August 2019

One Generation Helping the Next: Giving Back is Alumna’s Biggest Accomplishment

Shadowing a home community nurse while earning her bachelor’s degree changed the course of Sandy Offutt’s ’05, ’08 nursing career.

“One day, I went into a two-room trailer and the patient was very debilitated. She had no money. Her husband went out and gathered up aluminum cans for money,” she said. “To see those conditions for humanity, I felt, ‘I need to make a difference.’ And I do it every day. Every day I have patients that can’t afford bandages, can’t afford food, can’t afford gas. And I have done what it takes in the medical profession to make their lives better physically, mentally, and socially.”

Offutt also strives to make Penn State better. She supports both the Mont Alto Campus and the Penn State College of Nursing through volunteer efforts and gifts.

“I am a Penn State nurse, a volunteer, and a supporter who believes in the future of Penn State and its students,” said Offutt.

Indeed, it would be difficult to find another alumna who does more.

Offutt is a former member of the Penn State College of Nursing Alumni Board. She has served on Mont Alto’s Alumni Advisory Board since 2012 and regularly volunteers at alumni and student events, including the annual Root Beer Float Social for graduating seniors, Choral concerts and Festival, the Alumni & Friends Tailgate, and supports the Polar Bear Plunge in support of THON.

Offutt provides gifts to Penn State’s Nursing Alumni Trustee Scholarship and Future Fund. In addition, she supports Mont Alto’s Choral Festival, Alumni Trustee Scholarship, Academic Festival, Future Fund, and provides program gifts for many campus events.

“With all the support I received through the nursing program—from the instructors, professors, and the whole campus—it was not difficult for me to understand that I need to give back for the next generation, to let them know that they can make it. They can be successful. But they can’t do it alone,” said Offutt stressing the importance of relying on the Penn State community.

Offutt’s path to a nursing career has not been easy.

She first attended Penn State Mont Alto in the late ’80s but left school to work in her family business—a 320-acre dairy farm in Dry Run, PA—the largest in the area at the time, according to Offutt.

While working on the farm, she also served as a substitute teacher at the Franklin County Vocational Technical School and York Vocational School and worked as a beautician—but said the work was unfulfilling.

“When my father passed away, and we sold the milk cows, I had the opportunity to find myself,” she said.

Her spark to become a nurse came from the suggestion of a family friend and veterinarian who was there when the farm sold.

“He looked at me and said, ‘Sandy, I want you to promise me that the moment these cows leave you will go into medicine—man, human or veterinarian.’ And the day the cows left the farm, I went to Quincy saying, I want to be a nurse,” she said.

Offutt worked at Quincy Village, a senior living facility near the Penn State Mont Alto campus, while completing her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) degree in Chambersburg, PA. She then enrolled at Mont Alto and completed associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing. Since employed as a nurse, she has also completed a nurse practitioner’s degree.

“I was in my 40s when I returned to school. I knew I had to dedicate myself and I had a strong support system at Quincy with the staff and everyone around me, saying ‘You can do it,’” she said.

Offutt also credits members of the Penn State Mont Alto community for inspiration and success, including Andrea Christopher, Mont Alto’s former director of student affairs; the late John Benschoff, former assistant director of students who also served as Mont Alto’s basketball coach for 22 years; Patricia Byers, Mont Alto’s former dean of students; and Carranda Barkdoll, nursing program coordinator and assistant Teaching Professor ’98, G’01, Ph.D.’17

“I grew up in nursing, watching Carranda not only as my instructor but also as head of the nursing program. Having a mentor like that made me think, ‘I can do more.’”

Barkdoll, who also serves as president of the Penn State Mont Alto Alumni Advisory Board, works closely with Offutt in planning alumni events and raising funds for student scholarships. She appreciates Offutt’s commitment to the nursing profession and Penn State.

“Sandy exemplifies the goals, mission, and spirit of Penn State, and it has been a pleasure watching her grow in her nursing career—championing the College of Nursing and watching her grow from being a novice nurse to becoming an expert nurse,” said Barkdoll. “She worked very hard in meeting the academic rigors of the associate and bachelor’s degree programs at Penn State. Throughout, she displayed leadership qualities and has been a strong patient advocate. In addition, she is always willing to help out in every way by locally supporting the Alumni Society and serving on many committees both locally and regionally.”

