UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Five years ago, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation established the A. James Clark Scholars Program at Penn State, a comprehensive scholarship and co-curricular support program for exceptional Penn State engineering undergraduates who demonstrate financial need along with a desire to succeed academically and make a lasting impact on their community. In May 2024, the first class of scholars graduated. Now, with an additional $11 million investment, the Clark Foundation renewed its support for the program, ensuring that 10 new undergraduate engineering majors at Penn State will continue to receive full tuition, fees, room and board, and curricular enrichment support each year in perpetuity while offering them a path to learning about the rewards of giving.
“I’m proud to be a part of a program that has such a significant ripple effect on the Penn State community and contributes to addressing global challenges through the development of future leaders in engineering and business,” said Lauren Griggs, director of the Multicultural Engineering Program and the Clark Scholars Program. “This new investment creates additional capacity to enhance the experience of the Clark Scholars. It fuels me to continue to encourage them to pour their creativity and energy into their professional organization and communities, sharing what they are learning as Clark Scholars with the wider community.”
Ten million dollars of the investment will support program initiatives, including hiring a full-time staff administrator of the program; bolstering tuition assistance for students; expanding global experience support to fund study abroad trips; providing professional development for leadership team members; hosting alumni events; and offering tutoring support.
"Penn State was the last university to join the Clark Scholars Program Network in 2020, and in just a few years they have built a wonderful program that supports scholars through mentorship, experiential learning and community engagement," said Courtney Clark Pastrick, board chair of the Clark Foundation. “We look forward to seeing how the Penn State Clark Scholars Program continues to strengthen, leveraging its abilities to cultivate scholars not only as students but as future engineering leaders and innovators.”
It also includes a new $1 million Clark Scholars Philanthropy Challenge endowed fund. The endowment’s income will allow Scholars, in consultation with the program’s leadership team, to make annual charitable contributions to local causes and organizations.
“Giving back to the community early on in adulthood will hopefully instill the lifelong value of sharing both talent and treasure, which was a core value of A. James Clark’s,” said Tonya L. Peeples, Harold and Inges Marcus Dean of Engineering at Penn State. “Mr. Clark credited his college scholarship with allowing him to springboard into a successful career, and he paid that forward generously. This new endowment encourages the next generation of engineers in the Clark Scholars Program to do the same.”
One of the initiatives made possible by the $10 million investment is the Clark Scholars’ Global Experience in their first or second year. In previous years, the scholars traveled to Peru and connected with students at the Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria.
“While visiting Peru, I learned about the country’s culture and history,” said Jessi Altiero, a fourth-year Clark Scholar, industrial engineering major and Engineering Leadership Development minor. “We focused on the environmental and sustainability challenges facing Peru and explored modern-day engineering solutions to these concerns. It was an immersive trip that broadened my worldview as an engineer.”
With the additional funding, the program will be able to establish new connections and partnerships with other study abroad programs, according to Griggs, such as a planned trip to Costa Rica this May. It will also be able to offer additional individual travel opportunities for scholars throughout their time in the program.
The investment also supports students’ summer co-ops and internships throughout their education at Penn State, providing stipends and supporting housing expenses. Altiero used the Clark Scholars funds to pay for housing for one summer while she served as a summer co-op intern for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). After she graduates this December, Altiero plans to work for the U.S. NRC in the Resident Inspector Development Program.
“With the guidance of Dr. Griggs, I was encouraged to become involved in Women in Nuclear at Penn State, and I served as the president for two years,” Altiero said. “These activities have helped me grow as a leader and community member in concurrence with my academics.”
Frankie Morales, a third-year mechanical engineering major and Clark Scholar, said that being part of the Clark Scholars Program connected him with a network of people that have encouraged him to excel in his engineering education.
“During the Clark Scholars Program Network Annual Summit I attended last spring with second year scholars from all 11 institutions, we learned more about Mr. Clark's journey in engineering and why he created the foundation — to give future engineers opportunities without the limitation of financial struggles,” Morales said. “The program has enriched my education by giving me the encouragement to keep going. The spirit of the Clark Scholars Program is incredible, and it is a feeling that cannot be replaced.”
Support for the A. James Clark Scholars Program advances 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.