Penn State President Rodney Erickson announced Monday that nearly 280 alumni, friends, administrators, faculty and staff have committed to an accumulated financial donation of more than $3 million in honor of Susan Welch, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, for her 20 years of service to the college.
“My wife, Roz, and I have been active volunteers and lead donors to the college for many years and have seen Susan’s work first hand. I’m so thankful for the many donors that made a gift to this project — to the best of my knowledge, no college at Penn State had ever raised more than $100,000 in honor of a dean,” said Penn State alumnus Gene Chaiken, who led the initiative to honor Welch.
Over 80 percent of the donations will go towards graduate education, a top fundraising priority for Welch as part of a university-wide campaign, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students.
Welch is the longest active dean on the University Park campus and longest sitting female dean in the history of Penn State. She arrived at Penn State in 1991 from the University of Nebraska.
“Beyond being a great leader and scholar, Susan has been a committed friend to many of us and has deeply involved everyone in the college’s success in attaining national leadership. On behalf of our fellow alumni and friends, we are thrilled to help create a fitting legacy.’ Chaiken said.
Welch became well known by many outside of Penn State after speaking at the memorial service for Joe Paterno, defending the recently departed coach’s dedication to academic excellence within his program.
The $3 million in commitments is in addition to a $5 million gift that Doug and Julie Rock made in 2010 to endow the dean’s chair in the College of the Liberal Arts, also named in honor of Welch.
