Most students know and love Sowers Harvest Café for its handmade soft pretzels, delicious coffee, and fresh fruit smoothies. Now, it’s going beyond savoring your taste buds and providing students with a study space after hours.

The cafe’s normal hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. However, Sowers just recently opened its dining area Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., according to a sign posted outside the cafe.

Although the kitchen is closed during the expanded hours, snacks like fruit, cheese, and coffee are offered to students while studying. 

The study space is sponsored by Happy Valley Christian Community’s “LifeQuest,” and its mission is to connect with international students to teach them English.

Truman Eby, who works all of these study shifts at Sowers, said they have seen a variety of students come in every day so far. 

“We wanted to provide a service for students to have a welcoming place, especially for new students coming to State College,” Eby said. “It’s a nice, quiet environment and a place to make connections.”