Congressman Deluzio Advocates for Keeping Penn State Beaver’s Campus Open and Well-Funded

CENTER TOWNSHIP, PA - Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) sent a letter to Neeli Bendapudi, President of The Pennsylvania State University (PSU), urging her to keep Penn State Beaver's satellite campus open amid a recently-announced plan to potentially close 12 of the "Commonwealth Campuses," including the Beaver campus in Center Township.

"The American Dream is about making sure that opportunity is within reach for those who work hard, and Penn State Beaver embodies that. About 39% of students at the school are the first in their families to attend college," said Congressman Deluzio. "The question shouldn't be 'can we afford to keep Penn State Beaver open?' - but instead: 'how could we possibly afford to cut off Western Pennsylvanians from this important public service that trains the future workforce of our region?' That's what is at stake here."

The full text of the letter is HEREand below:

Dear President Bendapudi,

I am writing to respond to The Pennsylvania State University's (Penn State's) recent announcement of potential closures to campuses in the Commonwealth Campus Ecosystem. In these updates, it is clear to me that you and your team are considering for closure numerous satellite campuses, including the Penn State Beaver campus in my district. Penn State Beaver has served communities in Western Pennsylvania since 1965, and it serves an important role in Beaver County's regional economy. 482 students are currently enrolled, and approximately 39% are first generation students.

Penn State Beaver makes higher education accessible to Western Pennsylvanians and enables so many-who may be otherwise unable to due to location or cost-to achieve higher education goals. Shuttering this campus would be devastating to current and prospective students and the surrounding communities.

I know that the decision to reduce the number of Commonwealth Campuses was not easy to make, and I understand that you and your team are diligently considering a variety of factors, including population shifts, enrollment numbers, and the student experience to inform how you will proceed. Given Penn State Beaver's outstanding reputation and service to Western Pennsylvania, I respectfully request that you continue to make strong investments in the campus and that it continues to serve future generations of Western Pennsylvanians. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my office with any questions or if we can help in any way to preserve Penn State Beaver.

Very respectfully,

Chris Deluzio
Member of Congress

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