Penn State
We are defined by a culture of generosity–and we’re made up of thousands of stories. Start a new story. Make a gift.
“There is nothing like Penn State. It’s family. It’s home.”
We asked for your Penn State stories and received tales of pride, accomplishment, and gratitude. These sentiments have shaped the University experience for generations—and they are what you bring to life when you make a gift. Submit your own Penn State story or start a new one with a gift today.
Saying that my family bleeds blue and white is an understatement. I’m the second in a four-generation Penn State family. We’re a family of football season ticket holders, campus proposal stories, former alumni chapter leaders, current staff, and incoming first-year students. My parents were married for more than 50 years, and although I live on the West Coast now, when I watch the games, I look at the two seats that my parents had for as long as I can remember and it feels like they are still here. There’s nothing like Penn State. It’s tradition and friends. It’s family. It’s home.”
—Mindi Feldstein ’94
Simply put, Penn State was the best thing that ever happened to me. As an undergraduate, I was struggling with homelessness, and the Penn State Mont Alto community was so welcoming. I found help from my advisor and the financial support from the University to make attending possible—and I regularly thank them for that to this very day! I went on to get a master of education degree from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, two Pennsylvania teaching certifications, and finally a doctorate in education from Drexel. Penn State made me who I am today: a dedicated educator in the School District of Philadelphia for the past twenty years. I AM PENN STATE!”
—Dr. Gwendolyn Blackshear ’02
We’re sharing our story to honor our father, Donald J. Cappell, who passed away in June of 2023. Our Penn State stories started with him. He attended the University in the late 1950s but could not finish due to illness. That didn’t stop him from remaining a lifelong fan and raising two Penn State graduates and, including our brother, Doug, three Nittany Lion fans. Our lives are filled with great memories watching Penn State football together—our dad was the kind of fan that would playfully heckle Michigan fans one moment then strike up a conversation with them the next. We learned what good sportsmanship looks like from him, and we will forever be a Penn State family.”
—Curtis Cappell ’89 and Dana (Cappell) Figueroa ’99
Every Penn State story has a #1 fan.
Nearly 120 years ago, the Penn State baseball team squared off against the Princeton Tigers in what would turn out to be one of the most consequential events in the University’s history. Before the game, each team exchanged some lighthearted banter—and the Penn State crew noted that the Princeton Tiger was no match for the “Nittany Mountain Lion.” The rest is history.
Although our beloved mascot’s name has slightly changed, the Nittany Lion has been cheering for students in rain and shine, fostering University pride around the world, and embodying the fierce and friendly Penn State spirit since that matchup—all to remind everyone who calls our institution home that they are part of a community who cares. Will you use your generosity to go head-to-head with the Lion to be our students’ #1 fan?
The Penn State community’s generosity got me to where I am today.”
Nick Cedeño ’23 understands what it means to support—and be supported by—Penn Staters. As the 2022–23 Student Philanthropy Network president, Nick rallied his peers to contribute to Complete Penn State, the Class Gift selection for 2023 and a program that provides scholarship and academic assistance to students facing unexpected need during the last two semesters before graduation. When finding himself in this very position just months before his own graduation, Nick benefitted from the same fund he’d spent the year inspiring others to support. Join Nick in supporting today’s students and make a gift today.
Giving back to the University has enhanced my experience as an alumna tenfold.”
This is Laura Kleinstein Block ’98 Lib. As a kid, she fell in love with Penn State at an alumni weekend event with her father. She became his “Little Lion” when she enrolled in the College of the Liberal Arts in 1994. She discovered her passion for service as a sorority leader, and she credits her professional successes in government, communications, real estate, and digital media to the skills she learned at the University. In honor of her late father, Laura has created an annually funded scholarship and is embracing the opportunity to guide recipients as they create their own Penn State stories. She is making a difference for our students through her generosity—and so can you.
The first thing Penn State gave me was hope. I will forever be involved in giving back to the University because of the way this community has given to me.”
First-generation college student and executive director of Penn State Students United Against Poverty: Project Cahir Najee Rodriguez found hope at Penn State. And boosted by scholarship support, Najee has been able to combine his personal understanding of food and housing insecurity with his passion for service, advancing his own leadership experiences, amplifying the diverse perspectives of the student body, and dedicating himself to ensuring that his fellow Penn Staters have the resources they need to live happy, healthy, and dignified lives.
How has the generosity of the Penn State community affected your educational journey?
I’ve been so fortunate to have received several scholarships throughout my first three years at the University, and that support helped me to afford the costs of internships with the U.S. government, pay off some of my student debt, and focus my time on advocating for students who need support with basic needs. To put it simply, I would not have been able to have this Penn State experience without their support.
Why is it important to support the ambitions of students across the Commonwealth?
Penn State has become the amazing place that it is thanks to the diverse life experiences and perspectives of every single student who has ever enrolled here. When someone decides to give to the University—regardless of how much or what area it’s going to—they are investing in the success of unique individuals with unique ambitions. There are thousands of stories here, and we blend together into one community—one Penn State built on unity.
We all have a part to play in this community, and building our community is very, very important to me.”
Meet Molaea-Rene Goodman. She loves Penn State Abington. She’s proud of the tight knit, diverse student community. She’s the beneficiary of multiple scholarships and on track to graduate in 2023 with her eye on becoming a psychologist. She’s the former president for the Black Student Union and a peer counselor for Counseling and Psychological Services. She loves nature and poetry and plays The Sims to unwind. She works at the front desk of the Lares Building because she’s passionate about connecting more students with the resources available to help them succeed at Penn State. She’s spent three years investing in her peers and her future because of donor support like yours.