A couple's passion for early childhood learning spawns hub at PennWest California

Giving children an early jump on learning is about to become a more visible endeavor on Pennsylvania Western University’s California campus thanks to the latest gift from a couple who has championed the cause.

Tom Rutledge, a 1977 alumnus who headed Charter Communications, and his wife Karen Rutledge, announced a $3.2 million donation in recent days to enhance instruction at the Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education.

It follows the couple’s $4.2 million gift in 2018 to establish the institute, which enables PennWest education majors to work with preschoolers and awards scholarships for both groups.

The expansion comes as the demand for teachers at all levels is high in Pennsylvania and beyond, in particular since the pandemic.

The activities to be funded are a boon, not only to PennWest students who will be better prepared to enter the field by having in-classroom experience, but also families in Southwestern Pennsylvania whose children receive education at no cost through Rutledge, campus educators said.

“We offer the children top notch education, and not just numbers and letters, but social emotional development,” Cherie Sears, the institute’s director, told TribLive.

“This new program will have a library, because we know how important early literacy is,” she added. “We’ll have an indoor play space, because in southwestern Pennsylvania, we have a lot of days where it’s not very good weather to go outside, but kids still need to move, and it helps them to be better focused.”

Rutledge studied economics and graduated with the Class of 1977 at what was then California University of Pennsylvania. He was chairman and CEO of Charter Communications and is now director emeritus of the company.

As a result of this latest gift Morgan Hall on the east end of campus is being transformed to deliver more educational activities, promote physical development, and expand the institute’s program offerings, university officials said.

The idea is to “enable the institute to serve more children and broaden its impact on the local community,” the university said in announcing the gift.

“The purpose of this program is to expand the preparation of high quality early childhood professionals at all levels of education, whether they’re just getting credentials or getting associates, bachelor’s or master’s,” said Rebecca Maddas, a professor and director of the Rutledge Institute Scholarship program.

In an interview, she pointed to another program benefit — large financial aid awards.

Currently, 29 bachelors-seeking undergraduates in the institute are benefiting from full-tuition and housing scholarships worth $70,000 over four years , Maddas said.

Two other recipients, one a masters student and another seeking an associate degree, are receiving aid to cover tuition and books.

“You know how costly higher ed can be for people,” Maddas said. “And so, this helps to break down the cost barriers that often make higher ed out of reach for a lot of people.”

The recipients, or Rutledge Scholars, can earn early childhood credentials through a range of degree options, including an associate degree in early childhood education, a bachelor’s degree in grades PreK-4 with a teaching certification, or a master’s in early childhood education.

“Tom and Karen’s philanthropic support for the future of the Rutledge Institute has redefined at PennWest what is possible in learning, scholarship, and collaboration,” said Jon Anderson, president of PennWest in a statement. “This gift continues to empower our education majors to pursue their passions and provide the community with access to exceptional, innovative early childhood education – without financial barriers.”

The Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education Center is a partnership between PennWest and The Village, a state- and nationally accredited early childhood education center. The Institute offers state-of-the-art early childhood education at no cost to qualifying families.

The institute educates 40 preschool-age students, preparing them for academic success through a curriculum that focuses on STREAM: science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and math, as well as literacy in an emerging information age.

Karen Rutledge received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2022. She and her husband’s giving have reflected their ties to the California campus and gratitude for how education impacted their lives.

The Rutledges were not available to be interviewed for this story.

However, Karen Rutledge explained her passion to the university in 2018 as they made their initial gift.

“It’s so important to give children a strong start, so they can become lifelong learners. We want to make a real difference in the lives of children as well as students, especially those who otherwise might not have these opportunities.”

Likewise, Sears the best part of the job is just the atmosphere created by the children, who are not always happy but often are.

“They’re so much fun. I laugh every day,” she said. “A long time ago, I read something about adults laughing on average six times a day. Children laugh 250 times a day. If you’re around children, you laugh too.”