Penn State

68 articles

Abdullah Family Christmas Pic 2023

Gary Abdullah Jr. on making Happy Valley happy for everyone: “You can do well here. You can do good.”

Gary Abdullah Jr. was born in the shadow of Beaver Stadium, went to State High, and married his childhood crush who lived down the street … but he never intended to stay in Happy Valley. Today, he will tell you that he has made Happy Valley his place — and it’s his life’s work to make it a place for everyone. Because in his words, “Happy Valley isn’t happy for everyone.” And he wants to change that.

Shannon Stover_7

Checking off my Penn State bucket list

I’ve been an avid Penn Stater all my life, so when I became a student, I had a bucket list as long as my arm. In the last four years, I’ve gotten to check a lot off of that list, but there was still so much to do.

Penn State flag and crowd

What to Expect for Homecoming Week 2022:

It’s Homecoming week, and there are festivities from Monday, October 17 until kickoff on Saturday. From Allen Street Jam to Best of Penn State (BOPS) Homecoming Carnival, you don’t want to miss the fun. Here’s what is in store!

Penn state museum

Penn State All-Sports Museum

There’s only one place in the world where you can see John Cappelletti’s Heisman Trophy, or dozens of other once-in-a-lifetime items that memorialize great moments in Penn State Athletics history.

Located within Beaver Stadium, the Penn State All-Sports Museum offers an in-depth look at the rich tradition and history of the many achievements of Nittany Lion student-athletes. Penn State alumnus Ken Hickman returned to his alma mater in 2006 and has since served as director of the museum. He offered insights into what Penn Staters should keep an eye out for and details on the current World War II exhibit that’ll be on display for the next three years.

Greg Woodman with his wife Anita and sons Nate Brad and Joe

Greg Woodman: Happy Valley Is The Best Place To Live, Work And Play

Forty years ago, Greg Woodman spent his tuition money to print Penn State T-shirts to sell at tailgates. It was a move that wasn’t very popular with his parents, but it paid off, big time. In the years that followed he made the cardboard Standup Joe Paterno, the famous “twins poster,” the “Are You a Penn Stater” guidebook, Penn State Football Annuals throughout the ’80s, and a recent retrospective called “Why Penn State: Why the 1980s gave Nittany Lions a common cause, culture and shared values.” We caught up with Greg to hear about what made him fall in love with Happy Valley, and how it’s continued to be such a magical place for him.

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau publishes up-to-date event information at HappyValley.com/events