In the first contest of its kind at Penn State Altoona, all students were invited to submit names to be considered for the building. The winning name was submitted by Anthony Kattouf, a sophomore from Altoona majoring in political science. Kattouf received a $500 Sheetz gift card and [image-nocss] a high-end electronic device provided by Best Buy. The remaining four finalists were each given $100 Sheetz gift cards.
A $3 million gift from Steve and Nancy Sheetz helped purchase and renovate the former Meyer Jonasson building in downtown Altoona which will be home to the entrepreneurial center. It will support academic research, education, and community engagement in entrepreneurship, and serve as the home for the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) organization.
Steve and Nancy believe that the creation of such a center will provide an important educational opportunity that otherwise does not exist in the region. The couple wanted student involvement throughout the transformation process of the building, and the idea of a naming contest came about at the end of the spring 2010 semester.
"When we made our gift to Penn State Altoona, a couple of our goals were to encourage entrepreneurship and to provide a pleasant business setting where students could gather and learn more about the business world," said Steve Sheetz. "We feel it's only fitting that the students who will utilize the new building have a hand in naming it. It certainly fits into the entrepreneurial spirit we are trying to encourage."
The contest and rules were announced to students during a Sheetz-catered luncheon in September. A committee reviewed the 98 submissions, and the top seven names were sent to University Park for approval. Steve and Nancy then selected four finalists and the winner. Those five students enjoyed a private lunch with Steve and Nancy yesterday, during which the couple announced their choice.
Of the contest, Instructor in Entrepreneurship Donna Bon said, "This is a monumental opportunity for our students. For them to have input on the building's name is such a gift from Steve and Nancy. I don't have enough wonderful things to say about them--they really care about the students and Penn State Altoona."
Steve and Nancy have significant and longstanding personal and professional ties to Altoona and the greater Blair County region. Over the years, the couple has supported numerous philanthropic initiatives at Penn State Altoona. With Sheetz Inc., they created the Sheetz Family Endowed Scholarship and Sheetz Visiting Lecture Program. Their gifts have helped to fund construction of the Force Advanced Technology Center and Community Arts Center (now Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts) and benefited the intercollegiate athletics program, Penn State Altoona Future Fund, and William J. Rossman Renaissance Scholarship.
More information about the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence can be found at www.altoona.psu.edu/sheetz.
Established in 1952 and with more than $4.5 billion in revenue for 2010 and more than 13,000 employees, Sheetz Inc. operates more than 380 locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.
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