Penn State Receives New $5 Million Gift Toward Beaver Stadium Renovation

Penn State has received a new $5 million donation toward the Beaver Stadium renovation, bringing the reported philanthropic total for the long-term project above $135 million. That includes the $50 million gift from West Shore Home for naming rights to the stadium's field that went into effect in 2025.

Penn State said in a news release that Bob and Sandy Poole made the $5 million donation for the renovation, which is in Phase II of its $700 million plan and scheduled for completion in 2027. Bob Poole, a 1972 Penn State graduate, is president and CEO of S&A Homes and Allied Mechanical and Electrical. He also is chairman and CEO of Poole Anderson Construction. All are based in central Pennsylvania.

Poole has served on the Board of Directors for Geisinger Health and is chair Penn State's Schreyer Honors College External Advisory Board.

“Our family is honored to support and be a part of Beaver Stadium’s modernization,” Poole said in a statement. “Penn State and Beaver Stadium have been at the heart of our family for as long as we can remember. We have made so many memories through the University and its athletic department and we are proud to support this transformational project.

"This is more than an investment in a building, it is an investment in ensuring Beaver Stadium remains a world-class home for student-athletes, fans, and the Penn State community for decades to come.”

Built for the loudest crowd in college football. 🔊

The new west side is on the way, and we already know the atmosphere is going to be next level.#WeAre pic.twitter.com/liDjE6PpJ3
— Beaver Stadium (@beaver_stadium) June 30, 2026

The donation is the first major gift Penn State has announced toward the Beaver Stadium renovation since the Board of Trustees approved the West Shore Home commitment in 2025. At the time, Kraft said that Penn State had raised $131 million in donations for the planned $700 million renovation.

“We are incredibly grateful to Bob and Sandy Poole for their extraordinary generosity and unwavering commitment to Penn State,” Penn State Athletic Direcetor Pat Kraft said in a statement. "For decades, the Pooles have invested in the University in ways that have expanded opportunities for students and strengthened the Penn State experience.

"Their support of the West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium Revitalization project reflects their deep belief in the power of this institution and the role our incredible stadium plays in bringing together generations of Penn Staters. This transformational gift will help ensure that West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium remains a premier venue that enhances the experience for our student-athletes, alumni and fans for years to come.”

Penn State recently reached a milestone of the Beaver Stadium renovation, holding a "topping out" ceremony in June to place the last steel beam atop the new West Tower. The tower peaks at 195 feet and will add 600,000 square feet of interior space to Beaver Stadium.

The tower, which Kraft has called a "superstructure," will house two premium clubs and the new university Welcome Center. The Marzano Club, a new premium space, will cover 50,000 square feet and accommodate 2,500 fans. The Schuyler Club is a 25,000 square-foot space with premium seating for about 2,000 fans.

In a recent tour of the project, Penn State football coach Matt Campbell was told that primary construction on the West Tower will be completed before the team's Sept. 5 opener against Marshall.

Bigger, better and built for the future.

An inside look at the @Beaver_Stadium progress with Coach Campbell. pic.twitter.com/2K5k37oP8B
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) June 5, 2026

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