Athletics

Nittany Lion Club annual fund giving surpasses $16.6 million in 2014-15

Nittany Lion Club funds help support the University's 31-sport program. Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Nittany Lion Club members again demonstrated why Penn State has one of the nation’s most passionate and loyal fan bases by contributing $16.6 million in annual giving during the 2014-15 academic year to greatly assist Nittany Lion student-athletes and the nationally recognized 31-sport program.

Mark Wharton, associate athletic director-development, reported that the more than 23,000 Nittany Lion Club members contributed $16,659,140 in Nittany Lion Club gifts during the year ending June 30, 2015. The total was an increase of more than $1.4 million (8.7 percent) from the $15,214,865 raised during the previous year.

Nittany Lion Club members make possible grant-in-aid support for approximately 800 Penn State student-athletes each year and provide funds for comprehensive excellence, including endowments and operational expenses that directly impact student-athletes, including academic and medical support.

“We are grateful for the support of our engaged Nittany Lion Club members in embracing our commitment to providing Penn State student-athletes with a road map to achieve comprehensive excellence," Barbour said. “The Penn State community is so passionate about our incredible student-athletes and what we are all about.”

During 2014-15, more than 1,500 Nittany Lion Club members responded to the NLC’s challenge to contribute at least $110 more in their annual giving than they had during the previous year.

“There has been a tremendous surge of excitement over the last 12 months with the new leadership from Sandy Barbour, and with the continued excellence of our exceptional student-athletes in the classroom, in the community and on their fields of play,” Wharton said. “Our annual fund is vital to providing conditions for success for our student-athletes and we are grateful to all our Nittany Lion Club members for their continued support, loyalty and enthusiasm of our mission.”

The Nittany Lion Club grew to 23,237 members in 2014-15 from 20,781 members in 2011-12, an increase of nearly 2,500 (10.6 percent) over the past three years.

The support of Nittany Lion Club members has greatly assisted Penn State in winning a conference-best 19 Big Ten Championships during the past three years and a nation’s leading 16 NCAA titles since 2007. The Nittany Lions have won 74 national championships and 92 Big Ten crowns all-time.

Penn State student-athletes have an 89 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate, 62 percent of them earned at least a 3.0 grade-point average during the spring semester and a school record 500 student-athletes posted a 3.0 grade-point average or higher during the 2014 fall semester.

For information about joining the Nittany Lion Club, call 814-865-9462 or visit GoPSUsports.com and click on the Nittany Lion Club link.

 

Last Updated August 14, 2015