Representatives of XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, were on campus May 14, 2013, to present IUP with a matching gift of more than $25,000.

Thanks to the generosity of three IUP alumni who are ExxonMobil employees, the company provided the funds as part of its matching gift program.

While on campus to make the presentation, Matt Thomas, a 2006 graduate of IUP, and Ben Kissell, left, XTO Energy employees, received an overview of a student project about Utica shale in the Walsh Hall Statigraphy Lab by John Taylor, professor of Geoscience, and students Becca Smith and Cameron Baillie.

One of the IUP nursing simulation labs has received a boost from the Bork Family Fund, administered through the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.

The grant from the Bork family helped to purchase two simulation manikins in the obstetrics simulation lab in Putt Hall. Members of the family visited the lab on May 15, 2013, during a baby shower-theme open house to celebrate the arrival of the new mother and baby.

In the photo, from left, are Evan Bohnen, associate vice president for Development at IUP; Lisa Palmer, chairperson of the Nursing and Allied Health Department, Debbie Bork; Jessica Bork Borowitz, who is a graduate student in Counseling at IUP; and Dave Bork.

According to Palmer, students who have the chance to train in simulation labs often fare better when they move to on-site clinical experiences required of all Nursing majors. The manikins simulate an actual birth and both manikins are high fidelity allowing simulation of bodily functions such as heart sounds, crying, changes in vital signs, and other key body system functions.

Women of Excellence are nominated because they have excelled in positions not traditionally held by African-Americans and women.

Among her accomplishments at IUP, Valentine-Gray has stewarded a partnership between the Heinz Endowments and the College of Education and Educational Technology that resulted in the Pittsburgh Promise Plus Program.

Prior to joining IUP in 2008, Valentine-Gray served Junior Achievement of Southern California as senior development director and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles as director of resource development. In addition to her nonprofit experience, she has 20 years of experience in corporate marketing and administration. She is a graduate of Point Park University.

Valentine-Gray will accept the award at a luncheon in June at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh.

To date, the initiative is 43 percent to goal and has raised roughly $4,400. A portion of the proceeds will be used to fund state-of-the-art equipment and technology in the new Humanities and Social Sciences building that is scheduled to begin construction in the Fall of 2013. Other gifts have been directed to various departments and areas throughout campus. Gifts from the Class of 2013 can be given in honor of a professor or a parent and enable the class to leave a legacy for future IUP students.

Senior Class Gift cochairs Joshua Acosta (Preprofessional Science, Pre-Med) and Bobby Ratcliffe (Marketing) and the entire Senior Class Gift Committee are asking their fellow classmates to consider making a gift back to IUP as a legacy from the Class of 2013 to future generations of IUP students.

Any gift amount is welcome, but a gift of $20.13 or more will qualify graduates to wear philanthropy cords, a crimson and gray rope adornment to be worn with the cap and gown.

Make a gift now online, or download this pledge form and send or deliver it to the Office of Annual Giving, 412 Sutton Hall.

Deadline for contributing to the fund is May 17, 2013, for May graduates. Questions? Call 724-357-5555. 

On May 15 and 16, from noon to noon, the staff will conduct the Race for 500: A 24-Hour Donor Event. The aim is to raise gifts from 500 new donors in 24 hours, reaching out through a combination of direct e-mail, social media, and a website designed for mobile device capability.

"A campaign like this enables us to raise awareness about the need and what gifts can accomplish in a concentrated time period," said Emily Davis Smeltz '01, M'02, Annual Giving director. "We hope to reach people who haven't yet given to IUP, but we also know we'll reach people who already have. If you are among those who have given to IUP this year, please accept the thanks of the entire university community for your generosity. Your gift goes a long way in making the experience of IUP students more meaningful--and, for some of them, simply possible."

Those who are interested in learning more about the challenge are invited to visit the event's website to discover more about the impact gifts have on the lives of IUP students.

The social media components of the campaign will take place on IUP's official Facebook and Twitter accounts. Twitter users are invited to use the hashtag #500in24.

Students approaching graduation are invited to participate in the 2013 Class Gift Campaign. Doing so enables you to leave your mark on campus by helping future students--in the same way that graduates of the past made a gift that supported you.

Make a gift now of any size to make a difference in the life of a student. Or, make a gift in the suggested amount to commemorate your graduation year. Students who give a gift of $20.13 or more will receive the philanthropy cord, a crimson and gray adornment to wear at graduation. The cord shows your commitment to IUP, that you value your degree, and that you supported the 2013 Senior Class Gift campaign. Make your gift today so that you can be recognized as supporting IUP with your classmates in the Senior Class Gift.

The Senior Class Gift Committee is striving to achieve 20.13 percent participation by May Graduation. If 20.13 percent of May's graduates participate in this effort with a gift of $20.13 or more, this combined effort would exceed $10,000 as a lasting tribute to IUP from the Class of 2013.

Just imagine if 2,013 of our 2013 graduates would make a $20.13 gift to IUP.hat would total more than $40,500!

The committee is asking you to support the Senior Class Gift (Fund #8433) so that the Class of 2013 can enhance the university and leave a legacy from the class in the new Humanities and Social Sciences building. Regardless of their majors, all students will use this new facility to complete their liberal studies requirements. 

To make a gift, bring this pledge form to Salute to Grads at the Co-op Store on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Or, MAKE YOUR GIFT NOW. 

