In August 2024, Pennsylvania resident Max Justice launched Setas Eternal Living. His flagship product, MyCoffin, is a biodegradable coffin made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms. Justice has utilized resources provided by Penn State Law's Entrepreneur Assistance and Intellectual Property clinics and Happy Valley LaunchBox to grow his business. 

Faculty and staff in Penn State’s Law, Policy, and Engineering (LPE) initiative were recently tapped by the governor’s office to lead a two-day training program in September in Harrisburg on science and technology policy. The faculty and staff are part of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Science and Technology Policy Program, which is run by LPE and aims to improve public and environmental health, economic and social equity, and public scientific discourse in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Penn State Berks theatre department will present “8 at Eight” — a collection of eight light-hearted, eight-minute plays at 8 p.m. Nov. 13-16 in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium.

The following is a collection of events happening around Penn State Harrisburg next week.

The Penn State School of Theatre will produce William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing,” Nov. 16-22, at the Pavilion Theatre on the University Park campus.

Rapper/musician and poet Dessa will discuss “Creativity in Music, Writing, and Art” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Paterno Library’s Foster Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

A newscast produced by Penn State students earned first place in a nationwide competition as College Broadcasters Inc. recognized “Centre County Report” as the nation’s best for the second year in a row.

Two social media efforts created by CommAgency for clients at Penn State were recognized with Education Digital Marketing Awards.

Seven productions by Penn State communications students — several television shows, one audio event, a podcast and a short video — earned top-three finishes in the nationwide competition conducted by the College Media Association.

The Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement will welcome students and members of the public to Hiller Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 3, to hear from leadership speaker Tom Krieglstein.

The Human Development and Family Studies program at Penn State DuBois recently held two panel events aimed at preparing students for life after graduation. The first event, the annual grad school panel, took place on Sept. 12, while the second event, the internship panel, was hosted on Sept. 19.

Four local high school graduates recently completed a comprehensive Computer Numerical Control (CNC) training program at Penn State DuBois, preparing them for in-demand careers in manufacturing.

Recently, the Wildlife Technology Program at Penn State DuBois earned reaccreditation with the North American Wildlife Technology Association for five years.

The Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement will welcome students and members of the public to Hiller Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 17, when paranormal investigator John Zaffis visits campus.

Before the fall semester started, 19 honors students from Penn State DuBois embarked on an unforgettable journey across Europe, visiting Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France. The weeklong trip, part of the honors scholar program, allowed students to immerse themselves in new cultures, savor local cuisines, explore historical landmarks, and encounter diverse wildlife.

First- and second-year students are invited to attend sessions through Link Penn State to learn more about the change-of-campus process. 

High school students from the region recently gathered at Penn State DuBois to participate in Discover Engineering Day, an event designed to introduce them to the vast opportunities available within the engineering field.

Penn State DuBois will welcome Michele Dunleavy, professor of dance in the School of Theatre, to campus on Oct. 23 for a live performance that includes storytelling and the potential for audience participation.

The Penn State DuBois Information Sciences and Technology program has significantly enhanced its technological resources through a new partnership with Penn State Information Technology leadership and IT Infrastructure. This collaboration will expand hands-on learning opportunities for students, while saving the campus tens of thousands of dollars in equipment costs.

The Penn State DuBois men’s basketball team started the 2024-25 season on a high note, winning its first two games over the weekend in strong showings against Bucks County Community College and Central Penn at Penn State Mont Alto.

The Penn State DuBois basketball season is off to a competitive start, with both the men’s and women’s teams showcasing their skills in early games. The women’s team began its campaign on a high note, capturing a commanding victory, while the men’s team fought a hard battle in a closely contested home opener.

After handing over almost 3 000 apartments to their owners, residential estates developer, Balwin's revenues surpassed R3 billion for the first time in the company's 26-year history.

The College of Education’s Staff Advisory Council is assisting the college’s alumni currently working as teachers with obtaining classroom supplies.

Twelve Penn State faculty members received Fulbright Scholar Awards for the 2024-25 academic year, according to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. An additional four faculty members have been named Fulbright Specialist Award recipients.  

As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 15 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.   

Nulaid owner Quantum Foods has been ordered to reinstate a nonexecutive director it removed after requesting to see the legal advice it relied on in refusing a shareholders' meeting request for board changes.

