I am deeply grateful to the many alumni and friends who invested in Penn State students and faculty in fiscal 2007–08, and in For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students. Over these past twelve months, we have experienced great success in communicating the campaign's vision: to affirm Penn State's position as America's most comprehensive student-centered research university.

The enthusiasm with which Penn Staters have greeted the campaign—even though it is still in its leadership gifts phase and is not scheduled for a public launch until 2010—is a source of tremendous inspiration to me. I believe the campaign has resonated with donors because of the broad appeal of its six individual objectives:

• Ensuring student opportunity
• Enhancing honors education
• Enriching the student experience
• Building faculty strength and capacity
• Fostering discovery and creativity
• Sustaining a tradition of quality

You will find these objectives further defined in this report, and brought to life by personal examples of Penn Staters who chose to create endowments that support each of these six areas.

As President Spanier has noted in his message, a record number of alumni made gifts in 2007–08. I am pleased to report that, with alumni leading the way, Penn State has successfully engaged strong support from all of our traditional constituent groups, as shown on in the Gift Sources section. When we go beyond the past fiscal year to include the eighteen months that have elapsed since the campaign began on January 1, 2007, we find these groups have given or pledged a total of $490 million toward the six objectives.

As proud as all Penn Staters should be with these results, we must remember that the campaign still has a long way to go. Our nation and our University are certain to face economic challenges, yet I remain optimistic about the future. Broadly speaking, Americans' generosity toward education has proved to be quite resilient, even in a recessionary climate. In only four of the last forty years has total philanthropy to education declined from the previous year. In addition, I know that Penn Staters realize the need for student support is never more critical than during a downward economic cycle. Privately funded scholarships can make an enormous difference to countless students at such times.

I look forward to your continuing support, and together we will successfully meet any and all challenges. Thank you.

Peter G. Tombros
Campaign Chair