Seven-Figure Gift Bolsters Scholarship for Ag Sciences Students – Morning Ag Clips

PUBLISHED ON May 20, 2025
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In 2022, Penn State alumnus Burl Burleigh established an undergraduate scholarship in the College of Agricultural Sciences with a $200,000 gift. Burleigh passed away in early 2025, leaving the entirety of his seven-figure estate to Penn State to further bolster his existing scholarship. In the coming academic year, funds from the scholarship will offer support to nearly 20 students.
“Scholarships are a wonderful way for donors to leave an indelible mark on Penn State while providing students an avenue to follow their educational dreams,” said Alyssa Wilcox, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations. “Planned giving, as Burl Burleigh chose to do, enabled him to deepen his impact and further strengthen his legacy that will continue to inspire students and donors alike for decades to come. We cannot thank Burl enough for his foresight and generosity.”
The Burl H. Burleigh Scholarship in the College of Agricultural Sciences provides 30% of in-state tuition per year for each student recipient. The scholarship is open to full-time undergraduate students in the college who are graduates of a rural public high school in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and who have demonstrated financial need. First preference is given to students majoring in agribusiness management. The scholarship is also renewable for subsequent years as long as scholarship requirements are met each year.
“We are deeply grateful to Burl Burleigh for his commitment to supporting undergraduate students in the College of Agricultural Sciences,” said Tracy Hoover, associate dean for undergraduate education in the college. “His initial gift of a scholarship in 2022 has already provided vital aid to several of our students for the past couple years. The additional funds he has since provided have cemented Burl’s legacy as one of the college’s most generous donors. I am confident the students who benefit from his gift will make him proud.”
Burleigh, who graduated with a degree in business in 1970, came from a family of Penn Staters. His father, Robert, worked as an administrator at Penn State Harrisburg, and Burleigh credited the family tuition discount with helping him pursue higher education. After graduating, Burleigh spent his career working in the state government as a systems analyst, and he resided in Duncannon.
“Undergraduate scholarships, particularly those that are renewable from year to year and that cover a large portion of tuition expenses, are a high priority for the college,” said Troy Ott, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “These types of scholarships provide students and their families with funds they can count on as they plan for how they will cover the cost of pursuing higher education. This scholarship will help us achieve our mission of making a world-class Penn State education accessible to all Pennsylvanians.”
Ott added that the college is very proud of its scholarships and awards program, which is one of the largest at Penn State.
“Burl’s gift of a recruitment and retention scholarship benefiting numerous students on a yearly basis is an outstanding addition to our program,” he said. “We are truly grateful for donors like Burl whose kindness and vision will leave an indelible mark on our college and our students for decades to come.”
Donors like Burleigh advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
—Susan B. Warner
Penn State
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