At a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., leaders advocated for states to play a stronger role in championing science-backed instruction and translating research into practice, focusing on levers like teacher training, certification, and system-wide professional learning.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre hosted a workshop in September that allowed students to use their knowledge about a geographic information system to tackle a real-world problem in impoverished communities in Brazil: How can packages be delivered to people who live in areas without official addresses?  

Just 16 states require incoming teachers to provide evidence of successful prior job performance, a National Council on Teacher Quality analysis found.

There could be an 8.4 percent reduction in the U.S. teaching corps, and some states could see reductions as large as 20 percent, according to a new analysis by the Learning Policy Institute.

The Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Finance and Investment advanced a proposal for the construction of an Academic Learning Center at Penn State Harrisburg.

The Penn State School of Music will present three choir concerts on Sunday, Nov. 17, in the Recital Hall on the University Park campus. Featuring world premieres, folk traditions and themes of community and aspiration, these concerts will make for a lovely Sunday afternoon of music for audiences of all ages. 

The Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement will welcome students and members of the public to Hiller Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 12, when the Piscataway Nation Singers & Dancers visit campus.

On Veterans Day, President Bendapudi shares a message with the University community. Today's events include Penn State's annual Military Appreciation Breakfast and Veterans Day Ceremony. 

On Oct. 12, Penn State Global hosted a multi-campus synchronous Day of Service aimed at getting students involved in sustainability work in their communities. More than 80 students from five campuses – Abington, Berks, Brandywine, Great Valley and University Park – participated in four service experiences, which conclude with the Global Sustainable Action Conference on Nov. 16-17.

As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 15 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.   

Penn State remains one of the largest public universities in the United States with 87,995 students enrolled across the University’s campuses in fall 2024, according to the annual enrollment snapshot released today (Nov. 11).

Working remotely and from in-person sites at the Harrisburg and University Park campuses, teams spent three focused days in June attending workshops and webinars, collaborating with coaches and each other, as they worked on their projects related to student success and providing opportunities for students in the higher education space.

Penn State has announced the selection of 23 faculty members for the Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders program for fall 2024. This initiative highlights individuals who have demonstrated exceptional potential for academic leadership and innovation within their fields.

Rick Brazier, senior associate dean for faculty and research in the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses, has been named dean of Penn State’s 14-campus University College. Brazier served as interim dean of the University College since February 2022 and will begin the permanent appointment on Sept. 2, 2024.

Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses and Westmoreland County Community College, building upon a long-standing relationship, have entered into a new articulation agreement designed to enhance educational opportunities and improve the rate at which students obtain undergraduate degrees in Pennsylvania.

A draft proposal of Penn State’s institutional strategic plan has been unveiled and shared with the community for feedback and discussion. All faculty, staff and students at all campuses are encouraged to visit the Strategic Plan website to review and provide feedback on the draft plans for four goal areas.

Penn State Scranton is set to host a job fair for students in its nursing degree program from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, in the Nursing Suite's lobby. The event aims to connect nursing students with local healthcare recruiters from major health systems.

Penn State Scranton held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly renovated Library Building and Nursing Suite on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Agnes Kim, associate professor of physics at Penn State Scranton, has received a National Science Foundation grant aimed at enhancing the understanding of white dwarf stars.

Penn State Berks will present “People, Place, and Things,” a campus-wide exhibition that showcases artists with ties to eastern Pennsylvania whose work engages ideas of place-making and regional identity. The exhibition will open Nov. 21 and run through Feb. 26. The opening reception will be held from 12:15-1:15 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the Perkins Student Center Lobby. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Penn State Berks will host a variety of events during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2024, set for Monday, Nov. 18, to Friday, Nov. 22. Events are sponsored by the college’s Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development Center and the Berks LaunchBox in downtown Reading.

Penn State Smeal College of Business alumnus Curran McCready was recently appointed to the college’s Finance Advisory Board.

Penn State's Sustainable Labs Program, now in its third year, is enhancing sustainability in research labs across the University. The program has expanded to multiple campuses with more than 70 labs and 600 researchers as part of current or past cohorts. 

Penn State Great Valley is offering a streamlined 33-credit MBA with highly flexible delivery and the opportunity to specialize by earning up to three graduate certificates as part of the program.