Eric and Molly Barron have committed $150,000 to the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Arboretum to create two $50,000 trustee scholarships and name the Bedrock Boulders collection in the Arboretum’s Children’s Garden.

Until June 30, Penn State is providing an annual 10 percent match if the gift is worth $50,000 or more to continue in perpetuity, bolstering the Barrons’ gift. The Barrons named the pair of scholarships after the couple’s parents, Jim and Mel, and Walin and Dorothy. The Bedrock Boulders collection will be located at the entrance to the Children’s Garden once it is finished, and will represent the geographic landscape of central Pennsylvania.

“Philanthropy is one of the main reasons why Penn State is such a great institution, and we thought it was only right to build upon this tradition when we returned,” said Eric Barron in the press release. “Molly and I are both keenly interested in ensuring that education is accessible. The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Arboretum serve as great starting points to promote accessibility and for the many other ways we hope to make an impact at this University in the future.”

The college of which Barron was dean from 2002-06 was excited to have him back when he left Florida State. Seeing as the Barrons just gave 15 percent of Eric’s annual salary to benefit it, you can see why. It’s the second significant donation to come out of the president’s office in the last few months, as the Ericksons gifted $1 million to For the Future before turning over the reins.