The exhibit I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II is located in the All-Sports Museum's second-floor changing exhibition gallery and will run until June 1, 2025. If you are interested in seeing this once-in-a-lifetime exhibit, you have until the end of May to do so.

Timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the conflict, I Am a Penn Stater chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion varsity lettermen and Women's Recreation Association athletes during the conflict and follows their service from training in the United States, to fighting on battlefields around the globe, to the postwar occupations. Utilizing a variety of photography, letters, diaries, and artifacts, I Am a Penn Stater offers visitors a firsthand understanding of the service provided by more than 1,200 former Nittany Lions who entered the military and American Red Cross.

The title is taken from a letter written by Sergeant Max S. Peters, a 1941 graduate who lettered in track and skiing, in which he detailed his reasons for fighting. After listing a variety of democratic ideals, he concluded by stating that it was simpler for him to tell himself "I Am a Penn Stater" as the term encapsulated everything he believed.

I Am a Penn Stater will introduce visitors to a multitude of extraordinary stories including those of State College native Emma Jane Foster, a civilian nurse with the Flying Tigers in China, and wrestler Frank A. Gleason, who served with the Office of Strategic Services and was later portrayed by Pennsylvania-born actor and WWII veteran Jimmy Stewart in a cinematic adaption of his adventures. Others include basketball standout Jack Reichenbach who flew bombers for the US Fifteenth Air Force over Europe and wrestler Clair L. Hess who jumped with the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day and endured the frigid siege of Bastogne.

In telling the remarkable stories of those Nittany Lions who fought overseas, I Am a Penn Stater recognizes the supreme sacrifice made by 27 former lettermen during World War II. These include Navy Cross recipient W. Garfield Thomas who was killed while commanding a turret aboard the USS Boise and soccer star Donald Megrail who won a Silver Star in North Africa before his death. Also, among the Nittany Lions lost during the war was boxer and Tuskegee Airman James W. Wright who was killed in 1944 when the transport aboard which he was flying crashed off the South Carolina coast.

As Director of the All-Sports Museum Lew Lazarow stated, "Penn State Athletics is proud of our alums’ legacy of service. The Museum has been honored to celebrate that legacy over the past three years, as the world has come together to celebrate and remember the generation of heroes who fought WWII. Over 1200 of our athletes - both men and women - contributed to that victory over fascism. Our exhibit tells their stories, so that even after the exhibit itself ends in June, their contributions will never be forgotten."

The Penn State All-Sports Museum is located at the southwest corner of Beaver Stadium and honors the achievements of the men and women who have built the proud tradition of Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and on Sunday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Admission is by suggested donation of $5 for adults and $3 for children, seniors, and students.