, P.I. paid back the loan in the form of a $1 million gift to create the Bellisario Trustee Scholarship.
Whether it’s a transformational gift to name a college, an endowment to establish a scholarship for a student with financial need, or an unrestricted gift to a campus’s future fund, giving to Penn State is a rewarding experience on any level. As a donor, you receive the satisfaction of making a difference in your community: Your gifts help students afford an opportunity to reach their fullest potential, assist faculty members to complete groundbreaking research, and support Penn State’s outreach programs, which serve communities across the Commonwealth. Giving also allows you to make a personal connection with a college, campus, or program that has special interest to you. As you will see in the stories contained in this section, the impact of giving is twofold: Not only can you make a difference in the lives of others, but you can also fulfill your own philanthropic passions.
Be sure to visit Philanthropy Stories - People and Philanthropy Stories - Causes, where you can read about some of the many students who have benefited from your generosity.