Then and Now: ID cards

Student identification cards have changed from paper to digital.

copy of a 1955 student ID card by Penn State Archives

 

photo of a student holding a mobile phone with digital ID card on it up to a card reader on a building's door, by Penn StateFor many years, Penn State students carried their identification cards, like this one from 1955 (above), in wallets or back pockets.

Today, the primary university credential for students is the mobile ID+ card, which launched in January 2023 and allows students to use phones or Apple watches to access buildings or make transactions for meals or laundry.