MAIN PHOTO: Spring days in Happy Valley are the perfect complement to just about any occasion, including the annual Joint Service ROTC awards ceremony, which recognizes military and academic excellence and leadership among students in the university's Air Force, Army, and Navy ROTC programs. Photo by Corinne Furjanic.
Everyday People: Avery Volz
Penn State York student Avery Volz has already published three YA novels. Read the full profile by Amy Strauss Downey '04 Lib.
Then & Now: Lion gates
The gift from the Class of 1903 changed locations in 2002.
The iconic limestone lion gates at the west end of University Park were a gift of the Class of 1903 and initially stood at the intersection of Atherton Street and Pollock Road.
Q: How many Old Willows have there been at Penn State?
What's up with that?
A: In one sense, four, but in another, the number continues to grow. The current full-size rendition of the historic tree outside Old Main, planted last April, is the fourth-generation Old Willow. The original Old Willow—which came from a cutting former university president Evan Pugh took during a visit to Europe—is believed to be the first tree planted at University Park, in 1859 on what is now the Allen Street Mall, and lasted until it fell in a windstorm in 1923. “I look at it like this was the start of Penn State’s legacy of landscape,” says Office of Physical Plant landscape architect Derek Kalp ’94 A&A. The second-generation willow was planted nearby and lasted until the 1970s, and the third-generation tree, planted using cuttings from its predecessor, stood until a storm felled it in 2021. Roughly 50–60 cuttings were made from that tree, and after growing for three years at an OPP nursery, several were sent to other Penn State campuses and agricultural research stations around the commonwealth. Kalp points out that the species of willow—salix babylonica—traces its roots back thousands of years. “Not only does it have this Penn State history, but its genetic history is really long,” he says.
Got a campus mystery you want solved? Email us at heypennstater@psu.edu.
Reminiscing
What was your go-to late-night spot?
“At Brandywine, La Porta is my top choice for great wine and pizza, but Duffer’s is the place to go for drinks and burgers with friends.”
Meaghan Daly ’16 Brandy
"Definitely Ye Olde College Diner for meatloaf, mac & cheese, and mashed potatoes, and for great conversation, reflection, and dreaming of the future!"
Pam Sheets Salokangas ’95 H&HD
“Canyon Pizza was a great late-night place because 1) it was open and 2) slices were a dollar and they weren’t half bad. Plus, it was a popular spot, so you might run into someone you knew.”
Joe McGrady ’03 Lib
“Late Night at Redifer Commons with my friends! The food always gave me the extra energy (and the break) I needed for a long night of studying.”
Lexie Foreman ’21 Bus
“The Phyrst for a Phyrstburger and to listen to Still Flight.”
Judy Wolfe ’70 Lib
Club Hopping
Penn State's rifle club has been active for nearly 40 years.
Founded: 1986
Current membership: 20–30
Mission: Educating students about the fundamentals of shooting in a safe environment.
Members learn the basics of Olympic-style shooting with single-shot, .22 caliber long rifles, which are provided by the club, with a primary focus on learning and practicing proper gun safety techniques. The club used to compete in the Mid Atlantic Rifle Conference and placed in the nation’s top three at the 2015 NRA club collegiate nationals. In recent years, they’ve competed mostly against members of local sporting clubs but are hopeful to compete in interstate collegiate competitions as they continue to build up funding for transportation costs. “It’s kind of a dying-off sport,” says club secretary Olexa Luzeckyj. “The fact that we have a good organization and decent equipment and coaches that look for competitions is rare.” Some club members bring their own ear and eye protection, but the club has equipment available for anyone regardless of their level of shooting experience. “Most people just want to learn more about the sport,” Luzeckyj says. “We’re here to put them in the right direction.”
Common Wealth: Harrisburg, Behrend, Hershey, and World Campus
Highlights from four Commonwealth campuses.
HARRISBURG
The Penn State Harrisburg women’s soccer team won its third United East Championship with a 4-3 penalty kick victory over St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Goalkeeper Alexis Valenta was named the United East Tournament Most Valuable Player.
BEHREND
The new Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness will include plastics and metal-casting labs, will house the nation’s first heavy-haul battery testing facility, and will be supported by a $6.5 million grant from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. The center will also host a full-scale recycling line for manufacturer testing of an array of materials for their recyclability and seek to support companies as they invest in their own operations and transition to sustainable technologies that ultimately will reduce pollution in and near the region’s freshwater resources.
HERSHEY
Dr. Amyn M. Rojiani, chair of the Department of Pathology at Penn State College of Medicine, was honored with the 2024 College of American Pathologists Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions and excellence in teaching, mentoring, and leading the next generation of pathologists. Rojiani is also the first pathologist nationwide to be named a distinguished fellow by the American Association for Physician Leadership, and he serves on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Pathologists and the Association for Academic Pathology’s executive council.
WORLD CAMPUS
Joe Thompson ’24 EMS was honored at a ceremony hosted by the San Diego chapter of the Climate Action Campaign for creating a climate action plan for Orange, Calif. Thompson was part of the first Local Climate Action Program cohort facilitated by Penn State. He and fellow members of the Orange Sustainability Committee worked with environmental science and policy majors at Chapman University on how to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory, then guided them on how to keep implementation cost-appropriate for the city and helped them look at funding options.
The Big 3: Earth Day
There will be Earth Day/Earth Week celebrations on April 22 at various campus locations, including:
EARTH DAY ON THE FARM
The Student Farm will host an event featuring crafts, farm tours, and more.
ECOACTION EARTHFEST
Live music, tree planting, and more activities on the HUB Lawn.
MOON TREE AT THE ARBORETUM
Featured programming around the moon tree, which was planted in the children’s garden in November.
