Liberal Arts

Luellen honored with McKay Donkin Award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mark Luellen, director of alumni relations and development in the College of the Liberal Arts, is the winner of the 2014 McKay Donkin Award.

Established in 1969 in honor of the late McKay Donkin, who served as vice president and treasurer of the University from 1957 to 1968, the award is presented to a full-time member of the faculty or staff or to a retiree who has contributed most to the “economic, physical, mental or social welfare of the faculty” of the University. The contribution should be for duties or services above and beyond the recipient’s regularly assigned duties.

Luellen joined the College’s development team in 2006 and became director of alumni relations and development in 2009. He guided the College of the Liberal Arts to its For the Future campaign goal of $105 million nine months ahead of the campaign close. The College of the Liberal Arts is the University-wide leader in raising support for faculty and graduate education, with over $38 million committed in this campaign.

Since 2009, alumni and friends of the College have made key gifts for six new professorships, a number of new teaching and research awards, and new funds endowing program and department heads’ discretionary funds, center funds and several endowed directorships. This includes completing a $3 million National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant for the Richards Civil War Era Center and another $1 million NEH Challenge Grant for the Center for Democratic Deliberation and the Penn State Institute for Democracy.

“Mark has built a stellar staff, inspired them to work as a team to make Liberal Arts a better place and has worked very productively with our faculty, center directors and department heads as he solicits gifts to support their programs,” one nominator said.

Last Updated January 30, 2015

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