What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — taking place across the University:
Performances
The Trills — 7 p.m., Jan. 18, Hiller Auditorium, DuBois campus. The Trills, a six-member a cappella family with a passion for performance and collaboration, will perform for the Penn State DuBois community. Free.
"A Choral Tribute" — 4 p.m., Jan. 20, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Singers from the Penn State and State College communities as well as Howard University will celebrate the influence and inspiration of human-rights champion Martin Luther King Jr.
"Miss Lydia's Church" — 2 p.m., Jan. 20, Mukund S. Kulkarni Theatre, Harrisburg campus. Penn State Harrisburg and PenOwl Productions Theatre Company will present the 26th and final production in its annual MLK campus play series. Free.
Mini Pop Kids Live - The Good Vibes Tour — 4 p.m., Jan. 20, The Pullo Center, York campus. Sing, dance and pop with Canada’s best-selling music group for kids.
Rhapsody series: "Goldberg Variations" — 4 p.m., Jan. 21, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus and Zoom. Piano professor Melody Quah will perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental "Goldberg Variations."
Bach's Lunch — 12:10 p.m., Jan. 25, Eisenhower Chapel, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, University Park campus. "Bach's Lunch" is a weekly concert series during the school year. Concerts are brief in order to make it possible for the University community to attend during the lunch hour. Free.
“Shattering” — 7:30 p.m., Jan. 25, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Penn State Altoona. “Shattering” is a one-woman performance written and performed by Juhanna Rogers exploring a journey of self-discovery.
Events
Martin Luther King Day events — Through Jan. 22, Multiple campuses and locations. Penn State campus communities continue to honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with events and activities throughout the month.
"Women in Policing and Public Safety" — 6-8 p.m., Jan. 18, Room 134, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Penn State University Police and Public Safety will host an event dedicated to exploring and discussing careers in law enforcement and public safety.
Lectures
"Preserving Stories in Our National Parks" — 12:15 p.m., Jan. 18, Slep Student Center, Altoona campus. Betsy Keene, museum curator of the National Parks of Western Pennsylvania, will speak about the Flight 93 National Memorial Oral History Project and her plans to make it more widely accessible. She also will offer insight into the National Park system.
"Igniting Curiosity: Empowering Future Leaders and Global Citizens" — 7 p.m., Jan. 22, State Theatre, University Park campus. Ainissa Ramirez, award-winning scientist and acclaimed science communicator, will give a lecture on how scientific inquiry transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. Free.
"Drawing with Light: Making the Invisible Visible" — 12-1 p.m., Jan. 23, Zoom. Penn State Laureate Lori Hepner will share project examples that show commitment to working collaboratively and inclusively with all community members so that diverse and vibrant voices and representations can be integrated into artwork. Free.
Cynthia Miller-Idriss — 5 p.m., Jan. 23, Foster Auditorium, University Park campus. Award-winning author and scholar of extremism and radicalization Cynthia Miller-Idriss will give a lecture, presented by the Sawyer Seminar.
"International Perspectives on Women in Society" — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Jan. 25, Graduate State College. Penn State Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows Odgeriei Batsaikhan and Ninoska Leiva will present at this program hosted by American Association of University Women (AAUW) State College.
Julianna Baggott reading — 6 p.m., Jan. 25, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Critically acclaimed and bestselling author/screenwriter Julianna Baggott will give a public reading during her visit to Penn State. Free.
In-person exhibits
"Workout" — Through Feb. 8, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A gallery exhibit featuring student pieces selected by art faculty members. Work from art majors and students taking general education art classes will be on display.
“Invisible Bodies” — Through Feb. 8, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. The HUB-Robeson Galleries present "Invisible Bodies," an exploration of migrant labor through an artistic lens, curated by the Border Gallery and Emireth Herrera Valdés.
“Magnificare” — Through Feb. 22, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. The HUB-Robeson Galleries present "Magnificare," an exhibition of ceramic sculptures by Marguerita Hagan.
"I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II" — Through June 2025, Penn State All-Sports Museum, Beaver Stadium, University Park campus. 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 their postwar occupations. Free.
Virtual exhibits
In addition to in-person events, a number of virtual exhibits are available through University departments. The Palmer Museum of Art and University Libraries offer a rotating selection of historical and artistic collections to view online.
Current virtual exhibitions include an exploration of the first 100 years of national disability rights legislation and the movement's impact on the Penn State community; a virtual exhibition of design, craft and makery; and a variety of abstract images that push the boundaries of photography as a medium.