Sue Paterno, a longtime Penn State philanthropist and wife of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, made a $25,000 donation to the Student Well-Being Fund at Penn State University Libraries. The contribution will be matched during Penn State’s GivingTuesday 2024 campaign on December 3.

“I think we’re at a time in our history where we need more help for mental health, and I know there are multiple reasons, but we’ve got to address that before we have more issues or lose more people,” Sue Paterno said in a statement.

 The Student Well-Being Fund provides resources to support students’ physical, mental, emotional, social, and environmental health.

“Sue’s generous gift is a profound testament to her unwavering commitment to the well-being of Penn State students,” said Faye A. Chadwell, dean of University Libraries and scholarly communications. “Her belief in the power of the library to create a supportive community aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are deeply grateful for her partnership in helping us foster a more inclusive, caring environment for all students.” 

Sue Paterno, a Penn State alum, has plenty of connections to Penn State’s libraries. The Paterno Library is named for Joe and Sue Paterno, and the pair met at a Penn State library while Sue Paterno was studying at Penn State.

Sue Paterno’s gift is part of Penn State’s 2024 GivingTuesday campaign, which kicked off its early giving window on Monday, November 18. Folks interested in contributing to the university’s Student Well-Being Fund can do so here.