Alumni endow director's fund in Richards Civil War Era Center

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State alumni Thomas L. and Jane D. "Gee Gee" Ferrier of San Diego have committed $170,000 to endow the Tom and Gee Gee Ferrier Director's Fund in the University's George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center. Although the commitment is part of their estate plans, the Ferriers will make additional annual gifts so that the fund can be activated immediately.

Annual income from the endowment will support a variety of academic areas and benefit students, faculty and visiting scholars, according to William Blair, director of the center. For example, the fund could advance the acquisition, editing, and digitizing of valuable Civil War-era documents to be housed in the University Libraries.

A retired Navy captain, Thomas Ferrier was born in Minnesota, grew up in Lansdowne, and attended Penn State through a Navy ROTC scholarship. Upon his graduation in 1961, he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He noted that his industrial psychology major served him well during his subsequent 30-year naval career in anti-submarine warfare, "chasing Russian subs around." He also has a long-standing interest in the Civil War.

Gee Gee Ferrier is a 1962 Penn State graduate in business administration.

The Ferriers said they were inspired to make their gift in part because of their admiration for Nittany Lions Head Football Coach Joe Paterno and his wife, Sue, and the Paternos' exemplary support of the University and its libraries.

The Ferriers are members of the Penn State Alumni Association and are active in its events on the West Coast. They attended a recent Richards Civil War Era Center symposium and said they look forward to a long and fruitful association with the center, including participating in battlefield tours and other center-sponsored events.