Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship (PS4RS) dominated the last Board of Trustees election, and it has plans to do it again this year. The alumni-activist group recently released its endorsement committee, which includes several big names in the Penn State community.

The eight-member committee includes:

• Christian Marrone, Committee Chairman: Member of the undefeated 1994 football team, spoke at Joe Paterno’s memorial service
• Diane Acri: co-founder of Penn State Alumni for Reorganization of the BoT
• Peter Bordi: Penn State Hospitality Management professor, earned all three degrees from Penn State
• Tom Donchez: Penn State letterman, played 1970-1974, Chicago Bear
• RJ Fazio: Current Engineering student, two-time Penn State Homecoming captain
• Elizabeth Morgan: PS4RS Board Member
  
• Ben Novak: Former trustee, longtime activist and author, former Mount Nittany Conservancy President
• David Paterno: Penn State graduate, one of Joe and Sue Paterno’s five children

The committee will be responsible for creating and evaluating the PS4RS endorsement application packet and narrowing the field down to six candidates. Those candidates will then conduct an online town hall forum, and PS4Rs will pick its three endorsements sometime in mid-March for the April 10 ballot distribution.

The group has not been immune from criticism — some alumni find them to be too brash or marked with misplaced priorities — but there is no doubting their superior influence at the Board of Trustees ballot box. Last year’s endorsed candidates dominated in a field of 37. The fourth highest finisher was Paul Suhey with 4,541 votes — 6,882 behind current trustee and PS4RS-endorsed Ted Brown, the third highest vote getter.