Good morning, State College.

Visitors to Penn State’s Ag Progress Days at the Russell E.

Larson Agricultural Research Center (9 miles SW of State College) can learn about skid steer safety, rescue techniques, and farm incident preparedness from live demonstrations and free health screenings on Aug. 11-13. Admission and parking are free.

The 60th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts begins tomorrow in State College and at Penn State’s University Park with Children and Youth Day at 10 a.m. It runs through July 12 with performances plus a sidewalk sale and a Grand Procession from Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park.

HUB-Robeson Galleries presents In Dreams, a new installation by Darla Jackson on view from July 3 through Sept.

20 at the HUB-Robeson Center. The exhibit features 100 sculptural rabbits and a closing reception (Sept. 17, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) for a public conversation with the artist.

Penn State classics professors Anna Peterson (ancient Mediterranean studies) and Laura Marshall discussed Christopher Nolan’s film trailer for The Odyssey today.

The adaptation of Homer's epic reimagines Odysseus’ journey home with a blend of myth and Hollywood fantasy.

On May 11, the Penn State Smeal College of Business honored its leaders at the Division of Development and Alumni Relations Awards.

Timmy Garde, Wendy Jo Hartsock, and Jen Crispell received special recognition + a $4,000 grant will help expand the annual Smeal in Your City event.

Former Schreyer Honors College associate dean Michele (Mitch) Kirsch has been honored with the Honorary Alumni Award by the Penn State Alumni Association, officially welcoming her to the alumni network.

She spent nearly three decades supporting students at Penn State.

Penn State now offers tours of the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor for research and education.

Visitors can schedule a tour to see the glowing reactor core in a 24-foot pool — guided by outreach coordinator Zach Van Horn — and learn about the facility's scientific role.

Betty Harper has been appointed as Penn State’s new senior associate vice provost for Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research (effective July 1) to lead academic compliance and accreditation efforts, working closely with faculty and staff at the University.

John Mauro, interim Dean in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State, was selected to receive the 2026 W.

David Kingery Award from the American Ceramic Society and will be honored on Monday, Oct. 5 at the society’s 128th Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.

Penn State's Data Commons is a repository that now supports 300+ faculty and 70 research projects by storing hundreds of terabytes of scientific data.

It began as a modest faculty effort over two decades ago and continues to share open research data across campus.

Penn State hosted the 54th annual SME North American Manufacturing Research Conference and ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference from June 14 to 18 in State College.

The event set a record with nearly 1,000 attendees (academics, industry leaders, and federal officials) and featured facility tours and advanced research presentations.

Gwendolyn Burgess, a postdoctoral fellow at Penn State, has received a three-year, $237,708 NIH award to study how binge alcohol changes neural signaling in brain circuits at University Park.

Her work may help guide future treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Early warmth in March and April shifted tick activity as experts warn the fall peak may arrive sooner than usual.

Centre County reported 14 Lyme disease cases by early July, and health officials advise residents to check for ticks after outdoor work.

The 18-year-old Canadian forward Sydney McIntosh—originally committed to British Columbia—will join Penn State women’s hockey for the 2026-27 season, helping fill a gap left by seven players drafted to the PWHL.

She recorded 39 points with 13 goals and 26 assists last season.

Former four-star receiver Khalil Taylor, who originally committed to Penn State before decommitting after a coaching change, announced his recommitment to Nebraska on Monday via Rivals' YouTube channel (he is ranked No. 4 in the state).

Taylor chose Nebraska over offers from Alabama, Colorado and Penn State.

Central Pennsylvania Festival for the Arts

Jul 8-12 — Downtown State College Improvement District — Free entry — Celebrate art, music, and community at one of the nation's top-ranked art fairs.

Anna Pearl Belinda

5-6 p.m. — Willard Building — Free entry — Experience the soaring vocals and storytelling of local singer-songwriter Anna Pearl as she records her debut album.

Anna Pearl Belinda Live Performance

7-9 p.m. — Tussey Mountain Ski and Recreation — Free entry — Experience a captivating solo performance by Anna Pearl, a local singer-songwriter from State College.

Craig Finn & Patterson Hood Live Concert

8-11 p.m. — The State Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy an evening of storytelling through music with acclaimed artists Craig Finn and Patterson Hood.