Arlene Hall, director emeritus of academic affairs at Penn State New Kensington, recently pledged $10,000 to support student scholarships at the campus.
The scholarship gift from Arlene E. Hall provides financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate students who demonstrate a need for funds to meet college expenses. The gift will ensure student access and opportunity to the most comprehensive, student-centered research university in America.
Hall spent 36 years at the campus as educator, coach and administrator before retiring in 2012. At the behest of Madlyn Hanes, vice president for commonwealth campuses, she came out of retirement in 2013 to become interim chancellor at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
A native of Snowshoe, Pa., Hall earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in physical education administration from Slippery Rock University. She holds a doctorate in health education from Penn State. Hall joined the New Kensington faculty in 1977 as instructor in kinesiology. In addition to her teaching duties, she coached a number of sports teams, leading the volleyball team to several championships. The Export, Pa., resident received tenure and was promoted to associate professor in 1997. She was named director of academic affairs four years later.
As director, Hall’s leadership experience included faculty development, curriculum and program planning, and strategic planning. Among her many accomplishments are forming a faculty committee for undergraduate research, introducing international programming on campus and mentoring countless faculty and staff.
She was recognized with a Faculty Achievement Award by the College of Health and Human Development and was twice-honored as women’s volleyball coach of the year by both the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and the Commonwealth Campus Athletic Conference.
Hall’s gift will support the campus’ goals of For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students, an effort directed toward a shared vision of Penn State as the most comprehensive, student-centered research university in America. The University is engaging Penn State’s alumni and friends as partners in achieving six key objectives: ensuring student access and opportunity, enhancing honors education, enriching the student experience, building faculty strength and capacity, fostering discovery and creativity, and sustaining the University’s tradition of quality. The campaign’s top priority is keeping a Penn State degree affordable for students and families. The For the Future campaign is the most ambitious effort of its kind in Penn State’s history, with the goal of securing $2 billion by 2014.
The campus has received gifts and pledges totaling $2.78 million since the campaign began in July 2007. With five months remaining, New Kensington has reached 93 percent of its goal. Overall, the University-wide campaign has raised $1.97 billion of its $2 billion goal.
For more information about the campus campaign, contact Donna Speer at 724-334-6057 or dms46@psu.edu.
To give online, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Giving/giveoptions.htm.