Williamsport, Pa. — Jeffrey L. Erdly, originator of two Penn College scholarships and recipient of the college's Distinguished Alumnus Award, recently boosted his institutional support with a gift of $500,000 in support of two new construction and engineering resources.
One half of the donation will be earmarked for an endowment for the School of Engineering Technologies to be used on program materials, scholarships, and other relevant items.
The second half will be used to create a materials library at the Carl Building Technologies Center. Carrying Jeff Erdly's namesake, the materials library will house numerous product samples that are used during the design and construction of buildings.
Erdly is a 1972 engineering drafting graduate of Williamsport Area Community College, the previous name of Penn College. He co-founded and was CEO of MPS (Masonry Preservation Services Inc.), a building-façade-repair contractor headquartered in Bloomsburg. He retired in 2022 after 38 years. In retirement, he is a senior technical specialist with SKA Consulting Engineers.
A Selinsgrove native, Erdly created the Carl and Bonnie Erdly Memorial Scholarship at Penn College, which honors his late father and mother and is available to residents of Columbia, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties, as well as the Jeff Erdly Scholarship, which is awarded to graduates of Selinsgrove Area High School attending the college.
“Jeff Erdly has been an enthusiastic, longtime benefactor of Penn College, and this latest gesture of support will assist students pursuing degrees in essential, high-demand occupations,” said Michael J. Reed, president. “We are most grateful to Jeff for this endowment and for the ongoing commitment he has shown to the type of instruction that proved foundational to his career as a construction industry entrepreneur.”
“The value I received from my Williamsport Area Community College/Pennsylvania College of Technology education provided the basis for a deep respect for lifelong learning,” Erdly commented. “Ultimately, this experience became the bedrock upon which I founded and built an enduring, successful business.”
Erdly received the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004. The award is presented to those who have made significant contributions in their chosen fields, demonstrated the importance of their education at Penn College or its predecessors, participated in leadership roles within the community, and demonstrated a commitment to their alma mater.
He has more than 50 years of experience in the construction industry, including precast/prestressed manufacturing and building restoration, specializing in masonry. He is active with ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) and the SWR (Sealant, Waterproofing and Restoration) Institute. He has co-authored several books related to preservation/restoration.
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