Campus Life

Things to Do at Penn State: Jan. 12-19

A selection of cultural events happening across the University this weekend and next week

Events celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. this month include the annual Day of Service on Jan. 16. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

Performances

"Dragons and Mythical Beasts"4 p.m., Jan. 14, Pullo Center, Penn State York. From the creators of "Dinosaur World Live" comes a magical world of myths and legends.

Kim Russo - The Happy Medium 7:30 p.m., Jan. 19, Pullo Center, Penn State York. Psychic medium Kim Russo provides insight into the soul, as well as spiritual guidance. 

Night Time is the Right Time" 9 p.m., Jan. 19, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Menso and the Shakes will perform. Free.

"A Choral Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." 4 p.m., Jan. 21, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Singers from Penn State, local high schools and a historically Black university celebrate the influence and inspiration of human-rights champion Martin Luther King Jr.

"An Evening with Bradford Marsalis" 7:30 p.m., Jan. 22, Pullo Center, Penn State York. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis visits the York campus.

Lectures

Ancestral Communal Listening Session with DJ Elbow Knee Knee 6 p.m., Jan. 17, 3 Dots Downtown, 137 E. Beaver Ave., State College. DJ Elbow Knee Knee of Goring Productions will moderate the discussion via a program of recordings spanning the Black diaspora. Free.

Events

Equity & Inclusion Carnival 2-4 p.m., Jan. 13, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. The event celebrates the diversity of the Penn State community and offers students the opportunity to connect with advocacy or identity-based units and organizations. Free.

48th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Banquet5:30 p.m., Jan. 15, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. "A Testament of Hope" will be the theme of this event celebrating the late civil rights leader.

MLK Day celebrationsJan. 15-31, various campuses. The Penn State community celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with events throughout the month of January. Most events free.

Virtual exhibits

"Penn State Women's Athletics and Title IX: The Success and Struggles for Equal Access" Through May. This University Libraries exhibit focuses on the impact Title IX legislation has had on Penn State women student-athletes. Free.

"African Brilliance and the Purpose of Art" — This interactive virtual tour accompanied the Palmer Museum of Art’s spring 2020 special exhibition "African Brilliance: A Diplomat’s Sixty Years of Collecting" and will remain available throughout the current academic year. Explore the exhibition installation, images of selected works, videos for guided viewing and related art-making activity suggestions. Free.

"Celebrating the ADA: The Legacy and Evolution of Disability Rights and Lived Experiences at Penn State" — The University Libraries virtual exhibit explores the first 100 years of national disability rights legislation and the movement's impact on the Penn State community. Free.

"Global Asias: Contemporary Asian and Asian American Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundations" — This web-based, interactive program from the Palmer Museum of Art features guided video tours of selected exhibition artists in addition to an introductory overview by the curator. Learn about the “Global Asias” concept of personal and cultural identity in a contemporary world. Artists featured include: Jacob Hashimoto, Dinh Q. Lê, Hung Liu, Takashi Murakami, Roger Shimomura, Do Ho Suh and Rirkrit Tiranvanija. Free.

"Pandemic Spaces (1918 Edition)" — The University Libraries' virtual display explores architecture related to the devastating influenza epidemic of 1918. Free.

"Who Am I? Art and Identity" — This self-directed, interactive, online tour features a selection of objects from diverse areas of the Palmer Museum of Art’s collection, related through a common exploration of personal or cultural identity. Free.

"Women in Art: Activism + Resistance" — This self-directed, interactive, Palmer Museum of Art online tour is intended for college-level courses and features a selection of objects by female artists in the museum’s collection. In celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, this tour highlights artists working in a variety of mediums during the 20th and 21st centuries who have contributed to political, social and cultural change. Free.

"The World According to Doyle: Editorial Cartoons from The Jerry Doyle Papers at Penn State" — This Penn State University Libraries digital exhibition examines Jerry Doyle, one of the preeminent editorial cartoonists of the 20th century. Free.

In-person exhibits

"ARC Studio's Premiere"Through Jan. 29, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Photos and paintings by Andrew Castañeda mirror the structure of a day in TV programming. Free.

"Between the Lines: Global Histories of the Book"Through Aug. 28, Special Collections Exhibition gallery, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. Students in HIST 255N: History of the Book share insights and books through this exhibition about the forms and functions of books. Free.

"Zombie Ant Experience"Through August, Perkins Student Center, Penn State Berks. This interactive art installation also serves as a teaching tool to illustrate spore trajectories and how ants are transformed into "zombies." Free. 

"Evan Pugh: Student to Scientist"Through October, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery, Deike Building, University Park campus. The exhibit explores two distinct stages in the life of Evan Pugh, Penn State's first president. Free.

Gall wasps exhibit Through October, Frost Entomological Museum, University Park campus. This new exhibit is aimed at cultivating awareness about gall wasps and showcasing their beauty and diversity. Free.

"I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II"Through June 2025, Penn State All-Sports Museum, Beaver Stadium, University Park campus. Timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the conflict, "I Am a Penn Stater" chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion varsity lettermen and Women’s Recreation Association athletes during the conflict and follows their service from training in the United States, to fighting on battlefields around the globe, to their postwar occupations. Free.

Last Updated January 13, 2023