College Facts Friday: Penn State

We’re back with another #CollegeFactsFriday! This week, we’re taking a closer look at Penn State, located in … you guessed it, Pennsylvania! 

1. The history of Penn State dates back to 1855 when the school had a focus on agricultural science. More on the history of the school here. 

2. Penn State has a diverse student body, with first-generation students making up one-fourth of the student body, and over 17,000 adult learners. 

3. The mascot for Penn State is the “Nittany Lion”. It is an eastern mountain lion, the “Nittany” forename referring to the local Mount Nittany, which overlooks the university

4. The Penn State values are Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Discovery, Excellence, and Community. Learn more here. 

5. Statistics your thing? Check out the “At a Glance” section of the Penn State website for many interesting numbers, such as since it’s founding, Penn State has conferred more than 863,636 degrees,

6. If statistics aren’t your thing, maybe Ice Cream is a little more your speed! Did you know that Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, took a course on ice cream making at Penn State’s creamery? 

7. Ever heard of a 46-hour dance-athon? The “THON” is a Penn State student-run dance marathon and is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. THON is a year-long effort that raises funds and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. All dancers in the THON are Penn State students. Learn more at THON.org. 

8. Penn State’s original school colors were pink and black, which was originally submitted by the student body at the time. They are now blue and white.

9. Penn State is in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide. It has the largest alumni network in the nation. 

10. Learn more about Penn State on social! Visit Facebook, Instagram, Twiter and YouTube.