The Elbert and Helen Meier Scholarship is open to full-time undergraduate students who are enrolled at, or planning to enroll at, Penn State Schuylkill. Eligible students must be first-generation college students, demonstrate financial need, and maintain a permanent home address in Schuylkill County. The scholarship will be awarded for one academic year and may be renewed in subsequent years, provided recipients continue to meet eligibility requirements and funding is available.
Meier, a native of Ashland, began his higher education at Penn State Schuylkill before completing a bachelor of science degree in health and human development, with a focus in law enforcement and corrections, at Penn State’s University Park campus in 1973. As a first-generation college student, Meier said scholarship assistance played a critical role in making his education possible.
“My tuition was paid for by a scholarship, and that support made my education possible,” Meier said. “I wanted to give back and help other students the way I was helped — to help them find their dreams and succeed without too many worries.”
The scholarship was established in memory of Meier’s parents, Elbert and Helen Meier. Meier said his parents instilled in him strong values and a deep work ethic that guided him throughout his life. His father passed away when Meier was 15 years old, and his mother went to work to support the family.
“This scholarship is a way to thank my parents for everything they did for me growing up and to honor their strength and sacrifices,” Meier said. “I hope it will help students who need a little extra encouragement to pursue their education and achieve their goals.”
Meier currently resides in Urbandale, Iowa, where he serves as president of the Penn State Alumni Association Iowa Chapter. He remains actively involved with the Penn State community and recently returned to Penn State Schuylkill to surprise longtime friend and artist Chet Davis during the opening of Davis’s exhibition at the campus Art Space gallery.
Penn State Schuylkill Interim Chancellor Cory Scherer praised Meier’s generosity and commitment to the campus.
“We are profoundly grateful to Herb Meier for his generous gift honoring his parents and for his continued connection to Penn State Schuylkill,” Scherer said. “His support will have a lasting impact on generations of first-generation students from Schuylkill County, helping them pursue higher education and achieve their dreams.”
University officials noted that philanthropic gifts like Meier’s help advance Penn State’s land-grant mission by expanding access to higher education, supporting student success, and strengthening communities across the commonwealth. More information about supporting Penn State through philanthropy is available at raise.psu.edu.