As a student, Lydia Abdullah ’75 BUS learned and understood the importance of philanthropy. She shared, “I first came to Penn State, sight unseen, as a 17-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the blessing of being on a full scholarship. This allowed me not to be burdened by the financial needs that others were facing.” Although she felt fortunate to have received financial assistance, it was taxing on her to watch other students drop out before they finished their degrees due to financial instability. “There are some basic needs that must be met to make this a more accessible place to live, learn, and work – whether at the University or as a member of the broader Centre County community.” After graduation, Lydia wanted to bring a diverse view to the table as an African American woman who had matriculated at Penn State and decided to stay in the community. In the years since, she has been committed to making the University and its surrounding communities a welcoming place to live and breathe—not just for those with resources, but for everyone—by serving as a volunteer on various boards and committees as well as providing financial support, no matter how small the gift.
In 1993, Lydia volunteered to be a member of the Centre County United Way’s Penn State Employee Campaign, which is a robust partnership between Penn State and the Centre County United Way (CCUW). That experience led to working on the CCUW funds distribution committee, and then to serving on its Board of Directors. “Since I have a background in accounting, I initially served as a member of the finance and granting subcommittees of the Centre County United Way’s Board of Directors. In later years, I served on subcommittees for diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Lydia’s passion for volunteerism did not end at the CCUW. She served on many other University-wide organizations, where she often served as the board or committee chair. She has served on advisory boards for the Diversity Support and Educational Center, Health and Human Development Child Development Lab, Minority Staff Development Center, Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Human Resources Development Center. She was a member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Planning Committee, University Staff Advisory Committee, Faculty/Staff Awards Committee, University Diversity Chairs Network, Administrative Fellows Selection Committee, Commission for Women Mentoring Program, Penn State Forum Planning Committee, the Policing and Communities of Color task force and the Equal Opportunity Planning Committee. Today, Lydia is a member of the Renaissance Fund Board, which is responsible for selecting the Fund’s annual honoree, and the Penn State University African-American Alumni Organization.
Upon seeing that the needs of underrepresented groups were not always recognized or addressed and that boards were not racially diverse, Lydia was inspired to give her time and talent to be that voice in the community. She said, “At that time, the boards I became a part of were made up of wealthy, white males. I did not have ‘deep pockets,’ so I only had my head and heart to offer in serving.” While in school, Lydia watched as fellow students ran out of money before the end of the semester. “There was no one to call because their families didn’t have the money either. When I was a student, we shared what food and money we had to sustain one another.” She also watched hard-working adults struggle to find affordable housing or save for the future. “These were people who wanted to be here in Centre County, to make it their home. So, again, we would pool our resources and try to encourage one another to hold on.” The struggles of friends and colleagues that Lydia witnessed over the decades have kept her dedicated to finding ways to make life better by committing her volunteer time to community organizations.
Lydia has seen her time and talent pay off at Penn State and within Centre County. “More people of color are settling here, and they are even bringing their extended families to live here, too. We now have families that are three to four generations deep living in Centre County! There are several successful businesses owned by people of color, as well as some diverse individuals serving on community boards. This did not exist in the 1970s and much of the 1980s! Also, people are now able to ‘speak truth to power’ without fear and let others know about the situations they are blind to.”
Lydia shared a powerful quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. from his visit to University Park’s campus on January 21, 1965, that sums up her experiences and motivations well: “Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals willing to be co-workers with God. Without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation, we must help time and we must constantly realize that the time is always right to do right.” Lydia embodies a passion for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and she has consistently proven that the time is always right to volunteer and give back to the community.
Inspired by Lydia’s service to Penn State?
Give to the Drs. Barbara and Edgar Farmer Renaissance Fund