Students voice gratitude

at Abington donor
appreciation event

Penn State Abington student Samirah Herbert joined the 2020 donor appreciation event on
Zoom.
Credit: Provided
EXPAND
NOVEMBER 25, 2020
The Penn State Abington Office of Development and Alumni
Relations recently hosted the fall 2020 donor appreciation
event on Zoom to thank supporters for the gift of a Penn
State education. 

“Abington donors transform lives and there is no better time

than Thanksgiving to show our gratitude,” Karen Weiss
Jones, director of development, told the participants. 

According to Weiss Jones, Abington has more than doubled

its endowment for scholarships in the last four years, which
translates into 210 more students receiving scholarships
than in 2016.

Recent graduate Ariel Avitan received two scholarships as

an undergraduate. 

“I will always be thankful to the generous donors who

helped me complete my degree,” she said.

Wei Zhou, a senior accounting major who has a 3-year-old

daughter, told the donors that the scholarship she received
relieved her financial burden. 
“It gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my
future,” she said.

Donor Albert Paramito said that he, like many Abington

students, was the first in his family to go to college. 

“My Penn State engineering degree gave me a wonderful

career with opportunities I never could have imagined. I
experienced some of the same financial issues as a student
that you do,” he said.

Donors Barry and Renee Brandeis both earned their

bachelor’s degrees from Penn State.

“Barry and I are of one mind when it comes to supporting

students at Penn State. Any way we can help is a worthwhile
pursuit. We are happy to know we can provide a path to a
batter life. No one should underestimate the importance of
this support,” Renee Brandeis said.

"No one should underestimate the importance of this

support.”

-- Donor Renee Brandeis

The Student Emergency Assistance Fund supports
purchasing textbooks, food insecurities, rent, transportation,
or other emergencies. This year, the fund received a $25,000
grant from Barnes & Noble for textbooks. It also includes
the LionShare food pantry and Philabundance. 

Faith Attig, president of the Student Philanthropy Council,

said the emergency fund helps protect students and their
dreams.

“It’s always great knowing that people are in your corner

rooting for you to succeed. This fund isn’t just about giving
back to your alma mater, it’s about helping a struggling
student overcome food insecurity through the food pantry
and Philabundance, donating time to speak at our panels
and events, and continuing the gift of education through
scholarships,” she said.

“Donors are the reason many of us are on campus today,

and it’s so comforting to know that there is a huge network
of people that truly want to see us thrive, despite the
circumstances that may arise," Attig said.
Student Beverly Placide told donors that the Philabundance
produce distribution program and the LionShare food pantry
are a blessing.  

“Not many of us always make enough money to buy a lot of

food for the week or two and knowing this exists is such a
relief,” Placide said. 

“Going to the food pantry comes with a level of vulnerability

because you have to admit, publicly at least, that you have
food insecurities. However, the student workers there never
pitied me or made me feel bad, and if I saw them in public,
they made me feel loved and cared for. It’s such a blessing
to know that there’s a community of people that take me
and my struggles seriously,” she said.

Give to Penn State Abington here.

About Penn State Abington 

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and

high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse
student body. It is committed to student success through
innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher
education within a world-class research university. With
nearly 4,000 students, Penn State Abington is a residential
campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 22 majors,
undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College,
NCAA Division III athletics and more.