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Hunter and Eric:

I have a proposition. I want to explore the possibility for Vice President Biden to accept the inaugural Arlen Specter Center Award for Public Leadership and attend a private, invitation-only, event at Philadelphia University on the evening of Thursday, September 11, 2014, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

It has been my privilege to manage what has been a fairly epic effort to establish the Arlen Specter Center for Public Service at Philadelphia University that included raising $4 million in public and private funds to restore historic Roxboro House, to arrange a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh to store and digitize the late Senator’s vast collection of papers and memorabilia, and to integrate the Center into the academic life of our University. On September 11, at my suggestion, we will award two honors at the time we also dedicate completion of renovations on Roxboro House: The Joan Specter Award for Alumni Community Leadership which will honor our alum Doug Schwab and the Elsie H. Hillman Award for Student Public Service which will honor our student Emily Reynolds. Both Joan and Elsie<http://n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Hillman> will be in attendance.

[Note: This evening event will combine with activities on the following day, September 12, 2014, to celebrate completion of our $60 million fundraising campaign for Philadelphia University. While the event will be private and managed, the coverage will be expansive.]

It was always my intention to later initiate a third annual award in the name of Arlen Specter that would be reserved for individuals of significant and notable accomplishment. However, a great sweep of accomplishment has occurred involving nearly every aspect of the entire project that I have now have the confidence to know that Philadelphia University could proudly incorporate the Arlen Specter Center Award for Public Leadership starting this September 11 and the only person that warrants consideration — on the pure merits, on his relationship to Arlen Specter, and, frankly, because I make this call — would be Vice President Biden.

If not possible, then I will reserve the award and initiate the honor next September 11, 2015. But if this opportunity resonates with the Vice President — on what I imagine are a number of levels — then I will proceed to arrange for the honor to be accomplished this September 11, 2014.

Gentlemen, I ask your thoughts. Attached is a draft overview of the entire project. A quasi-style CRS-report, it will bring you up to speed on the whole project instantly. Is this an honor that I can bestow upon a man — Joe Biden — and his family that have done so much for me?

Best,

Rob

ROBERT SKOMORUCHA
Director for Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations
Philadelphia University
4201 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144
o: 215-951-2865<tel://215-951-2865> c: 302-750-7226<tel://c:%20302-750-7226> f: 215-951-2569<tel://f: 215-951-2569>


[cid:86b27997-a192-439e-b3a7-b673c0ed48d9@philau.edu]