Academics

State Rep. Geist Named 'Friend of Penn State' by Alumni Association

State Rep. Richard A. Geist, a Republican from Pennsylvania's 79th District, received the fifth annual “Friend of Penn State” legislative award at a June 11 ceremony at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus for the significant role he has played in the continued improvement of Penn State.

Geist was named the 2010 award recipient by the Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee of Alumni Council, the governing body of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Now serving his 16th consecutive term, Geist is one of the most senior members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His district consists of part of Blair County, including the City of Altoona, Logan Township, and part of Allegheny Township.

The award was presented to Geist by Rodney A. Erickson, Penn State’s executive vice president and provost. Erickson said Geist has “unwaveringly supported Penn State’s budget appropriation requests and has vigorously defended the University’s multiple missions.”

Geist is a Penn State alumnus with a 1965 associate degree in design technology from the College of Engineering. He is also a graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Public Affairs Leadership Program, now known as the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership Program (RULE).

Erickson noted that Geist is widely credited as a leader in the development of the Ben Franklin Partnership -- a project that is important to both the University and economic development initiatives -- and helping secure funding in the House for the Information Sciences and Technology (IST) program as well as supporting funding for the creation of the Thomas D. Larson Transportation Institute.

Also, Geist initiated and generated private-sector support for a proposed rail and transit-engineering program at Penn State Altoona and has enthusiastically supported Penn State Hershey’s clinical, research, educational and community engagement missions.

Geist is the longest-serving House member in Blair County history as well as the longest-serving majority transportation chair in the history of the House. As the current Republican chair of the committee, he plays a leading role in making policy that benefits Pennsylvania’s motorists and the state’s roads and highways.

He is recognized as the legislature’s most prominent proponent of public-private partnerships that help provide funding for critical transportation infrastructure needs.

The Penn State Alumni Association is the world’s largest dues-paying alumni association with more than 161,000 members. More information on the Alumni Association is available at http://www.alumni.psu.edu/ online. For more information on the Friend of Penn State Award, go to the individual award section at http://www.alumni.psu.edu/awards.

State Rep. Richard A. Geist, above, received the fifth annual 'Friend of Penn State' legislative award on June 11. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated January 9, 2015

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