Penn State has received another significant donation to be used toward the $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium.
Alumnus, longtime university benefactor and trustee emeritus Ira Lubert and his wife, Pam Estadt, have gifted the athletic department a $10 million donation to name the Lubert Family Welcome Center, a new “landmark space” at the entrance of the venue, the school announced.
The contribution from Lubert and Estadt marks the fourth major gift the university has received toward the renovation.They join the Misitano family and PAM Health’s leading $25 million gift, as well as two anonymous donors who each donated $10 million, to bring the fundraising total to $55 million.
“As a former student-athlete, Ira Lubert has represented Penn State Athletics and the University with distinction throughout his life and career, and his achievements reflect the kind of excellence that competition at the highest levels can foster,” athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement. “We are honored he and Pam have chosen to make this transformative investment in a project that will help all Penn Staters thrive. The Lubert Family Welcome Center is a beacon for this Beaver Stadium Revitalization project and will create a front door for the University that will not only welcome future Penn Staters, but also welcome home our amazing alumni.”
The welcome center will be used as not only an entrance for fans at football games, but also as the “first stop for prospective undergraduates and their families as they begin campus tours and participate in other programming,” the statement said.
The 21,000-square-foot space will be part of the new west side tower that will be constructed during the stadium revitalization project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
Lubert and Estadt’s $10 million donation will offer “support for both construction and programming” at the welcome center.
“Coming to Penn State set me on a path that has led to professional success and personal fulfillment, and I am honored that the Lubert Family Welcome Center will offer a fresh, exciting first impression for future Penn Staters as they discover all that the University offers,” Lubert said.
A 1973 Penn State graduate, Lubert is an investor whose most recent high-profile project in the State College area is the planned casino at the Nittany Mall.
