Visit the Pennsylvania State University Development Site

Visit the Penn State Alumni Association Site

To make an online gift to the Eberly College of Science, click here.

Eberly College of Science...making a difference

CONTACT US:
Office of Alumni Relations and Development
Eberly College of Science
The Pennsylvania State University
430 Joab L. Thomas Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 1-800-297-1429  or
(814) 863-8454
Fax: (814) 863-5354

Penn State's Honorary Alumni Award

The Honorary Alumnus/Alumna Award was created to recognize outstanding individuals who, though not graduates of Penn State, greatly enhance the University through their commitment and service. The Alumni Association Awards Committee recommends nominees to the full Alumni Council, which approves them through a majority vote.

In 2004, the Alumni Council approved Dr. James Gardner as an Honorary Alumnus, in recognition of his significant contributions and service to the University.

James Gardner is the vice president of investor relations for Pfizer Inc. Before beginning his career with Pfizer in 1977, Gardner served for 11 years in the military, retiring from the army as a full colonel. He has been a driving force in the collaboration between Penn State University and Pfizer and has used his influence to gain support for a number of college initiatives. Gardner arranged for Pfizer to underwrite the annual Frontiers of Science lecture series, an outreach effort aimed at bringing current scientific topics to the general public. He is a charter member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the Eberly College of Science and a member of the Board of Visitors of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He has supported the college financially by establishing the Gardner Endowed Scholarship in Science along with his wife Linda, a 1967 alumna.

Jim and his wife, Linda Cuomo Gardner '67 Sci, currently serve the Eberly College of Science as the Millennium Society co-chairs.

For a list of past recipients and an explanation of how you can nominate a Penn State alumnus/a for this title, please visit the Alumni Association's Honorary Alumni Awards page.