Thanks to a new $26 million gift, longtime philanthropists and Penn State volunteers Peter and Ann Tombros now rank among the university’s top-five all-time donors. Their new commitment will “benefit programs across Penn State and create a University-wide endowment to fuel innovation and encourage other alumni and friends to support the institution.”

The Tombros’ new donation will specifically aid two positions within the Penn State community. The first, the Peter and Ann Tombros Dean’s Chair, will provide multi-use funding for the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, which Peter Tombros graduated from in 1964.

The second position will help fund the men’s basketball team. The Tombroses are fans of the program, and with this new head coach endowment, head coach Micah Shrewsberry will be able to fund expenses for student-athletes, including, but not limited to, scholarships, trips, and equipment.

The endowment money will also support a variety of other groups and positions, such as the Peter and Ann Cullen Tombros Endowment for the Penn State Center for Medical Innovation, the Cullen/Tombros Early Career Professorship in the College of Medicine, and the Peter and Ann Tombros Musical Theatre Endowment in the College of Arts and Architecture.

“This new commitment is a breathtaking declaration of their enduring faith in the University’s potential to lead the way in higher education and to transform the lives of Penn Staters and the future of the communities we serve,” said Penn State President Eric Barron.

The Tombros’ endowment will benefit the “A Greater Penn State” campaign, which has three goals: “To keep the doors to higher education open for hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; create transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impact the world by serving communities and fueling discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship.”