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
Poet and Storyteller Ebony Stewart — 6:30 p.m., March 18, Pond View Lounge, Slep Student Center, Altoona campus. Ebony Stewart’s work hopes to be relatable, remove shame, heal minds, encourage dialogue and inspire folks in marginalized communities.
"Tartuffe" — Multiple performances, March 19-30, Pavilion Theatre, University Park campus. Penn State Centre Stage presents "Tartuffe" by Molière, translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur.
"United States Air Force Heritage of America Band: Rhythm in Blue" — 7 p.m., March 19, The Pullo Center, York campus. This dynamic jazz ensemble presents exciting and uplifting music to inspire patriotism and tell the Air Force story.
Rhiannon Giddens — 7:30 p.m., March 19, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Rhiannon Giddens, an eclectic, opera-trained folk artist musician, two-time Grammy Award-winning singer, reproduction instrumentalist, podcaster and one of NPR's "Most Influential Women Musicians of the 21st Century," will make her Penn State debut.
Classical Coffeehouse with Dover Quartet and Haochen Zhang — 7:30 p.m., March 21, Recital Hall, University Park campus. Pennsylvania-based ensemble Dover Quartet, designated one of the greatest string quartets of the past 100 years by BBC Music Magazine; and pianist Haochen Zhang, gold medalist at the 13th annual Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009, will perform.
"The Wake of Jamey Foster" — 7:30 p.m., March 21 and 22, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. Through moments of laughter and absurdity, “The Wake of Jamey Foster” explores how our behavior changes in stressful situations and just how differently we process the deaths of our loved ones.
Events
Women's History Month — Multiple dates and locations. Penn State student organizations and units at campuses across the commonwealth will offer events in honor of National Women's History Month in March.
Café Laura Theme Dinners — Multiple dates and themes, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Penn State Startup Week — March 18-22, Multiple locations and via Zoom. Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC invites students from across the commonwealth to explore Penn State’s vast entrepreneurial ecosystem, learn from successful Penn State alumni, and connect with innovative peers through free, fun hands-on activities.
Lectures
"Beyond Content - Teaching for Civic Engagement and Participation" — Multiple dates and lectures, Foster Auditorium of Paterno Library and via Zoom. Bryan Dewsbury, associate professor of biology and associate director of the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University, will share his expertise in inclusive teaching in STEM fields and beyond. Free.
"Working Backwards" — 4:30 p.m., March 20, Stuckeman Family Building Jury Space, University Park campus and via Zoom. Katherine Hogan, co-owner and principal of Katherine Hogan Architects, will present as part of the Stuckeman School's spring Lecture and Exhibit Series. Free.
"Stories from the Field:" Brandi Robinson and Peter Buck — Noon, March 21, via Zoom. Brandi Robinson, associate teaching professor in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, and Peter Buck, associate director of climate and sustainability education at Penn State Sustainability, who co-lead the Local Climate Action Program, will share insights about navigating the challenges and opportunities of building and managing an engaged learning experience for students while balancing the unique needs of communities big and small across the commonwealth.
Poetry reading: Patricia Jabbeh Wesley — 4:30 p.m., March 21, Lecture Hall room 223, Shenango campus. Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, the inaugural Poet Laureate for the Republic of Liberia and professor of English at Penn State, has been described as "one of the most prolific African poets of the 21st century." Free.
In-person exhibits
2024 Golumbic Scholarship Exhibition — March 18-22, Borland Project Space (Borland Building room 125), University Park campus. The exhibit features cross-disciplinary works performed or created by 11 students from the College of Arts and Architecture.
“Animating Autotheory: Personal Essay Films” — Through March 21, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. Featuring work by Emerging Artist John Summerson.
Student art exhibit — Through March 29, Friedman Art Gallery, Wilkes-Barre campus. The exhibit features artwork by independent students and students who were enrolled in diverse Penn State Wilkes-Barre courses.
"Something About the Sky" — Through April 27, Ronald K. DeLong gallery, Lehigh Valley campus. A series of cloud drawing and skyscape light paintings featuring movement drawings created by Lori Hepner, 2023-24 Penn State Laureate.
"Under Pressure" — Through August, Woskob Family Gallery, Downtown State College. A participatory experimental art installation featuring the work of Ryan Kough, a neurodivergent artist, experimental letterpress printmaker and design educator who focuses on participatory community-driven social design initiatives.
"'Where Beauty’s At': Expressions of Black Visual Culture" — Through Sept. 9, Special Collections exhibit space, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. Brittany Frederick, a postdoctoral scholar with the Africana Research Center, and Adisa Vera Beatty, a Just Transformations Postdoctoral Fellow with the Center for Black Digital Research, have curated an exhibit highlighting the diversity of Black artistic and literary expression in partnership with Penn State University Libraries’ Eberly Family Special Collections Library.
"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.