Development and Alumni Relations News

Alex John

Scholarships open doors, drive campaign success

Hundreds of students have benefited to date from scholarships created by alumni and friends during the University’s recently concluded campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence.” Structured around the three key imperatives of a modern land-grant institution, the campaign’s top priority was opening the doors of higher education to students from every background, and Penn State donors rose to the challenge, creating a total of 2,045 new scholarship endowments — an increase of more than 35% over the course of the six-year effort.
Image of Lion Shrine and Shield

Penn State Harrisburg team named a finalist for Solar Decathlon Build Challenge

A Penn State team led by Hessam Taherian, assistant teaching professor in Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Science, Engineering, and Technology was one of 14 collegiate institution teams from across the globe awarded $50,000 in prize funding to build and exhibit a groundbreaking, zero-energy building next spring. The team will compete for contest and grand prizes in April 2023.
Nelson Rimensnyder and Lisa Nickerson

Couple’s gift establishes graduate scholarship in public administration

Nelson Rimensnyder, retired director of research for the U.S. House Committee on the District of Columbia and current director of the New Columbia Archives, and his wife, Lisa Nickerson, have made a commitment of $312,500 to establish the Rimensnyder Graduate Scholarship for Excellence in Public Administration at Penn State Harrisburg. The couple, who reside in Washington, D.C., share a legacy of public sector experience, both as federal employees and as civic activists.