Campus Life

In photos: Getting ready for students' return

Michelle Malinich, office manager for Student Orientation and Transition Programs, sorts t-shirts in a variety of colors for incoming first-year students attending the President’s New Student Convocation on Aug 23 at University Park. Malinich and her team sort approximately 9,500 shirts, with each color representing a different academic college at University Park.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Mark Selders, staff photographer and digital images coordinator for Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, takes a picture of Hope Russo, a first-year student-athlete from Summit, New Jersey, and member of the field hockey team. Throughout the summer, Selders has photographed student-athletes from various teams to be used for media guides, websites, scoreboards and video monitors, posters and other promotional materials ahead of the start of the season.  Credit: Curtis Chan / Penn State. Creative Commons

Steve Adelhelm, a storeroom assistant at East Food District, stocks shelves in the Market East convenience store. The East Food District is located in the East Residence Halls area and offers a variety of dining experiences. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Rich Bugden, LionCash coordinator, speaks to incoming students about LionCash at the New Student Orientation resource fair on Aug. 20. LionCash is an online flexible spending account that students and employees can set up and use by presenting their Penn State ID.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Devon McChesney, administrative assistant for Penn State Blue Band, uses a hot press to affix barcodes on new uniform pieces to track in the band's inventory system. On average, more than 300 uniforms are sorted, organized and inventoried for student members of the Blue Band each season. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

A behind-the-scenes look at the hats that student members of the Penn State Blue Band will wear during performances in the 2025-26 season. The hats are part of the more than 300 uniforms, on average, that are sorted and organized for incoming musicians each season. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Carla Estrada and Brana Dively place a mattress on a bed in Hamilton Hall ahead of Arrival Week. Located in the West housing area, Hamilton Hall has undergone recent renovations, converting storage spaces on the third and fourth floors to new residential rooms.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletics fields groundskeeper Darek Eckley paints lines at Jeffrey Field as part of the final field preparations ahead of the men’s and women’s soccer season.  Credit: Curtis Chan / Penn State. Creative Commons

Kyra Muramoto, web and trade supervisor at the Penn State Bookstore inside the HUB-Robeson Center, stocks textbooks in advance of the fall 2025 semester. Students can purchase or rent books and course materials in store or online, securing everything they need for the upcoming semester. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jeff Schomer, left, and Hazel McArdle inspect and prepare various technology equipment for the 2025-26 school year. Media and Technology Support Services, located in the Wagner Annex, provides equipment loans and technology services for departments, classes and side creative projects.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Michelle Malinich, office manager for Student Orientation and Transition Programs, sorts t-shirts in a variety of colors for incoming first-year students attending the President’s New Student Convocation on Aug 23 at University Park. Malinich and her team sort approximately 9,500 shirts, with each color representing a different academic college at University Park.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Mark Selders, staff photographer and digital images coordinator for Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, takes a picture of Hope Russo, a first-year student-athlete from Summit, New Jersey, and member of the field hockey team. Throughout the summer, Selders has photographed student-athletes from various teams to be used for media guides, websites, scoreboards and video monitors, posters and other promotional materials ahead of the start of the season.  Credit: Curtis Chan / Penn State. Creative Commons

Steve Adelhelm, a storeroom assistant at East Food District, stocks shelves in the Market East convenience store. The East Food District is located in the East Residence Halls area and offers a variety of dining experiences. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Rich Bugden, LionCash coordinator, speaks to incoming students about LionCash at the New Student Orientation resource fair on Aug. 20. LionCash is an online flexible spending account that students and employees can set up and use by presenting their Penn State ID.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Devon McChesney, administrative assistant for Penn State Blue Band, uses a hot press to affix barcodes on new uniform pieces to track in the band's inventory system. On average, more than 300 uniforms are sorted, organized and inventoried for student members of the Blue Band each season. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

A behind-the-scenes look at the hats that student members of the Penn State Blue Band will wear during performances in the 2025-26 season. The hats are part of the more than 300 uniforms, on average, that are sorted and organized for incoming musicians each season. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Carla Estrada and Brana Dively place a mattress on a bed in Hamilton Hall ahead of Arrival Week. Located in the West housing area, Hamilton Hall has undergone recent renovations, converting storage spaces on the third and fourth floors to new residential rooms.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Athletics fields groundskeeper Darek Eckley paints lines at Jeffrey Field as part of the final field preparations ahead of the men’s and women’s soccer season.  Credit: Curtis Chan / Penn State. Creative Commons

Kyra Muramoto, web and trade supervisor at the Penn State Bookstore inside the HUB-Robeson Center, stocks textbooks in advance of the fall 2025 semester. Students can purchase or rent books and course materials in store or online, securing everything they need for the upcoming semester. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jeff Schomer, left, and Hazel McArdle inspect and prepare various technology equipment for the 2025-26 school year. Media and Technology Support Services, located in the Wagner Annex, provides equipment loans and technology services for departments, classes and side creative projects.  Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons

From replacing furniture in residence halls to stocking grab-and-go food in on-campus convenience stores to preparing Athletics facilities for the upcoming season, Penn State staff have been working throughout the summer to get the University Park campus ready for the return of students this fall. See more behind-the-scenes pictures in the above gallery of photos.

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