There wasn’t an “a-ha” moment for Shawn Manderson ’03 IST that inspired his volunteerism. He shared, “It was simply good old fashioned ‘expectations’ from a few of my mentors who took me under their wing when I was a student. Like most young alumni who become active in volunteerism post-graduation, there is a history of student leadership somewhere.” As a student, Shawn served as an officer in the Student Government Association and on the board of the International Awareness Club at Penn State Brandywine. “My mentors, each in their own unique way, would say, ‘You need to carry on the good actions you started here as a student once you graduate. As a black alumnus, you’ll have a fantastic opportunity to leave your mark on our school.’” Since graduation, Shawn has paid careful attention to how he began, developed, and will one day leave a legacy at the University and the Brandywine campus.
Since 2007, Shawn has served on the Penn State Alumni Council for Penn State Brandywine, where he oversaw the body until 2020. Throughout his tenure on the council, he chaired the membership and the audit and risk committees and sat on the executive board. During his time on the Alumni Council, he simultaneously represented Brandywine alumni as president of the Penn State Alumni Society until 2014. Having just finished serving on Penn State Brandywine’s Advisory Board, where during the Greater Penn State campaign, his roles on the board included chairing the Student Experience Committee. He shared, “When I consider my years of dedication to our University, the Brandywine campus, and the Alumni Association, my alumni volunteer experience is something I’m truly proud of. It has lasted for more than 16 years and involved three unique pathways that have led to a singular collection of experiences that have benefited me both personally and professionally.”
While serving on the Penn State Brandywine Alumni Society, he led efforts to establish the Penn State Brandywine Alumni Society Trustee Matching Scholarship. “As president of the Penn State Brandywine Alumni Society, I had a very specific agenda: to revive the organization’s charter after it had laid dormant for four and a half years, to reorganize and broaden the Board to better represent Brandywine alumni, to create signature events for both alumni and students, and to lead the creation of an endowment fund, which eventually became the trustee matching scholarship.” It took the group around five years to gather the $50,000 needed to establish the scholarship. It was during that time that he truly came to appreciate giving, as it had such a direct impact on the Brandywine campus and its students. “The experience was made much more memorable, and the seeds were planted when we received all the handwritten ‘thank you’ letters from the students who received scholarships from the fund. This led me to consider other giving opportunities for the Brandywine campus and the University after seeing the incredible work and beneficial effects of scholarships.”
In 2018, Shawn established the Shawn Manderson Open Doors Scholarship. The Open Doors Programs, created during the Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence campaign, were designed to help undergraduate students overcome challenges on the path to their Penn State degrees. More recently, in 2021, he launched the Penn State Brandywine Leadership and Legacy Excellence Program Fund in collaboration with Marilyn J. Wells, chancellor of Penn State Brandywine, that will create new experiences on campus to improve leadership and excellence for students, professors, and staff. Through this fund, in May 2023, 64 upper-level students were inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). Furthermore, the fund will enable the campus to support one faculty member and one staff member to participate in the prestigious Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP), sponsored in Pennsylvania by the Educational Policy Leadership Center in Harrisburg.
Shawn shared that he has enjoyed his alumni volunteer experience. “I’d like to think that my time and efforts have paid off, so to speak, and there are far too many examples of positive experiences for me to list. What impresses me most is how the Penn State Brandywine Alumni Society has thrived and remained relevant on the Brandywine campus. After my time with the organization ended in 2014, there have been four successful presidents, and this is one of my proudest legacies which still gives me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Thank you for carrying the Brandywine torch, Ty McGilberry ’03 BUS ’10 MBA, Devin Zuczek ’08 IST, Paul Alberici ’16 COM, and Meaghan Daly ’16 LIB!”
Shawn has always been fascinated by Penn State’s land-grant mission and sees the importance of philanthropy to the Commonwealth campuses. To honor Shawn’s unending dedication to Penn State Brandywine, he was presented the first-ever Penn State Brandywine Lion’s Heart Young Alumni Award at their 50th Anniversary celebration in May 2018. This was awarded for his outstanding professional achievement, dedication to community service, and impact within the Penn State community, and in 2020, Shawn was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Council Member of the Year by the Penn State Alumni Association. “Giving is important, but it is not the same for everyone. For me, it is all about ensuring the success of our Commonwealth campus system. This is partly because I want Penn State to win on all fronts. Giving has a noble quality that allows for the establishment of real foundations for legacies. Giving at the campus level, therefore, will ultimately keep the University competitive and relevant while also ensuring our campuses deliver for their students, staff, and alumni. That is why giving however you can is important.”
Inspired by Shawn’s service to Penn State?
Give to the Shawn Manderson Open Doors Scholarship at Penn State Brandywine