Three alumni join crusade for more scholarships

The University has handed the responsibility of leading "The Campaign for Penn State," a campaign to raise funds for scholarships and faculty, over to three new people who are well-acquainted with the University -- Edward P. Junker III, Robert Klein and William Weiss.

- Edward P. Junker III
vice president of the University Board of Trustees

Junker, who is from Erie, is vice president of the University Board of Trustees and a 1960 graduate of hotel administration. He is the vice chairman of PNC Bank Corp., and he will be the vice chairman for trustee gifts.

He said his immediate goal for soliciting gifts from the trustees is 100 percent participation by them, and he has already begun talking with the trustees about their participation.

"We're under way with that facet (of the capital campaign) as we speak, and I hope to have that wrapped up by July," he said.

The response he received from the trustees so far has been positive, he added.

Klein, who lives in Philadelphia, is a past president of the Penn State Alumni Association and a 1948 commerce and finance graduate. He will be vice chairman for college and campus specific fund drives.

Weiss, from Chicago, is a trustee and a 1951 industrial engineering graduate.

The upcoming campaign has not been announced to the public yet, Bezilla said.

"This is a process that has begun or will begin shortly," he said.

When about one-third or one-half of the campaign's monetary goal has been met it will be announced, Bezilla said. Until then, the focus of the solicitations for the campaign will be large, private donations.

"The campaign, I think we can safely say, is going to focus on people," Bezilla said.

The money raised will not directly be used by the University, Bezilla said, but part of the income gained from the invested capital campaign funds will support endowments.

The last campaign, which operated from 1984 to 1990, raised $352 million, which was used for endowment and "brick-and-mortar" projects, Bezilla said. The monetary goal for this campaign has not yet been announced.

Additional funds will increase the University's competitiveness in the Big Ten by attracting more top-notch students, he said, and it will also make a college education more available to people who normally cannot afford it.

"I think we need, as a University, to do better in that regard," he said.

In the near future, additional campaign volunteers such as a steering committee, will be announced.