Susquehanna receives $10 million donation from Degenstein Foundation

Marcia Moore, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Dec. 12—SELINSGROVE — Susquehanna University has received a $10 million grant from the 1994 Charles B. Degenstein Foundation.

The grant will support the expansion of the university's Charles B. Degenstein Campus Center.

"I am so grateful for the partnership and immense generosity that the late Charles Degenstein and the 1994 Charles B. Degenstein Foundation have provided to Susquehanna University today and over the past 45 years," university President Jonathan Green said. "As a cornerstone of the university, the Charles B. Degenstein Campus Center provides for a strong future in the university's commitment to our students and our community, both of which are at the heart of our mission."

Expansion of the campus center will include the addition of a multipurpose banquet and event space, to be named the Degenstein Event Center. The center will accommodate between 400 and 600 people and serve as a resource for the broader community when available.

The funds will also support the renovation of existing meeting and dining rooms and an expansion of the main kitchen.

Facility enhancements will begin in summer 2024.

"Susquehanna University has benefitted from a long and generous relationship with the Degenstein family and the 1994 Charles B. Degenstein Foundation," said Melissa Komora, vice president for advancement at Susquehanna University. "Through our continued partnership with the foundation, as stewards of Mr. Degenstein's philanthropy, we look forward to serving the needs of the community and honoring the legacy of Charles Degenstein."

For more than 41 years, Degenstein Campus Center has been the heart of Susquehanna University and served the community in many ways. Each day, thousands of students and community members pass through its doors for shared meals, meetings, community gatherings, lectures, theatrical performances and gallery exhibitions.

The center hosts an average of 750,000 students, faculty, staff and guests each year. The kitchen provides about one million meals annually for the Susquehanna community and campus events, and more than 1,000 meals are prepared especially for Meals on Wheels.