Annual Fund for Academic Excellence

As part of a large land-grant university, Penn State Wilkes-Barre strives to provide an outstanding educational experience at a reasonable cost to any qualified student. Though our tuition is reasonable compared to private institutions, many of our students work long hours and take out loans to pay for their education. For some, even modest tuition costs push a college degree out of their reach. A campus scholarship can ease the burden for many students who struggle to attend college. The Annual Fund for Academic Excellence is our primary source for scholarship funds. As support from the Commonwealth decreases (we now receive less than 14% of our total operating budget from Pennsylvania), students and their families bear more of the financial burden. Currently, Penn State receives less money per full-time student than any other public university in Pennsylvania or any Big Ten school.

The future of our state and our nation is in the hands of tomorrow’s leaders — the students we are educating today! You can make a difference in the life of a student and in the future of our country. You may make a pledge, payable on a convenient schedule, or you may give an outright gift. All gifts are tax deductible. Please consider making a gift to help us reach our goal.

Corporate Matching Gifts

Corporate gift matching is a rapidly growing source of aid to higher education. You can double, triple, and sometimes even quadruple the value of your gift to Penn State Wilkes-Barre if you work for a company that matches employee gifts to educational institutions. For more information, contact your human resources professional at your place of employment or call the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Development Office at (570) 675-9107 to request a list of matching gift companies.

Leadership Gift Clubs

Leadership gift clubs were established to honor and recognize those people who make significant gifts to Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Please consider becoming a member of one of these gift clubs — you’ll be in good company!

  • President’s Circle: $5,000 or more
  • President’s Club: $2,500 to $ 4,999
  • President’s Associates: $1,000 to $2,499
  • Penn State Partners: $700 to $999
  • Old Willow Club: $350 to $699
  • Lion’s Pride: $200 to $349

For more information or to make a gift, call the Director of Development and Alumni Relations at (570) 675-9107. Proceeds from the Annual Fund benefit scholarships, faculty and staff development, and other program enhancements. You can also print out the donor form, fill it in and mail us your pledge.