Thomas, wife to emphasize teaching, research with gift

When Joab Thomas served as University President from 1990 to 1995, he emphasized research and teaching, said University President Graham Spanier.

Now Thomas and his wife Marly, will support those areas with a $250,000 gift to the University for graduate fellowships, according to a University news release. The fellowships will provide financial assistance to graduate students in the 150 graduate and doctoral fields at the University, according to the release.

"As a whole, graduate education at Penn State is growing in importance and needs attention," Thomas said. "I want to give it a boost as a way to create additional momentum for the forthcoming capital campaign."

The capital campaign, which is a drive to increase donations and endowments to the University, will focus on obtaining funds for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships.

The Thomas' gift allows the Graduate School to distribute the funds where they are needed most, regardless of discipline, according to the release.

"It means a great deal to us to receive such a generous gift from two people who know and love Penn State so much, and who are so well regarded by the entire Penn State family," Spanier said.

--by Patricia K. Cole