There’s No Place Like State College
Nonie Ebeling, the director of major gifts for the College of the Liberal Arts, would be a perfect overseas tour guide. She has traveled extensively throughout India and Central America, visiting sites like the Taj Mahal, the beaches of Goa, Mayan ruins in Honduras, and volcanoes and coffee plantations in El Salvador, to name a few.
But the globe-trotting Nonie feels right at home in Happy Valley and jumped at the chance to work for her alma mater. She started with the College of the Liberal Arts on November 30, 2009. “I was attracted to the idea of coming back to Penn State because of the opportunity to work with a great team of high-achieving professionals,” Nonie says. “I’m also eager to tell everyone about the great work happening at this top-notch institution.”
Nonie graduated from Penn State in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology and went on to earn a master’s degree in public health and education studies from the University of Alabama. While living in Atlanta, she was a public health fellow for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonie also previously worked in nonprofit development for organizations like the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Most recently, she served as the senior development officer for the Southern Environmental Law Center in Atlanta.
“I hope to use my twelve years of fundraising experience to connect with Liberal Arts alumni in meaningful ways,” Nonie says. “I’d like to engage them in ways that not only support the financial goals of the college, but also add value to their personal lives.”
In addition to development, Nonie’s other professional interest is environmental health. She has published several academic articles in the field and co-wrote a textbook chapter titled “Environmental Justice” for the book Teaching Strategies for Environmental Health. Nonie loves sports, especially Penn State and Georgia Tech football, and is also excited to experience State College’s performing arts scene. She lives with her husband and fellow alum, Don Wilson, her 12-year-old daughter, and two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs.
Please welcome this world traveler back to Penn State!
-Written by Virginia Harrison, Administrative Support Assistant, Development and Alumni Relations