Penn State alumnus Nedoroscik and DWTS cast swing by Penn State Berkey Creamery

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s own Stephen Nedoroscik, gymnast, Olympic medalist and standout on the last season of “Dancing With the Stars,” accompanied by several of his castmates, made a sweet return to campus Thursday with a visit to what he says is one of his favorites: the Berkey Creamery.

While savoring a scoop of his favorite creamery flavor — bittersweet mint — Nedoroscik reminisced about his time as a student and his love for Penn State traditions.

“It’s so nice to be back in Happy Valley — it’s my second home,” he said. He added that he loved Penn State so much that he stayed two years after he graduated. “And I’m a big ice cream guy, so I had to stop at the creamery while here.”

He was on campus because he was a co-host for the “Dancing With the Stars: Live! 2025 Tour,” which kicked off Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The dancers included season-winner Joey Graziadei, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Emma Slater, Ezra Sosa, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov, and Nedoroscik’s dance partner, Rylee Arnold. The duo secured fourth place in the latest DWTS season.

This was Arnold’s first visit to Penn State. “I am so happy to be here; I would have loved to attend a university like this,” she said, describing the experience as memorable, with the visit to the creamery as one of the highlights. She also had high praise for Nedoroscik. “I loved having him as my dance partner; he is the best.”

For many in the Penn State community, Nedoroscik’s return was an inspiring reminder of the accomplishments Penn Staters can achieve, from standing on Olympic podiums to shining on national television screens, noted Lauren Hassinger, marketing strategist for the creamery.

“We were thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented and gracious ‘Dancing With the Stars’ cast to the creamery,” she said. “Their visit brought joy to our staff and patrons, who loved seeing their favorite stars up close. A special moment was Stephen’s return, whose visit brought extra pride to the creamery. This moment reflects what we are all about — a place where Penn Staters reconnect, relive cherished memories, and enjoy our world-famous ice cream.”

Penn State Berkey Creamery, which is under the College of Agricultural Sciences, is the largest university creamery in the United States. It produces ice cream, cheese, milk, yogurt and sour cream, as well as a variety of other products, such as juices, lemonade and iced teas, made for sale and distribution to the University community.

Cows from Penn State’s dairy herd provide milk for the creamery’s fresh dairy products, averaging about four days from cow to creamery treat. For more information, visit the Berkey Creamery website.