UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For Ned Brokloff, it’s a pride thing — a Penn State pride thing, to be exact. Brokloff, who grew up in State College with parents who worked for the University, knew from a very young age he would be attending Penn State.
He graduated in 1982 from Penn State’s College of Engineering. His Penn State story could have ended there, but that’s not who Brokloff was.
That’s not who Brokloff is.
Just recently, he donated $30,000 to create the Ned Brokloff Endowment for Alumni Association Affiliate Group Innovation. Each year, the endowment’s earnings — approximately $1,350 — will recognize and support an Alumni Association affiliate group that seeks new and creative ways to solve problems, fundraise and unite members of its organization. His endowment will be the first given in support of the Alumni Association as the University enters into its next broad fundraising campaign.
“The Alumni Association is in a position to explore new opportunities,” Brokloff said. “You have these alumni groups who want to try different events, and I hope this endowment keeps them vibrant.”
Innovation is at the forefront of the endowment and explains a lot about Brokloff as a person, too. From generating unique events for his hometown Alumni Association chapter (Central Maryland Chapter), to providing THON with advanced entertainment technology, Brokloff looks to chase the new.
It wasn’t always this way, though. Brokloff admits he was not involved in many University activities or clubs due to both his reserved personality as a student, and the fact that Penn State culture had always been part of his life. It wasn’t until years after he graduated that he realized just how important and positive an impact Penn State made on him.
A life event caused Brokloff to one day sit down and think about all of the things he cared about — things he would want to live on years and years down the road. Penn State, and several organizations that came with it, were at the top of his list.
“I realized that even though I wasn’t involved in much, I still had a deep affinity for a lot of what I experienced at Penn State,” Brokloff said.
To say Brokloff is involved now would be an understatement. In addition to working to invigorate his Central Maryland Chapter, Brokloff is passionate about helping with the “behind-the-scenes” work for THON (Penn State’s Dance Marathon), the All-Sports Museum, the College of Engineering, and The Arboretum at Penn State.
Signing his emails, “Penn State Proud” and admitting that he tears up at the alma mater, Brokloff’s love for Penn State is apparent. His passion, pride, and hard work for the University have transpired into positive differences for all those he encounters, and even those he doesn’t.
“I don’t want to simply contribute to an organization’s cause,” Brokloff said. “I want to help make the organization stronger in the long run, as they pursue their cause.”
Penn State’s alumni and friends are invaluable partners in fulfilling the University’s land-grant mission of education, research and service. Private gifts from alumni and friends enrich the experiences of students both in and out of the classroom, expand the research and teaching capacity of our faculty, enhance the University’s ability to recruit and retain top students and faculty, and help to ensure that students from every economic background have access to a Penn State education. The University’s colleges and campuses are now enlisting the support of alumni and friends to advance a range of unit-specific initiatives.