Penn State's first graduate students completed their degrees in 1863 under the first President of the Farmer's High School, Evan Pugh; they were Augustus King and Alfred Smith, both of whom earned the Master of Scientific Agriculture degree. Between 1863 and the creation of the Graduate School in 1922, almost nine hundred students began graduate studies at Penn State (although not all of them completed their degrees). President John Thomas established the Graduate School in 1922; Frank D. Kern became its first dean. President Thomas believed that "a state university must have a strong and diverse line of graduate offerings," and that the new Graduate School "would stand as a symbol that Penn State recognized that higher education did not end with the baccalaureate degree" (Bezilla, 1985). The Graduate School also offered a small number of graduate teaching assistantships, each with an annual stipend, as well as a fellowship. Within the first eight years following the creation of the School, 442 students earned their degrees. The Graduate School, named after Dr. Kern, is housed in the Kern Building which was constructed in 1969.
From the description of Pennsylvania State University, Graduate School records, 1910-1993. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 263170271
