Penn State York WOMEN’s Philanthropic Network Inspiring the Next Generation of Giving Discovery Meeting: Learn and Engage

Penn State York is pioneering a new initiative for the University with the creation of the first Women’s Philanthropic Network (WPN). A collective voice and realizing the power of giving together through activities to learn, engage, give, network, and celebrate defines the key elements of this unique organization. Learn and Engage - WPN Annual Discovery Meeting:  Learn about campus needs and initiatives  Speak up and Speak out – Make a funding recommendation Become a part of Penn State history. Become a member of the first Women’s Philanthropic Network at Penn State York !

In concert with the group’s leadership mission, the WPN supports the development of student leaders at Penn State York. Recipients of this scholarship hold a leadership position on campus. Leaders in Three Key Student Groups:  Student Government Association (SGA)  Lion Ambassadors  Blue & White Society WPN Scholarships for Student Leaders: $2,000

Pathways to Your Future: Exploring STEM Careers at Penn State York is a one-day, on-campus career awareness program for seventh grade girls, their teachers and parents, which highlights opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Twentieth Anniversary Celebration Keynote Speaker for STEM/Pathways: $7,500

STEM/Pathways Program Goals  To increase young women’s awareness of STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)  To encourage young women to take college preparatory mathematics courses in high school so that the doors to STEM careers remain open to them  To provide opportunities for young women to explore career options and to interact with professional women from STEM and related fields  To provide teachers and parents with information to guide young women toward career opportunities in mathematics, science, engineering and technology Objectives  To expose each student to a variety of careers, with an emphasis on those careers that are considered nontraditional for women; role models for minority and other under represented groups are included  To actively involve each student in each workshop that she attends through hands- on or role playing activities  To provide each student with the opportunity to speak personally with a workshop presenter, panelist, or college career counselor at the conference

We plan to build upon our previous nineteen years of success and expand the program as part of a twentieth anniversary celebration with the addition of a nationally-known motivational speaker. Our first choice is Debbie Sterling, founder and CEO of GoldieBlox. We are asking the WPN to be the lead sponsor to bring this caliber of speaker to the York campus – to be that role model for our Pathways students and to also share her success story with the Penn State and York community-at- large. Keynote Speaker

First Choice Keynote Speaker Debbie Sterling is the founder and CEO of GoldieBlox. She never knew what engineering was until her high school math teacher suggested she pursue it as a college major. Debbie couldn't figure out why her math teacher thought she should be a train conductor! Nevertheless, she gave engineering a try during her freshman year at Stanford. Four years later, she graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering / Product Design. Bothered by how few women there were in her program, she became obsessed with the notion of “disrupting the pink aisle” with a toy that would introduce girls to the joy of engineering at a young age.

The Nittany Success Center provides professional and peer tutoring, study groups, testing, and academic coaching. WPN funding would have a major positive impact at the Success Center with investments made in two areas:  Seed money to support facility upgrades (create a matching challenge opportunity for other donors) to provide private and quiet spaces for all the activities described above  Funding for tutor training activities Nittany Success Center Funding: $10,000

 683 students had contact with the Nittany Success Center. This is an increase of 24.9 percent from the previous year  231 students received peer tutoring in at least one course  32 percent of students who received tutoring received a grade of A or B. Another 27 percent received a grade of C  1,914 contacts between students and peer tutors via 1:1 tutoring, study groups and/or academic coaching (An increase of 13.7 percent)  107 hours of Academic Coaching were provided to eleven students by the four professional coaches  269 exams were administered to students in the academic year (185 of these exams were for students with disabilities) Highlights and Benchmarks

 Maintain student use of the Nittany Success Center at the rate of at least 40 percent of the student population  Increase use of the Nittany Success Center by first semester students, students with disabilities, English as a Second Language (ESL), and minority students  Increase use of the Nittany Success Center for math drop-in  Maintain funding to support Nittany Success Center training activities Goals

Teaching International (TI) is designed to internationalize the campus experience of Penn State York students. Teaching International Goals:  Forge connections between the world inside and outside the University  Develop global awareness  Prepare students for the world marketplace. Teaching International – “Fieldtrip to Campus” Kick Off Event Fall 2016: $1,000

Each year, TI chooses a country/region and a theme and designs a series of co-curricular events highlighting the country/region and/or theme. Penn State York’s country/region is Pacific Islands and the theme is literacy. “Fieldtrip to Campus” Program: Pacific Rhythm  60-minute performance with six dancers (two adults and four children)  Two Samoan fire knife dancers and Maori fire poi  Coconut demonstration – telling the legend of the coconut to incorporate the literacy theme  Presentation of Pacific Islands and their different cultures  Refreshments native to the Pacific Islands for attendees to sample Teaching International Goals

If the WPN recommends all of the projects I have outlined to be funded, the total amount of money to be raised by March 31, 2016 would be $20,500. I hope we are successful enough to surpass this minimum amount to support all four initiatives. If we are, additional money can be designated to increase the seed money goal for the Nittany Success Center – to allow us to challenge more donors to match our efforts and increase the impact of success at the York campus.

york.psu.edu/wpn