University Park, Pa. -- Andree Ward and Mike Keebaugh fell in love with Penn State in 1963, soon after they enrolled as undergraduates, and with each other two years later at a Spring Week event on campus. They even got married, in 1967, in Eisenhower Chapel at University Park.
Now, because Penn State provided them with opportunities for their careers and their life together, they have decided to do the same for others by presenting a million-dollar gift to the University's fundraising effort, For the Future, the Campaign for Penn State Students.
The gift, made as part of the couple's estate plans, will fund scholarship endowments designated to enhance honors education in the Schreyer Honors College, and the Colleges of Engineering, Education, and Information Sciences and Technology.
Although an honors college did not exist when the Keebaughs attended the University, the couple said they wanted to support honors students in areas that they themselves were trained for and worked in, because they believe these students have the capability to do great things in the future.
"The Keebaughs' gift will allow some of our best and brightest scholars across Penn State to receive an education that otherwise may have been impossible for them to obtain financially," said Christian M. M. Brady, dean of the Schreyer Honors College. "I extend my greatest thanks and appreciation to Andree and Mike for generously giving to the University and supporting honors education."
Mike Keebaugh retired in 2009 as an executive with Raytheon Co. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Penn State in 1967, and a master's degree in computer science in 1971. He was a member of multiple academic honorary fraternities, including Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Eta Sigma, Pi Mu Epsilon, and Upsilon Pi Epsilon. He spent the majority of his career with Raytheon, a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. For six years, he held positions as a Raytheon Company vice president and as president of the Intelligence and Information Systems business. Penn State honored him with an Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award in 2005.
Andree Keebaugh graduated from Penn State in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in education. She spent 18 years in the State College real estate business community before the couple moved to Texas. There she worked as a sales associate for the Worth Collection, a premier direct sales and marketing company of luxury clothing and products, and also served as treasurer of the Women's Alzheimer Group, in Dallas.
The Keebaughs' son Todd, and daughter-in-law Christie, as well as Mike's brother, Allen, and sister-in-law, Jacquie, also are Penn State alumni. They also have two grandchildren, Holden and Claire, whom the Keebaughs said they are hoping will become Penn Staters, too.