Dr. Melvin Allen '69

MU Faculty Emeritus, Attorney and Co-Founder and President (Retired), PFL Foundation
Impactful. Inspirational. Driven.

“I am the oldest of nine siblings; half-brother of seven older siblings. I am the first in family to complete high school or college (only two others completed high school, one of whom completed college). I am described as a Strategic Leader and Innovator, Passionate Educator and Advocate, and Valued Advisor and Mentor.”

Current City: Lancaster, PA
MU Degree(s): B.A. in Philosophy

’Ville for Life Snapshots

  • Graduate Studies in Philosophy, University of Delaware and Juris Doctor, The Dickinson School of Law.

  • Visiting Scholar in Philosophy with distinguished professors Drs. Stanley Cavell and Hilary Putnam, Harvard University.

  • Guest Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Vienna, Austria.

  • Ph.D. Candidacy in Philosophy, Temple University.

  • Millersville University from 1969-2011.

  • Board Member, Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum, Lancaster, PA, 2021 to present

  • Advisory Board Member, Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA, 2020 to present

  • Board Member, Real Reporting Foundation, Lancaster, PA, 2021 to present

  • Past Board Member, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Inc., Lancaster, PA, 1994-2018

  • Past Chair, Lancaster County Crime Commission Reform Public Hearings Panel, Lancaster, PA

  • Past Church Council Member and Legal Counsel, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Millersville, PA

  • Past Board Member and Legal Counsel, Movement Laboratory, Inc., Lancaster, PA

  • Past Board Member, Lancaster County Boys Club, Lancaster, PA

  • Past Board Member, Lancaster County Board of Assistance, Lancaster, PA

  • Founder and Past Director, Community Tutorial Project, Columbia Borough, PA

  • Pro Bono Legal Counsel for various nonprofits 1984 to 2016

  • Father of three children: Valarie, Harvard undergrad and UPenn Law School, Senior Partner, Ballard Spahr Law Firm; Matthew, UPenn and Millersville University, Computer Engineering, Independent Consultant; Melanie, Harvard undergrad with honors, and M.Ed. Millersville University, former Radio City Music Hall Rockette and Broadway Performer, now teacher.

  • Husband of Sharyn Heckman Allen, former Kindergarten teacher of 35 years.

  • Avid golfer and member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, PA.

Life after Millersville University
In collaboration with the Owner/CEO of The Manor Group, formed PFL, a 501(c)(3) educational foundation and Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, to accelerate intervention from high school to the middle school years for students largely from underperforming districts. This decision was based on my experience that high school and pre-first year college interventions were inadequate to empower sufficient numbers of academically able, but underprivileged students to pursue STEM majors in college. Participating districts included urban and rural: Carlisle, Chester-Upland, Columbia Borough, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Perry County, Solanco and Steelton-Highspire. Beginning with the generous and continuing funding of The Manor Group, its funding was entirely private for 27 years except for one PDE grant for the initial inclusion of Chester-Upland students.

 

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