Class Gift 2011-1
Penn State's Senior Class Gift Committee announced on Nov. 2 that the class of 2011 has chosen its gift to the University: The Lt. Michael P. Murphy/Penn State Veterans Plaza.
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Cakes representing each of the three finalists were served at the event for attendees to enjoy. The other two gifts on the ballot were the Penn State Alma Mater Display, and the “Old Willow” Tree at the Arboretum and Trustee Scholarship.
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Benjamin Witt, overall chair of the 2011 Senior Class Gift Committee, made the announcement.
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Penn State President Graham Spanier accepted the gift on behalf of the University. “Penn Staters have bravely served in the military dating back to the Civil War, and the University now has the largest ROTC program of any non-military institution,” he said.
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President Spanier assisted committee members Ryan Hartnett, Geoff Halberstadt, and Michal Berns in serving cake to event attendees.
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The gift will not only honor Lt. Murphy, a 1998 graduate of the University and the only Penn State alumnus to earn the Medal of Honor, but also pay respect to all Penn State veterans. Lt. Murphy, a Navy Seal, posthumously received the U.S. military's highest decoration for his actions in 2005 during the war in Afghanistan.
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The 2011 Senior Class Gift Committee (from left) includes Michal Berns, campus outreach chair; Robin Beltrani, events chair; Benjamin Witt, overall chair; Vanessa Gruver, fundraising chair; Jackie Boyland, student relations chair; Ryan Hartnett, communications chair; and Geoff Halberstadt, gift development chair; and Sharon Rose, marketing chair (not pictured).
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The Hall of Gifts display in 2010 on the ground floor of the HUB showcased the history of some of Penn State's most well known class gifts. The 2011 event is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 16, on the Old Main patio.
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