It’s a year of milestones!
In 2024, the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) marked its 25th anniversary. And on Dec. 3, Penn State will celebrate ten years of GivingTuesday. In honor of these occasions, we invite alumni and friends to make a gift to support student engagement opportunities for IST students.
This GivingTuesday, we’re calling on alumni and friends to make a gift to the IST Alumni Society Endowment to help make these experiences possible for students in the College of IST.
Established in January 2023, the IST Alumni Society Endowment helps students travel to professional conferences, compete in academic challenges and take part in other transformational experiences that enhance what they learn in the classroom. It also provides support for the college’s diverse student organization, undergraduate research efforts and community outreach and programming. The endowment’s first award recipients included the Red Cell Analytics Lab, the National Security Club, the User Experient Professionals Association Penn State Chapter and IST Student Government.
In 2024, the endowment provided direct support to:
- Competitive Cyber Security Organization (CCSO)
- Cybersecurity Consulting Club
- Fundamentals of Computing Association
- IST Living Learning Community
- Nittany Entrepreneur Society
- Women in Cybersecurity
During the GivingTuesday 2023 campaign, 37 distinct donors contributed a total of $1,870 to the endowment.
"The Alumni Society Endowment fuels opportunities beyond the classroom for IST students and organizations," said Dave Costlow, who earned a bachelor's degree in information sciences and technology from Penn State in 2003 and chairs the society's fundraising committee. "With a vibrant community of IST student organizations tackling real-world projects, attending conferences and winning national competitions, supporting the Alumni Society Endowment is an investment in the next generations of IST leaders."
True to Penn State GivingTuesday tradition, the celebration is kicking off early on Monday, Dec. 2, at 18:55 (6:55 p.m. EST) — a nod to the year in which the University was founded. Those interested in contributing to the IST Alumni Society Endowment or establishing a personal fundraising page as a campaign advocate can learn more here.
“It’s our duty to equip our students with not only the knowledge they gain in their courses but also the skills and perspectives they acquire from impactful co-curricular activities,” said Andrea Tapia, dean of the College of IST. “The opportunities that position our graduates to lead and thrive in an interconnected digital world are made possible thanks to the support and generosity of alumni and friends.”
Gifts made on GivingTuesday advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
Help the IST Alumni Society make more of these meaningful student experiences possible by making a gift on Penn State GivingTuesday! We thank you for helping to show that #TogetherWeAre Penn State!
About the College of Information Sciences and Technology
Opening its doors in 1999, the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State is home to a thriving community of students, scholars, staff, alumni, and friends. Through innovative research and a student-centered approach to interdisciplinary education, we are delivering on the college's founding mission to prepare leaders for the Information Age. Our passionate students, renowned faculty, and supportive alumni network have propelled the college to forge new frontiers, creating a meaningful impact at Penn State and beyond.