Category: News

On April 8, 2024, the Shippensburg University Council of Trustees, in recognition of Rob Lieblein’s outstanding philanthropy and commitment to Shippensburg University and its students, named the former Grove Forum, the Rob Lieblein and Alera Group Forum.

Rob, a 1983 Ship grad with a degree in accounting and mathematics/computer science, he began his professional career at KPMG and enjoyed success there for the next 13 years. Always having the desire to be an entrepreneur, Rob left KPMG and started a business with his good friend, John Zentgraf ’80. Over the years, Rob and John acquired several companies, and at the same time started a consulting and investment banking firm that ultimately became focused on the insurance industry. Rob focused his efforts on consulting and investment banking in the insurance industry which led to him being recognized throughout the country as one of the leading investment bankers in the insurance distribution industry. In 2017, to follow his dream of being an entrepreneur, Rob formed the Alera Group. Alera Group is an independent, national insurance and financial services firm created through the merger of 24 like-minded, high-performing, entrepreneurial companies.
While Shippensburg was a tremendous educational opportunity for Rob, the experience went beyond academics and helped to shape his personal and professional life. As a first-year student, Rob joined the Acacia Fraternity, and those experiences and relationships still exist today. Currently, Rob serves on the John L. Grove College of Business Advisory Board, and in 2022, Shippensburg University honored Rob with the Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition of his achievements and contributions professionally and in his community.

Giving back to Shippensburg has always been a goal for Rob. “Shippensburg was a life-changing experience for me,” Rob remarks. “From the educational environment that allowed me to be successful in various career opportunities, to the lifelong friends I met who continue to be my best friends. The experience was amazing, and I want others to have the same opportunity.” In 2022, Rob established the Robert J. Lieblein College of Business Scholarship to help deserving students live the Shippensburg University experience. The same year, he made a generous gift to renovate and enhance the Forum in the John L. Grove College of Business so current and future students can benefit from this great learning facility.

July 31, 2023 is the last day to purchase a personalized brick that will be placed on the Stewart Hall Plaza before Alumni Weekend 2023. And did you know? If you already purchased a brick – you can find it through our easy-to-use Find My Brick feature.

Shippensburg University and the Shippensburg University Foundation are pleased to announce the newly named Milton and Doreen Morgan School of Engineering and Laboratory. The naming, announced during a ceremony on September 27, honors the couple’s transformational gift that will impact university students today and well into the future.

“The desire to achieve perfection drives innovation towards a goal we will never achieve, but as we advance technologically, the demand for engineers in multiple disciplines explodes exponentially. Shippensburg University has taken a leadership position as the only Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education School offering a program with various engineering degrees. Dory and I are thrilled to have a role in advancing this program to the next level, the School of Engineering,” said Milton K. Morgan III ’76.

The School of Engineering offers computer science (ABET accredited), computer engineering (ABET accredited), software engineering (ABET accredited), electrical engineering (ABET accredited), civil engineering and mechanical engineering. In 2020, the university renovated its decommissioned steam plant to create a state-of-the-art lab space where students gain hands-on experience as engineers. All six programs in the school focus on solving real-world problems and prioritize a balance of theory and hands-on experience.

The Morgan’s investment in Shippensburg University students provides for an engineering scholarship endowment, an engineering research endowment, equipment and instrumentation for the engineering laboratory, and angel investment dollars which will provide seed funds for student projects.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Workforce Needs Assessment 2016–2026, a comprehensive and detailed evaluation of occupation demand and education supply across the Commonwealth, projects a 9 percent growth in STEM jobs, including engineers over this period.  An analysis of workforce outcomes for Shippensburg graduates shows that five years post-graduation, 63 percent of Shippensburg’s STEM graduates are employed in the Commonwealth, with a median income of $54,017.

“We are so thankful for the generosity of Milton and Doreen Morgan and excited to advance the School of Engineering through their generous gift. The Morgans value innovation, education, and opportunity, which is what the School of Engineering is all about. We’re honored to carry the Morgan name and know it will inspire the next generation of engineers well into the future,” said Dr. Charles E. Patterson, president of Shippensburg University.

