Closing Penn State DuBois is a Mistake
As a first-generation college graduate and lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, I am proud to be a Penn State alumnus. As a Member of Congress, I have witnessed first-hand the importance of Penn State’s mission as the Commonwealth’s sole land-grant university. Its mission includes to “provide unparalleled access to education and public service to support the citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond.”
For nearly 100 years, Penn State DuBois has been an anchor in our community, connecting students and industry, and most importantly providing a pathway to greater opportunity.
I am greatly concerned by the recent news that Penn State officials recommend closing the DuBois campus. The academics and bean counters, looking down from their ivory tower in State College, have turned a blind eye to their greater mission.
Penn State DuBois plays a critical role in Clearfield County. This region has a long, vibrant history as the world leader in powdered metals, which continues today as the carbon industry stands on the brink of transformative innovation.
The DuBois campus has evolved to stay in line with local workforce needs, tailoring degree programs in fields such as business, engineering, and wildlife technology.
Rather than reimagining the DuBois campus for the future, a pre-determined outcome has been crafted behind closed doors.
While it has been suggested these decisions would be based on data, the data tell a different story. For example, four campuses that were spared from the list of potential closures have lower 6-year graduation rates than Penn State DuBois, along with larger maintenance backlogs.
Penn State repeatedly claims a desire to increase investments in research and cement its status as a premier research institution. But, four Commonwealth Campuses not on the chopping block have significantly smaller research enterprises than DuBois.
Penn State Great Valley was not among the Commonwealth Campuses selected for closure despite a total enrollment which nearly mirrors that of DuBois. The Great Valley campus is less than 12 miles from Penn State Brandywine, which will continue to remain open.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Penn State DuBois has more graduates employed in the Commonwealth 10 years after graduation than four of the five campuses that will remain active. Unfortunately, this follows a long trend of prioritizing investments in the Southeastern portion of the state at the expense of rural communities, like those in North Central Pennsylvania.
Unlike the oversaturation of institutions of higher education in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Penn State’s departure from Clearfield County will leave a vacuum that will be a tremendous challenge to fill.
The students and staff at DuBois are not statistics; they are aspiring engineers, health professionals, social workers, and business leaders.
As a land-grant institution, Penn State was established to serve Pennsylvania’s working-class students. The DuBois campus stands as a living example of that mission.
Closing Penn State DuBois would be a grave disservice to the students, faculty, staff, and local industry. It would limit access to higher education, hinder workforce readiness, and rob the community of the culture it has created. The consequences would not be temporary—they will echo for generations.
Our region deserves better. I urge Penn State’s leadership to reconsider this harmful and nearsighted determination. By working collaboratively with local leaders, employers, and educators we can reimagine education for the next 100 years at the DuBois campus.
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U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District in Washington, D.C. and is a graduate of Penn State University.