A Penn State dairy science alumnus has committed $5.4 million to the College of Agricultural Sciences, though the money will not help the college deal with its current financial difficulties.
The college's money troubles stem from a steady decrease in state and federal funding over several years. The endowment will not immediately help ease this pressure because the money is an estate gift and may not be realized for 10 or 20 years, said Mark Sharer, director of development in the college.
Agricultural Sciences Dean Robert Steele said the college is still in discussion with the donor, William Darrow, as to how the money will be used.
"It will go to support teaching, research and outreach and that's as specific as I can be right now," Steele said.
The college was forced to eliminate 35 county-based educator positions last year in its cooperative extension outreach program due to the decreased funding.
Steele said the college faces the same 5 percent cut this year as the rest of the university. There may be 85 positions in agricultural research and outreach programs eliminated, he added. Senior Associate Dean Paul Wangsness said the gift from Darrow will be a designated endowment.
"The gift will certainly enhance our programs for students and faculty but does not help our financial situation because state and government funding are decreasing," he said.
Darrow has donated before to Penn State in the form of two scholarships named for his parents. One is an award in fuel science through the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the other is through the College of Agricultural Sciences in horticulture. Darrow graduated in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in dairy science.
The son of the man who invented Monopoly, he grew up on a farm in Bucks County and attended Penn State because his father wanted him to learn more about farming.
He worked on a farm in upper Bucks County until 20 years ago when he moved into an 1842 farmhouse. He owns four farms in the Honey Grove area in Juniata County and manages a heard of about 160 bison.