An innovator himself, Milton Morgan began working at J. Walter Miller Company, which was started in a one-car garage in Lancaster in 1887 by his great grandfather. The company grew into a major manufacturer of commercial brass and bronze castings, and in 1986, he was named president of the company. One of the major accomplishments during his presidency was the reduction on the company’s dependency on the fire protection industry from 98 percent to 30 percent of its production, while at the same time continuing to maintain its position as the largest producer of sand cast sprinkler heads in the country. He continued to expand the business by acquiring a machine shop and establishing a consumer products division prior to retiring in 2015.

“Milt and Dory Morgan’s significant philanthropy to the Shippensburg University Foundation will advance the mission of Shippensburg University’s School of Engineering and President Patterson’s vision that will make an immediate and lasting impact on the lives of Ship’s engineering students.  The naming of an academic college or school is the highest level of recognition the university can bestow.  Now the Morgan name will be synonymous with the School of Engineering and the Engineering Laboratory.”  Dr. Leslie Folmer Clinton, president & CEO, Shippensburg University Foundation.

For more information on the Milton and Doreen Morgan School of Engineering visit ship.edu/engineering.

Every gift matters! Any way it is measured—by participation or by dollars, —giving to support SHIP matters. It matters to our students, who benefit from expanded opportunities for scholarships, research funds, text books, and more.

SU Foundation phonathon callers, who are current Ship students, are working hard to raise funds to supports students like them. Please take their call, every gift matters, no matter the amount, $5, $50, $500 or more.

Dr. Blaine F. Shover, beloved Shippensburg University music professor passed away on January 13th, 2022.  He will be dearly missed by his colleagues, students, friends, family, and musicians. Dr. Shover recently retired as the conductor of the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers, a position he held for over 40 years. He served as the Artistic Director of the Summer Music Festival, a series of three concerts presented by the Festival Symphony, an orchestra comprised of professional musicians who come together from various states to perform with world-renowned soloists and guest conductors. He is the founder-director of the S.U. Festival Chamber Choir, an ensemble of 30 professional vocalists.

He currently served as Choir Director at Memorial Lutheran Church and formerly served as Choir Director at Christ United Methodist Church, both of Shippensburg, as well as conductor of the Towne Singers, a community choir based in Chambersburg, PA. He is also the founder and former Director of the Concord Chamber Singers of Bethlehem, PA, a touring ensemble that has performed extensively in Europe.

A celebration of Dr. Shover’s life will be held in the future on the campus of Shippensburg University.

Memorial contributions in honor of Dr. Shover’s many years of service to Shippensburg University, its students, and musicians near and far, may be made to The Dr. Blaine F. Shover Scholarship through the Shippensburg University Foundation. Making a gift is a wonderful tribute to Dr. Shover’s legacy and will make a difference in the lives of current and future Shippensburg University students.

If you would prefer to make a gift by check, please make payable to the Shippensburg University Foundation including “Shover Scholarship” in the memo line,  and mail to 500 Newburg Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257.

To make a gift by phone, please call 717-477-1377.

Shippensburg University unveiled the new downtown location for its Centers for Excellence, located at 29 E. King Street, on April 30. A ribbon cutting ceremony marked another step in Ship’s efforts to enhance the connection between the university and the local community. The new space is now the home of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation, The Mr. and Mrs. Milton K.Morgan III Makerspace and the Center for Land Use and Sustainability (CLUS).

“The relationship between the university and the community in which we live is vital, and the  SU Centers for Excellence provides greater connections between campus and the local community,” said Shippensburg University President Laurie A. Carter.

The Diller Center works to improve awareness of entrepreneurship as a career choice for students by creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem that allows members to cooperate with and participate in the entrepreneurial projects of the campus community. The center is accompanied by the new makerspace that will enhance the entrepreneurial experience and resources.

For nearly two decades, CLUS has worked to foster healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities through applied research, experiential learning opportunities for students and interdisciplinary, cross-sector partnerships. The new location provides the center greater integration into the region they serve.

 Shippensburg Borough Mayor Kathy Coy was excited to welcome the centers, staff, students and faculty to the new space.

“Embracing these young students is vital for their success and our community. I welcome the centers to the downtown business district and am anxious to continue conversations on additional expansions into our community,” said Coy.