MONACA, Pa. — Penn State Beaver is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary with a community event.
The campus will host Family and Friends Day from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 4 to honor its six decades of history and celebrate its future.
The day will include family friendly activities, entertainment, food, campus tours and more. The event is open to students, families, faculty, staff, alumni, families and the local community. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required by Sept. 26.
“We are excited to celebrate our 60th anniversary, both by looking back on our successes and looking forward to a promising future,” said Carey McDougall, regional chancellor of Penn State Beaver and Penn State Shenango. “Our vast network of Penn State Beaver alum reflects the historical impact the campus has had on the region.”
Alumni have been an integral part of Penn State Beaver’s success and support of its students.
McDougall said retired aerospace engineer, Walt Everetts, a 1984 graduate, has continued to inspire students into STEM through the Iridium satellite donation. She noted Alex Filippi and Neeka Filippi, both 2013 graduates, who helped to facilitate the donation of a virtual reality headset for the sensory room in the Center for Academic Achievement through their work with the JP Recovery Foundation, and Elizabeth Zona, a 2002 Penn State graduate, who is double board certified in anesthesiology and addiction medicine. Zona has been instrumental in educating Beaver students about the dangers of drug and alcohol use through her programs like "One Pill Can Kill" and "Beyond the Buzz: Understanding Alcohol’s Impact on Students."
“We are more excited than ever to continue to the trajectory of excellence as illustrated by alumni," said McDougall, "including Julian Grey, a 1991 graduate, who is a leading elder care lawyer in western Pennsylvania, and Julia McDowell, a 2004 graduate, who, as vice president of the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at Highmark Health, is advancing the efficacy of healthcare through the use of human-centered technology and the utilization of AI to solve problems in an ethical way.
“Their stories started here, and through expanding our degree portfolio, growing our community impact initiatives through research and cultural events, and continuing to foster workforce development, Penn State Beaver is positioned for endless stories to start here,” McDougall said.
Oct. 4 is also Beaver Penn State Day. The fall open house event for prospective students will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include an admissions presentation, campus tours, a campus resource fair and lunch. All attendees to the open house will receive a $65 application fee waiver to apply to any Penn State campus for free. Prospective students can register for the open house here.