UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A $100,000 gift from Matt and Becky Totzke will create new scholarships for students in the nursing programs at Penn State Behrend. The first scholarships will be awarded this fall, and the endowed fund will continue to direct support to undergraduates with financial need in the years to come.
Students in the third and fourth years of the Bachelor of Science of Nursing program will be eligible for funding. Students in the new Second Degree Nursing program, which offers an accelerated curriculum for those who already have a degree in another discipline, also will be eligible.
Matt Totzke earned a degree in mathematics at Behrend in 1996. He is the CEO of Big Ideas Learning, a Larson Texts company, and was a key advocate for the establishment of the Larson Texts Excellence Scholarship at Behrend.
A Penn State Alumni Fellow, he serves on the Penn State Behrend Council of Fellows Board of Directors and co-chairs the development and alumni relations committee. He also serves on the Center for Family Business Advisory Board and the School of Science Board of Visitors.
Becky Totzke is a master's degree-prepared and medical-surgical certified nurse at UPMC Hamot. She recently transitioned to the education department as a senior clinical professional development specialist. She was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in 2018.
“This gift was inspired by our own experiences,” Matt Totzke said. “Becky’s lifelong service as a nurse and educator has shown us just how life-changing access to high-quality nursing education can be.”
The new Second Degree Nursing program is an effort to fast-track a career-change for college graduates who want to work in nursing. The 16-month curriculum is designed to help meet the surging need for registered nurses: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for registered nurses is expected to grow 6% by 2031.
“We chose to give now because the need for skilled, caring nurses has never been greater,” Becky Totzke said. “Our hope is that this scholarship helps students pursue their calling and build a more compassionate future for healthcare.”
The nursing programs at Behrend are offered through Penn State's Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. As the only named nursing school in the Big Ten, the college’s nursing programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the State Board of Nursing.
“This generous gift by Matt and Becky Totzke directly supports students in an area of increasing need,” Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “It is a powerful example of our mission in action, directly supporting students in a field where their impact will be felt immediately across our region.
“Matt’s leadership on the Council of Fellows and the Totzkes’ commitment to our students also illustrate the vital role our alumni play in shaping the future of the Erie region,” Ford said.
Gifts like the Matthew W. Totzke and Rebecca L. Totzke Scholarship for Nursing Excellence advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.