Former Blue Band director’s gift honors legacy family and inspires philanthropy

When Lori Bowers Uhazie performed her final routine as “Feature Twirler” in 1982, accompanied by her now-husband David Uhazie’s trumpet notes, the couple’s dedication to the Blue Band was just getting started. Almost 40 years later, the Rochester, New York couple is just as committed to the organization. They established in 2004 the Feature Twirler Scholarship, in 2016 the Blue Band Legacy Fund and have been avid volunteers for the band and the University, consistently championing the tradition and values of Penn State. In honor of their devotion, former Blue Band Director Ned Deihl has made a gift to each endowment established by the Uhazies as a way to recognize their contributions and to inspire others to philanthropically engage with the band. “Lori and David are incredible people that exemplify what Penn State is all about,” Deihl said. “Financial support for the band is crucial, and they have stepped up many times. This is my way of saying thank you.” What started as a band director-student relationship in 1978 between the Uhazies and Deihl has evolved into a friendship that has produced not only irreplaceable memories, but also contributed to the rich history of the Blue Band. When Lori Bowers arrived at Penn State, the “Feature Twirler” was one of the most sought-after positions in the band. After Bowers’ successful audition, Deihl wanted to change the name of the feature twirler to something with more pizazz and settled on “Star Sapphire.” The new name was short-lived after Deihl received a letter from a Blue Band fan reminding him that sapphires come in different colors and suggesting that perhaps the position name could be more specific. The result was “Blue Sapphire,” a name that has become one of the most recognizable in Penn State lore and that Bowers Uhazie was the first to hold. “It’s easy to talk about how wonderful Lori was as the feature twirler, and she deserves all of the credit she gets, but David was an outstanding trumpet player and a stalwart,” Deihl said. Although being members of the band was a transformative experience for the Uhazies, there were financial challenges. Constant maintenance of instruments, equipment and uniforms would cost hundreds of dollars each year. “Being the feature twirler was a true honor,” Lori Uhazie said. “It made me realize that Penn State represents so many things, like pride, community and family, but it didn’t come without financial burden.” That reality didn’t change for the Uhazie’s two sons, saxophonist Doug (‘17 B.S. Business) and trumpet player Patrick (‘13 B.S. Business). Throughout their time in the band, the costs mounted, which led Lori (‘82 B.A. Advertising) and David (‘82 B.S. Finance) to establish the Blue Band Legacy Fund and the Blue Sapphire Scholarship to help ease the burden for students. Collectively, the endowments have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and have supported dozens of Blue Band members during their time at Penn State, which Deihl said is remarkable and has impacted the band immeasurably. “Without Penn State I would not be who I am. It built the foundation for my life,” David Uhazie said. “The fact that Dr. Deihl donated in our name is an honor and I hope that others will join with us to support the band, which is something that has touched our hearts.” Deihl’s gifts and additional support for the Blue Band will advance "A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence," a focused campaign that seeks to elevate Penn State’s position as a leading public university in a world defined by rapid change and global connections. With the support of alumni and friends, “A Greater Penn State” seeks to fulfill the three key imperatives of a 21st-century public university: keeping the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; creating transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impacting the world by serving communities and fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.