The University Family Campaign, the fund-raising campaign in which faculty and staff give to IUP, has reached 80 percent of its goal, which means 400 out of a goal of 500 employees have made a commitment to participate.

Faculty and staff who give to IUP through the campaign may designate their gifts to benefit any of the university's programs, including your own department's special funds and scholarships. Give now or learn more about the campaign.

Here is another reason to give. One of the measures PASSHE is using to evaluate IUP's performance is the total number of individual donors. The university stands to be rewarded if we increase this number over the next several years. Last year, because IUP met all performance measures, PASSHE allocated the university a performance award of $5.1 million. See details in the latest edition of IUP Magazine.

Over all, IUP is 79 percent to reaching the total number of individual donor goal of 9,488, and the university has until June 30 to meet it. However, faculty and staff who contribute before April 12 will be invited to a victory celebration, hosted by President Michael Driscoll.

Currently, two university units have reached 100 percent employee participation, and several others have achieved higher participation levels than ever before. To date, the University Family Campaign has received 125 gifts from employees who did not give to IUP last year.

Private gifts to IUP are applied to scholarships, program enhancements, and many other initiatives.

With two weeks to go, the University Family Campaign has surpassed the 60 percent mark, bringing IUP just a bit closer to meeting a performance measure.

Faculty and staff who give to IUP through the campaign may designate their gifts to benefit any of the university's programs, including their own department's special funds and scholarships. Give now or learn more about the campaign.

 "When you support IUP through gifts to the Foundation for IUP, you make a strong statement. You demonstrate that you believe in your work and IUP's mission," said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving.  "When many members of the university family contribute, it sends a message to alumni and to those in Harrisburg that we care, that we are dedicated to our cause, and that we are, in turn, worthy of their support."

See who benefits from your gift. 

See why Gary Stoudt gives. 

See why Holly Boda-Sutton gives.

An additional incentive to give is one of the measures PASSHE is using to evaluate IUP's performance. If IUP increases the number of individual donors over the next several years, the university stands to be rewarded. Last year, because IUP met all performance measures, PASSHE allocated the university a peformance award of $5.1 million. See details in the latest edition of IUP Magazine.

"Of course, we're telling alumni about this added incentive, too," Smeltz said, "And, I hope all IUP colleagues will tell as many people as possible."

Employees who choose to give may do so by making a direct gift by pledge or credit card or by using payroll deduction.

Whether you teach, coach, clean, make decisions, make repairs, patrol the campus, or counsel students—you are part of the unique IUP family. When you support IUP through the University Family Campaign, you make a strong statement. You demonstrate that you believe in your work and IUP's mission.

When many members of the university family contribute, it conveys to alumni and to Harrisburg that we care, that we are dedicated to our cause, and that IUP is, in turn, worthy of their support.

The campaign, operated by the Office of Annual Giving, runs through April 12. Faculty and staff may designate their gifts to their own departments, to any scholarship fund of their choosing, or to any fund within the Foundation for IUP.

Employees received packets in the mail this week and will find more information on the University Family website or by asking campaign volunteers, listed below. The goal is to raise gifts from 500 employees.

President Michael Driscoll (second from right) recently pledged his gift to IUP through the University Family Campaign. From left, Mary Jo Ludwig, assistant director of Annual Giving; Ariana Wiley, a senior Interior Design major who works for the Annual Giving Office's phonathon operation; Rebecca Beadling, a student who has benefited from five scholarships that were established through private gifts like those sought in the University Family Campaign; and Bill Speidel, vice president for University Advancement.

University Family Campaign Volunteers 

Eberly College of Business and Information Technology:
Cyndy Strittmatter

College of Education and Educational Technology:
Bob Millward

College of Fine Arts:
Joan Van Dyke

College of Health and Human Services:
Dolores Brzycki
Julie Gomboc-Turyan

College of Humanities and Social Sciences:
Michele Papakie

College of Natural Science and Mathematics:
Anne Kondo
Karen Cercone
Deanne Snavely

School of Graduate Studies and Research:
Hilliary Creely

Administration and Finance Division:
Doug Miller

Enrollment Management and Communications Division:
Tammy Manko

Northpointe Campus:
Richard Muth

Punxsutawney Campus:
Terry Appolonia

Student Affairs Division:
Tedd Cogar
Frank Condino

University Advancement Division:
Bill Speidel

University Libraries:
Laura Krulikowski

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to celebrate the generosity of those who support IUP by making private gifts to the Foundation for IUP at Philanthropy Day, Thursday, February 28, 2013, in the Stapleton Library commons.

The celebration takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. President Michael Driscoll, Professor Michele Papakie, and students who have benefited from scholarship support will make remarks at 11:30 a.m.

Last year, 9,150 alumni, employees, students, parents, and friends made gifts of varying sizes in support of IUP.

“It’s important that we thank those who financially support IUP—and let them know their generous support goes a long way in creating a great atmosphere for learning and in helping to fund scholarships that directly benefit students,” said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving.

The celebration includes refreshments, a photo booth, and the opportunity to write a postcard of thanks to a donor who contributed to IUP last year. Those who attend will receive a t-shirt (while supplies last).

In the Photo: Last year, hundreds of students wrote thank-you notes to donors and celebrated generosity to IUP. A few of them assembled for a group picture.

Want to tweet about Philanthropy Day? Join the conversation: #YourIUP.

IUP belongs to all of us—students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni. While we all might have a different perspective on what IUP means to each of us, we know that when you invest in IUP, you make it your own. IUP is your university.