Anton and Joän Egner Student Travel Fund endowed at Greater Allegheny

McKEESPORT, Pa. — Victoria and Donald Garwood have endowed the Anton J. and Joän R. Egner Student Travel Fund at Penn State Greater Allegheny to help students participate in academic travel, conferences, study-away programs and other experiential learning opportunities.

Victoria Garwood, a retired director of strategic planning and communications at Penn State Greater Allegheny, said she saw during her career how opportunities beyond the classroom could contribute to students’ academic and personal development. She and her husband established the fund in memory of her godparents, Anton “Tony” and Joän Egner, whose love of travel and support of the Garwood family helped inspire the gift.

“Donald and I were looking for a meaningful way to honor my godparents who took care of me after my mom passed away,” Victoria said. “Joän and Tony enjoyed all forms of domestic and international travel. They helped make our son Jacob’s collegiate international travel experiences possible. One of the most memorable highlights of my career was presenting at the International Conference on the First Year Experience in York, England, alongside my godmother, who also worked in higher education. It was those memories, combined with our desire to support Greater Allegheny students, that led us to endow this fund.”

The gift marks the Garwoods’ second tribute gift to Penn State Greater Allegheny. Their first, the Roseann Garwood and Kathryn R. King Memorial Scholarship, is awarded annually to a Biobehavioral Health student at the campus.

“Experiences beyond the classroom can expose students to new environments and perspectives while helping them build confidence, develop cultural awareness and explore academic and career pathways,” Regional Chancellor Megan Nagel said. “Financial circumstances should not determine which students have access to those opportunities. We are incredibly grateful to the Garwoods for making this investment in our students.”

Donors like the Garwoods 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.