ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY - A program to helps future business people will soon have a permanent home. A huge gift for Penn State Altoona will be used for a building to house the College's growing entrepreneurial studies program. When Steve and Nancy Sheetz made their record $2.5 million dollar donation to Penn State Altoona this Summer, they made it clear the money was to encourage business education. The gift is going to help the college expand its presence in Downtown Altoona.

Currently the college's entrepreneurial studies program uses what ever space can be borrowed on the Ivyside campus or other facilities that support business growth in the region. But because of the largest private donation ever made to this school, the college is about to establish a permanent home for the program as part of its growing downtown facilities. Part of the donation $1.5 million will be used to purchase a downtown building for the program and the needed renovation work.

 The other $1 million dollars from the grant will be used to fund the development and expansion of the entrepreneurship program. An instructor already involved in the effort to help students start and build their own businesses say the funding will mean more opportunities for students who what to be their own boss. Supporters of the program say each year they see more students interested in entrepreneurial studies. They predict that once their new center is up and running , the Altoona central business district will reap the benefits. While officials close to the program say the site has been selected for the new entrepreneurial center, no formal announcement will be made until all of the contract details have been finalized. Still the Downtown Altoona center is expected to be open for business by this coming September so the project is on a fast track for the college.