Richard Singer, a retired Penn State Altoona instructor in the electro-mechanical engineering program, and his wife, Dr. Jeane Violon Singer, have gifted the university with a gift commitment of $1 million to create the Penn State Altoona Engineering Excellence Fund.
The fund will benefit programs within electro-mechanical engineering technology (EMET) and will support students.
“I am grateful for Richard and Jeane’s transformational gift in support of our EMET program and our future Mechanical Engineering program,” Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, chancellor and dean, said. “All of us at Penn State Altoona and in our extended community are thankful for their generosity and devotion to our students, college, and community. Their commitment to our students and Richard’s passion for his work are infectious and inspiring.”
Last year, the Singers created a scholarship through the Open Doors initiative. The initiative is part of the university-wide fundraising campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence.”
Its goal is to address the financial, academic, and personal challenges that undergraduates face while earning degrees. The initiative supports students enrolled in one of five programs Penn State created to help undergraduates succeed academically.
The Singers are members of the Atherton Society, the Ivyside Society, the Laurel Circle, and the Mount Nittany Society.