UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Friday night mixer for this season's fan tour to USC will be held at Tom's Watch Bar, within walking distance of the JW Marriott LA Live, where tour travelers will staying during the weekend (Oct. 11-13). Along with football letterman Adam Taliaferro, the Penn State Alumni Association and Sports and Entertainment Travel will host the trip. Penn State and USC will clash Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Coliseum, during USC's inaugural season in the Big Ten.
Along with the Friday night event, the USC tour package features a two-night stay in downtown Los Angeles, at the JW Marriott LA Live, and the Roar Tour Pep Rally. Also included will be a tour souvenir, event lanyard and credential, and more. The Roar Tour Pep Rally and Friday night mixer will feature performances from the Pep Band, Penn State cheerleaders and the Nittany Lion. The USC Roar Tour Pep Rally will be open to all Penn Staters.
Adam Taliaferro, a 2005 Penn State graduate and letterman cornerback for the football team, is one of the most inspiring student-athletes in Penn State history, defying the odds after suffering a paralyzing spinal cord injury as a freshman in 2000. Told he wouldn’t walk again, Taliaferro led Penn State football onto the field for the 2001 season opener at Beaver Stadium. Taliaferro walked that night, and even jogged, in front of a sold-out crowd.
Alumni and fans can meet Taliaferro and speak with the letterman, who will attend the tour events during the weekend. Taliaferro, who graduated from Penn State in 2005, currently serves as the director of state and community engagement for Johnson & Johnson. In 2020, BTN produced a short film that detailed Taliaferro’s recovery and return to Beaver Stadium.