Besides Arts Fest and 4th of July, State College is a whole different town once summer rolls around. The locals leave their suburban developments and fill the store fronts that were once spots of drunken debauchery. Our home for nine months slowly transforms from a rowdy oasis of youthfulness into just another rural Pennsylvania town.
But once the students pack up their bed risers and left over Ramen, the bulldozers and construction hats come out across Happy Valley. This summer was especially eventful for downtown development, so we've compiled a list of some changes that have occurred while you were away.
As some may remember, last October the university announced that they would no longer license shot glasses bearing the words "Penn State" or any of its logos. However, a quick trip into most of the Penn State-oriented stores on College Ave makes this seem otherwise.
Yesterday afternoon, a few "lucky" students and community members living in off-campus apartments had the opportunity to get a brief introduction to a few noteworthy individuals in the Penn State and State College communities as part of the 2011 LION Walk. The goal of the event is to promote a smoother relationship between students and town residents by having community leaders and university administrators knock on residents' doors to start conversations.