Leones carry on philanthropic legacy with new commitment from family foundation

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Leone Family Foundation recently awarded grants to support three Penn State priorities: the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, the Willie Leone Scholarship Fund in Music and Penn State Centre Stage. Offering a total of $300,000 in support, the grants will fill critical funding gaps for experiential learning opportunities in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the College of Arts and Architecture.

“We’re grateful to the Leone family for their support of art and science at Penn State,” said Alyssa Wilcox, vice president of development and alumni relations. “No matter what career path our students choose, the types of experiences made possible by the Leone Family Foundation will prove vital to their long-term professional success.”

The Leone Family Foundation, based in Mount Union, Pennsylvania, was established in 2020. Penn State is among the first to receive a grant from the foundation, showing the continued support by alumnus and philanthropist John Leone.

Within the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the foundation’s investment will enhance funding for junior faculty professional development, a graduate-level seminar in global engagement and internships for undergraduates seeking summer research opportunities. Together, this programming will broaden the learning opportunities available to department faculty and students throughout the year.

“It’s critical that we have resources to continue our professional development, global engagement and student activities all year round, not only during the fall and spring semesters. We’re deeply grateful to the Leone Family Foundation for their continued dedication to energy and mineral engineering education,” said Luis Ayala, William A. Fustos Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering and head of the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.

Funds from the Leone Family Foundation will also expand learning opportunities through Penn State Centre Stage and ensure that the School of Theatre has resources to execute the season’s theatrical productions at a professional level. Through Centre Stage, students gain professional-level experience in performance, design, and stage management.

“Our students experience the best outcomes when they have access to the resources that are needed to fulfill their creative visions,” said Kikora Franklin, professor of dance and interim director of the School of Theatre. “The professional caliber of work we strive toward is made possible because of the support and generosity of philanthropy. This grant will have an immediate, tangible impact on Centre Stage, and both our students and our audiences will benefit from the Leone Family Foundation’s generosity.”

A portion of the foundation’s contribution to the College of Arts and Architecture was directed to the Willie Leone Scholarship Fund in Music Theatre, an established endowment which honors John Leone’s late wife Willie Leone and supports musical theater students who are particularly interested in dance performance.

The Leone Family Foundation derives its mission from the philanthropic ambitions of John Leone, a 1956 graduate of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. After earning a bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering at Penn State, Leone went on to become a leader in the energy industry. He is currently the president and CEO of Bonney Forge, a manufacturing company of energy products with operations in the U.S., Italy and China. He was named an Earth and Mineral Sciences Centennial Fellow in 1996 and an Alumni Fellow in 2009. He was also honored as Penn State’s Philanthropist of the Year in 2015 and awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Penn State Alumni Association in 2017. His support of Penn State has included landmark gifts to the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the College of Arts and Architecture and Intercollegiate Athletics.

Now, through the foundation, Leone’s children and their families are fully embracing their father’s tradition of giving back.

“Our family has always believed that a good education is the first step to lifelong success,” said John’s daughter Jennifer Leone Slayton, head of the Leone Family Foundation. “We are so glad to be able to continue to deepen our relationship with Penn State and create meaningful learning opportunities for students who will carry forward our father’s commitment to excellence and achievement.”

Gifts to support students and programs 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.