Penn State Fayette holds fundraiser to add more student scholarships
Submitted photo
The “Lights, Color, Action” fundraiser featured a never-before-seen performance from Lord Baltimore’s Light-Up Circus.
Mark Soroka
Chancellor of Penn State Fayette Dr. W. Charles Patrick and Lori Omatick, director of development, played key roles in the “Lights, Color, Action” fundraiser at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Ukulangley was one of several musical groups that performed at the “Lights, Color, Action” fundraiser.
Among Penn State-Fayette students attending the benefit fundraiser were (left to right) Andrew Guess, Hayley Riba, Sarah Franks and Emily Franks.
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, does more for its students than just providing them with a high-quality college education. It is also committed to finding ways to help students pay for that education.
Penn State Fayette recently hosted its third annual Benefit Fayette event, to raise money for both endowed and non-endowed student scholarships. This year’s event, which was themed “Lights, Color, Action,” drew strong support from the local business community and also gave the public an opportunity to help students who need financial assistance to complete their studies.
“Penn State Fayette is one of the state’s most affordable branch campuses, but it can still be difficult for many students to keep up with costs for their education,” said Lori Omatick, director of development and chair of the planning committee for the fundraiser. “Ninety percent of our students qualify for financial aid and nearly half of our students are the first generation in their families to attend college. One-hundred percent of the net proceeds raised from this event are being directed toward much-needed student aid.”
Omatick said that because Penn State Fayette is still accepting contributions and tabulating results, no final tally for proceeds is available yet. Last year’s benefit yielded more than $158,000 in contributions. She also announced that Penn State Fayette recently received $500,000 from an anonymous donor. This money will be used to help create a new endowed scholarship program. Penn State Fayette will match each contribution directed to this fund.
Tricia Homonai, an academic advisor at Penn State Fayette, told guests that Benefit Fayette is one of the area’s most inspiring feel-good events.
“It’s folks like you who help our students stay on the path to achieve their goals, rather than walking away from something they’ve worked so hard for,” she said. “You are helping these kids to get an education at a top-ranked university, even when the odds are stacked up against them.”
Andrew Guess, a Penn State Fayette student who is majoring in business, said the scholarships are enabling many students to get a college education.
“It means a lot to other students and me,” said Guess, a junior who also helped staff the silent auction at the fundraising event. “Thanks to these scholarships, we are able to achieve our dreams.”
Major sponsors for the event included First Energy Foundation, Walter Mucci Construction, Neubauer’s Flowers & Market House, Specialty Conduit & Manufacturing and Ford Business Machines.
The fundraiser also featured musical performances by Ukulangley and The Feel Good Bank, as well as a performance from Lord Baltimore’s Light Up Circus–a four-person troupe combining acrobatics, aerial, juggling, unicycling, hula hooping, contortion and comedy. The Stone House catered an exclusive, Baltimore-themed dinner for the event.
Dr. W. Charles Patrick, chancellor of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, said he is proud of everyone who helped to make the event such a great success.
“Our campus has been built up in good part because of the generous community that surrounds us,” he said. “That allows us to build up our resources for student scholarships. We are deeply thankful to everyone for their kind support.”