Offutt especially likes knowing she’s helping the next generation of Penn State students. “I get to be a part of their lives, and hopefully, they will want to be a part of the next graduate’s lives,” she said.

“I have a master’s degree in nursing, but I think my largest accomplishment is being able to give back. No-one can take that away from you, knowing that you get the opportunity of being part of Penn State, and hopefully, it continues,” said Offutt.

March 2019

1958 forestry class donates over $100K for Open Doors Scholarship

Twelve members of the Forestry Class of 1958 recently celebrated their 60th reunion at the Mont Alto campus. Besides reconnecting with each other and the campus, their time together also resulted in a group gift of $34,233 that, thanks to a University match, transformed into a $102,669 Open Doors Scholarship to support Mont Alto students who are facing financial hardships and are at risk of not completing their degrees.

The seed of the idea came after learning about Penn State’s current fundraising campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence” from Campus Development Director Randall Ackerman. He explained that Open Doors Scholarships created with a minimum gift of $30,000 would be matched 2:1 by the University through June 30, 2018, increasing the value of the gift three-fold.

“A small group of classmates were talking during our reunion when Jack Zimmerman suggested the scholarship idea,” said Ralph Heilig, who has coordinated the class reunions for the past 12 years. “The other alumni agreed. The word was passed around to the remaining class members. We quickly came up with $30,000 and it was then suggested that we push for the additional $3,334 required to obtain a $100,000 scholarship,” he said.

Heilig is proud to mention that, at their request, the University allowed the group to establish the scholarship not as just a “graduating class” but as a “graduating class of foresters.”

“As far as we know, no other group from the same graduating class has done this,” he said. “So, we think we’re the first and hopefully it will start something.”

Members of the class and others who donated to the scholarship include: Rolph Anderson; Ralph Heilig and Marie Wolson; Maurice (Bill) and Irene Hobaugh; Richard and Dorothy Hunter; Ralph and Gisela Peace; Lou and Bobbi Shain; Paul Shogren; George Siehl; Bob Slagle; Chuck and Carol Strauss; Pat Werner, wife of the late Richard Werner; John Zimmerman; and Penn State Mont Alto faculty members Craig Houghton and Elizabeth Brantley.

“I think it would be accurate to say that the Forestry Class of 1958 is the most engaged alumni group I have ever seen,” said Penn State Mont Alto Chancellor Francis K. Achampong. “Now they have taken their engagement to another level by infusing it with philanthropy to enhance student access to a Penn State education.”

Heilig describes the group as having “esprit de corps”— the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion and strong regard for the honor of the group.

Those ingredients and more continue to bring members of The Class of 1958 together, including their pride in Penn State and common interest and experiences as foresters, appreciation for their early training at the Mont Alto Campus, and respect for each other and their former faculty members.

The class began with 125 members studying forestry in September 1954. At that time, life at Mont Alto focused on a rigorous curriculum with little social life or off-campus entertainment.

“We were required to carry 20.5 credits, going to class 40 hours per week, for two semesters. Almost every student spent three or four hours on Sunday afternoons outdoors boning up on tree and shrub identification – all for a two-credit course,” said Heilig.

With the help of a devoted faculty, members of the class endured and at the end of their first year 105 freshmen matriculated to Penn State’s University Park campus.

According to Heilig, after their 1958 graduation, the group held its first reunion in State College, coordinated by the late Robert (Bob) LaBar, 1958 graduate. One reunion led to another, with the late Ken Swartz, 1958 graduate, taking on the responsibility of leading class reunions every five years. For their 50-year mark, Ralph Heilig and Chuck Strauss, both 1958 graduates, and George Siehl, 2016 graduate, coordinated the 50th and continued the tradition on into 2018.

“To my knowledge, no other class in the history of Penn State nor the State Forest Academy at Mont Alto has achieved the degree of camaraderie that has existed in our class,” said Heilig. “I doubt if any class can match the sheer number of reunions over a period of 60 years.”

