We have been all incredibly touched by the outpouring of love and support the Penn State community has shown as we continue to the mourn the loss of Alex Federman, a 2013 Penn State graduate and beloved member of the Onward State family who tragically passed away Sunday night in a car accident. With the blessing of his parents, Amy and Joseph, and his brother Mark, who is thankfully home from the hospital, all of us at Onward State — past and present — hope we can channel that love into something that will make an impact at Penn State forever.

Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Alex made Happy Valley his home and Onward State his family. He was a member of our staff for three years, serving as Community Manager and then as Social Media Manager, eagerly taking on unglamorous behind the scenes roles and handling them with aplomb and graciousness.Always the first to arrive at a party, his zest for life and his kindness will be remembered forever. His time at Onward State was just one manifestation of Alex’s lifelong commitment to helping those around him and making his communities a better, friendlier, and more civil place.

The alumni of Onward State have established a scholarship endowment with the Centre Foundation in Alex’s memory and in his honor to celebrate the impact he had on all those lucky enough to know him, and to channel our grief into helping others — just like Alex would. The fund honors Alex’s memory and dedication to Onward State. We are committed to raising this endowment in perpetuity. The scholarship will be awarded annually to the Onward State staff member who best exemplifies the attributes we all loved in Alex – his kind and loving nature, his selflessness, his passion, and his enthusiasm.

We would all be incredibly grateful for any contribution you can make to the fund to help current Penn State students in Alex’s memory. You can donate directly through the Centre Foundation website. Please note that the total at the bottom of the page does not update automatically, and your donation may take several days to process.

“There are no endings, because each end is just the start of something new.” – Alex Federman