Dec. 12, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - An evening devoted to thanking all the generous donors of the Nittany Lion Club for being the shining stars in our student-athletes' lives.
"Everyone here tonight is a star," said Women's Lacrosse player Tatum Coffey, " and this is just a little something to take with you and remind you of how important you are to us and how bright you have made the lives of our athletes," holding up the shining silver stars placed at each donor's seat.
Without fail, year in and year out, Penn State student-athletes prove to not only achieve excellence on the field but in the classroom as well. Being a Penn State student-athlete means not only possessing immense talent, but also having an innate desire to work hard in order to succeed. The continued outpourings of support from our vast network of donors, who invest in the dreams of our student-athletes enable them to pursue the sports they love, proudly wear the blue and white, and represent their beloved alma mater.
On Friday, October 31, over 400 donors, student-athletes and staff gathered at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center for the Forever Blue and White Endowment Dinner. Once everyone settled into their seats, the students, one by one, proceeded onto the stage to give a brief introduction. The night featured a social hour, followed by dinner and dessert, all of which was accompanied by speakers ranging from athletes and coaches to the Athletic Director, Sandy Barbour. With the assistance of our outstanding emcee, Tatum Coffey, the night proved to be a success.
The donors had the opportunity to witness first-hand just how much their contributions make a difference in the lives of Penn State student-athletes and their coaches.
The evening's program was filled with stories of the countless academic and athletic successes of Penn State athletic teams and their gratitude for the donors who make these successes possible. Student-athletes shared personal stories about their journey in athletics and what their scholarships mean to them. The evening focused on expressing gratitude and appreciation to the donors for their generous donations in establishing scholarships that help students live their dream of participating in collegiate-level athletics while receiving an exceptional education. The night was not only spent celebrating donors, but reminding student-athletes of the meaning of "Forever Blue and White". Speakers emphasized the importance of the student-athletes giving back in the future to ensure the continued tradition of excellence in Penn State Athletics.
"As Forever Blue and White endowment donors you have left a lasting legacy at Penn State," said Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, "you are making an impact on the lives of our current and future student-athletes. Your generosity has a huge impact on our ability to sustain excellence within our program."
Associate Head Coach of Penn State Women's Gymnastics, Rachelle Thompson, spoke of the excellence her team has achieved. "Their success now and in the future will not be accidental, but predictable, because of the opportunities you have created for them," she emphasized to the donors in attendance.
Penn State Men's Lacrosse Head Coach Jeff Tambroni also expressed what he believes to be the secret to success here at Penn State. "The secret sauce to our success is not in what we do but why we do it. The two main ingredients that propel us into lifelong partnership with Penn State are a fighting spirit and an undeniable loyalty."
For women's gymnast, Sidney Sanabria-Robles, her journey to Penn State and the success she has achieved as a Nittany Lion couldn't have been made possible without the generous support of Penn State's endowed scholarship donors. Sidney endured what was originally thought to be a career-ending injury, and thought her gymnastics career was over at the university she previously attended. When Penn State discovered Sidney, her dream of continuing to compete in collegiate gymnastics became a new found reality with the aid of an endowed scholarship to one of the most elite universities in the world.
As our donors continue to enrich and light up the lives of so many of our current student-athletes and those to come after them, it is with great pride and certainty that the spirit of Penn State will continue forever burning.
Click here to view the video presentation from the Forever Blue and White Endowment Dinner of One Journey, One Place to see how the lives of Penn State's student-athletes have been made brighter by our generous donors.
If you would like to learn more about how to endow a scholarship, please call (814) 863-(GIFT)4438.
Be sure to visit our photo gallery from the dinner below.