MALVERN, Pa. — Penn State will celebrate its 11th GivingTuesday on Dec. 2, and Penn State Great Valley invites the campus and local community to double the impact of their giving, thanks to matching grants that will support two initiatives this year:
- Great Valley’s popular series of arts and cultural events hosted on campus and open to the public
- The Community Impact Collective, a new collaboration with the Chester County United Way that allows Great Valley students to gain professional experience as they use their technical expertise to assist local non-profit organizations
Gifts made to these campaigns will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,500 total for each initiative. Those interested in contributing to these efforts now, while matching funds are still available, can make a gift on Great Valley's GivingTuesday event page. GivingTuesday takes place on Dec. 2, and to commemorate the year the University was founded, Penn State will officially kick off the celebration early on Monday, Dec. 1, at 6:55 p.m. EST, which is 18:55 military time.
Joe Henry, advisory board member emeritus for Penn State Great Valley, and his wife, Marilyn, created the matching gift challenge for arts and culture programming. These funds will support the campus’ lectures, films, performances and exhibits, all of which aim to inspire and educate attendees, spark conversations and create stronger community ties.
Dan Pedriani, also an advisory board member emeritus at Great Valley, and his wife, Kathy, established a $2,500 matching gift challenge for the Community Impact Collective. This initiative offers a win-win solution for both the Chester County United Way and Great Valley students. The United Way and the nonprofits it serves will benefit from the valuable professional skills Great Valley students offer in specialized areas such as artificial intelligence and analytics. Students, in turn, will expand their networks and build their resumes through real-world experience.
Gifts made during GivingTuesday 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.