Penn State Sustainability

Sustain Penn State kicks off its 2025-26 season of public events on Sept. 17

This year’s series begins with a collection of short films focused on connecting with nature and answering the question 'What Else is Possible' when overcoming adversity

Author and climber Erik Weihenmayer makes his way up classic climbing route “The Hulk,” as seen in the short film “Soundscape” about his experience as a climber who is blind. This film and two others will be shown online on Sept. 17 as part of Sustain Penn State's Intersections film program. Credit: Well Travelled Collective.. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sustain Penn State is kicking off its 2025-26 sustainability public programming season on Sept. 17. This year’s events open with three short films in the Intersections film series that highlight overcoming adversity through a connection with nature: “Soundscape,” which features climber Erik Weihenmayer who is fully blind; “About Damn Time,” which tells the story of the first women to pilot handcrafted wooden dories in the Grand Canyon; and “Planetwalker,” featuring activist John Francis who walked across the United States in silence.

The films will be shown online at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, with a panel discussion to follow. Registration is required at this link.

The theme for Sustain Penn State’s 2025-26 programming is “What Else Is Possible?” Events are intended to open conversations about better possibilities for the future, both for individuals and for society collectively.

“Too often, the triumphs of individuals are forgotten or set aside to focus on the larger global issues,” said Jake Hohner, community engagement intern for Sustain Penn State. “But these seemingly small triumphs are what combine to create bigger change and inspire hope among future generations. Without the people influencing change, we would have nothing. And our programming this year seeks to highlight their stories.”

The series focuses on human aspects of our changing world and dares the audience to see beyond themselves and envision efforts to keep our world beautiful, sustaining and fair.

“In a time filled with so much strife and bad news, we hope to be a shining light, breaking through to bring grounding stories of real people who imagine what else is possible,” Hohner added.

Sustain Penn State’s fall 2025 programs also include:   

Sustain Penn State’s films are offered through the Intersections student-led sustainability film program, which features stories of people working at the intersection of social, economic and environmental challenges. All films highlight the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as the basis for Penn State’s approach to sustainability. All films also feature post-film discussions with Penn State faculty, students and subject matter experts. Pre-registration for films is required and can be completed at intersections.psu.edu.

Participants at all Sustain Penn State events are provided with “next step” handbills, guiding them toward further actions they can take to learn more and get involved with sustainability issues at Penn State. 

All events are free and open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Events will be livestreamed online to allow participation from all Penn State campuses.  

Intersections is starting its eighth year and has drawn nearly 7,500 attendees to more than 60 screenings since 2019. The Sustainability Showcase Series, now entering its ninth year, has invited more than 100 experts to Penn State to inspire students on their sustainability paths. The Sustainability Career Webinar program is launching this fall to connect students with Penn State alumni and to help them learn about different career possibilities. The GreenGov webinar program is a partnership with the state’s GreenGov Council entering its sixth year.

For more information about events, contact Jake Hohner, community engagement intern for Sustain Penn State, at jrh6707@psu.edu.

Last Updated September 8, 2025

Contact

Tags