“It was such a common bonding experience, being here – no-one but the forestry graduates,” said George Siehl, an original member of the class who later reconnected with the group. “They began to appreciate what the institution had done for them – especially their faculty,” he said.

“Faculty members such as ours were not the norm,” said Heilig. “Every faculty member gave freely of his time, helping students overcome academic deficiencies. They were sincerely interested in helping anyone who wanted help. Small wonder many students became lifelong friends of men like Wilbur Ward, Rex Melton, Harold Jarrett, Hank Bairel, Jim Hillson, Bill Pfieffer, and others. The ‘gang of 11’ faculty members were more than instructors; they helped mold our lives,” said Heilig.

“We are proud of our forestry lineage and those who have led the way,” said Strauss. He points out that throughout the years, the Class of 1958 along with other families and friends have put forth symbols of their pride in Penn State Mont Alto through the establishment of Founders Trees in the Penn State Mont Alto Arboretum. These symbols recognize former faculty members, classmates and professional leaders, including: Ron Bartoo, Bob Bommer, Ed Kocjancic, Dwight Lewis, Rex Melton, Bob Rumpf, Kerry Schell, Ken Swartz, Wib Ward, Zelda Ward, and others, according to Strauss.

“I think forestry is the main ‘why’ Mont Alto is here,” said Siehl. Without forestry, the odds are there would not be a campus here.”  “It is a special place and graduates came away appreciating it as they crossed over the Mont Alto bridge toward their futures,” he said.

This gift will advance “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” a focused campaign that seeks to elevate Penn State’s position as a leading public university in a world defined by rapid change and global connections. To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21^st Century Excellence,” visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.

November 2018

Penn State names Jim Ingram 2018 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year

Penn State has named alumnus, philanthropist and volunteer leader James (Jim) Ingram as its 2018 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year. The award, which recognizes an individual, couple or group who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and leadership in building philanthropic support for the University, was presented to Ingram at a ceremony held at The Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel on Oct. 12.

“This award recognizes Jim’s exceptional service to the University — and particularly to our commonwealth campuses,” said Rick Sokolov, chair of Penn State’s current fundraising campaign, A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence. “Jim’s perspective as a corporate leader has been invaluable to our fundraising efforts, and his passion and pride for this University has inspired many others to join him in supporting our great institution.”

Ingram is president of Bartlett Tree Experts, a Connecticut-based tree care company with 142 offices in four countries. He holds two degrees from Penn State: an associate degree in forest technology from Penn State Mont Alto (1979) and a bachelor’s degree in general agriculture from the College of Agricultural Sciences (1983).

During the “Greater Penn State” campaign, Ingram is leading the fundraising efforts of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses as a member of the Campaign Executive Committee and chair of commonwealth campus campaigns. To date, the 15 campuses he oversees have collectively raised more than $42 million, helping the University as a whole to raise more than $836 million—or more than half of its overall goal.

“Jim’s quiet leadership and constant support are invaluable to our 15 campus development committees,” said E. Lee Beard, a fellow member of the Campaign Executive Committee. “Campus leaders, staff and volunteers look to Jim for ideas, feedback, encouragement and support. He is a key link to the University’s overall campaign and is able to connect these campuses in ways that are invaluable.”

Ingram’s volunteer leadership began with the University’s most recent campaign, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students. He served as campaign chair for Mont Alto and led the campus in raising $5.4 million, exceeding its $5 million goal.

In addition to inspiring significant support from his fellow Penn Staters, Ingram has led by example with gifts of his own, made together with his wife, Barbara. The couple’s support has created the Jack Ingram Endowed Scholarship at Mont Alto, named for his late father; supported the renovation of the Lasch Football Building; enhanced the arboretum at the Mont Alto and University Park campuses; named the Bartlett Tree Test Plot at Mont Alto; and more. In 2016, the Ingrams made commitments to all 15 of the campuses he oversees to support their efforts in the “Greater Penn State” campaign.

“I accept this award for the spirit of volunteerism that is alive in all Penn Staters, and that makes Penn State the best place to help students who have financial needs to attain a world-class education,” said Ingram. “I shall always treasure this Volunteer of the Year Award. Life is a long lesson in humility, and this honor humbles me to my core.”