The Penn Stater Magazine
@pennstatermag.com
The official magazine of the Penn State Alumni Association. Great stories about great Penn Staters.
Learning basic techniques for a cast is essential for anyone looking to get into fishing. Brenden Leahy, president of the PSU Bass Fishing Club, spent his summer as a fishing guide in Wyoming. He shares tips on how to make a great cast: pennstatermag.com/sports/chalk...
Chalk Talk: Brenden Leahy
The president of the Penn State Bass Fishing Club offers tips for perfecting your cast.
pennstatermag.com
October 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Learning basic techniques for a cast is essential for anyone looking to get into fishing. Brenden Leahy, president of the PSU Bass Fishing Club, spent his summer as a fishing guide in Wyoming. He shares tips on how to make a great cast: pennstatermag.com/sports/chalk...
A gathering to honor departing Penn Stater senior editor Savita Iyer made the magazine's online editor reflect on how large an impact one person can have. Read her tribute to a departing team member who became a good friend: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
The Heart Grows Fonder
One inevitability in any workplace, as in life, is that people will come and go.
pennstatermag.com
September 30, 2026 at 2:02 PM
A gathering to honor departing Penn Stater senior editor Savita Iyer made the magazine's online editor reflect on how large an impact one person can have. Read her tribute to a departing team member who became a good friend: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
Abigail Conrad is a junior majoring in public relations with minors in creative writing & American Sign Language. She says, “At Penn State, you get this big school, but you also have this small college where you make connections & have opportunities.” Read more: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
Everyday People: Abigail Conrad
Budding PR specialist Abigail Conrad helps clients reach audiences they care about.
pennstatermag.com
September 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Abigail Conrad is a junior majoring in public relations with minors in creative writing & American Sign Language. She says, “At Penn State, you get this big school, but you also have this small college where you make connections & have opportunities.” Read more: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
Set up as a nonprofit in 1969, the Renaissance Fund was a precursor to federal aid programs for low-income students. In 1977, PSU trustee & Renaissance Fund board member Mimi Barash Coppersmith ’54 Com proposed the idea of an annual Renaissance Fund dinner: pennstatermag.com/alumni/livin... #WeAre
A Living Legacy of Giving
For more than 50 years, Penn State’s Renaissance Fund has provided scholarships to talented students with financial need, many of whom continue to support the program long after graduation.
pennstatermag.com
September 23, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Set up as a nonprofit in 1969, the Renaissance Fund was a precursor to federal aid programs for low-income students. In 1977, PSU trustee & Renaissance Fund board member Mimi Barash Coppersmith ’54 Com proposed the idea of an annual Renaissance Fund dinner: pennstatermag.com/alumni/livin... #WeAre
PSU’s Consortium on Substance Use & Addiction, directed by Joel Segel, endeavors to bring evidence-based research on substance misuse & treatment to decision-makers in various PA counties to help them improve community health & safety. Read more: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe...
Q&A: Joel Segel
Joel Segel directs the Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction.
pennstatermag.com
September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
PSU’s Consortium on Substance Use & Addiction, directed by Joel Segel, endeavors to bring evidence-based research on substance misuse & treatment to decision-makers in various PA counties to help them improve community health & safety. Read more: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe...
Cooper Cousins remembers taking a tour of Beaver Stadium as a small boy and thinking, "This is where I need to be." Read more about the junior offensive lineman's favorite things, hopes for the season, and what his involvement with Team Impact means to him: pennstatermag.com/cousins #WeAre
Nittany Lion Spotlight: Cooper Cousins
The junior offensive lineman dishes on when he fell in love with State College, his relationship with a young fan, and his mental approach to the game.
pennstatermag.com
September 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Cooper Cousins remembers taking a tour of Beaver Stadium as a small boy and thinking, "This is where I need to be." Read more about the junior offensive lineman's favorite things, hopes for the season, and what his involvement with Team Impact means to him: pennstatermag.com/cousins #WeAre
A first-of-its-kind NASA mission called Dragonfly is set to launch toward Saturn’s moon Titan in 2028 to collect data on some of our biggest questions about life on & off Earth, & it’ll have Penn Staters’ fingerprints all over it. Read more: pennstatermag.com/alumni/fligh... #WeAre #PennStaterMag
Flight of Imagination
An array of Penn State alumni, faculty, and students have played an essential role in NASA’s upcoming Dragonfly mission, a groundbreaking exploration of Saturn’s largest moon in search of a new…
pennstatermag.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:30 PM
A first-of-its-kind NASA mission called Dragonfly is set to launch toward Saturn’s moon Titan in 2028 to collect data on some of our biggest questions about life on & off Earth, & it’ll have Penn Staters’ fingerprints all over it. Read more: pennstatermag.com/alumni/fligh... #WeAre #PennStaterMag
In our Sept/Oct 2001 issue, a young military captain shared the story of “The Last Mission” of State College’s 112th Air Control Squadron. After 9/11, the Air Force halted the 112th’s mission change & deployed them to assist with policing America’s skies: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
The Mission Continues
Marking 75 years of service, through challenges and change.
pennstatermag.com
September 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
In our Sept/Oct 2001 issue, a young military captain shared the story of “The Last Mission” of State College’s 112th Air Control Squadron. After 9/11, the Air Force halted the 112th’s mission change & deployed them to assist with policing America’s skies: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
From our January/February 2002 issue: A special In Memoriam feature dedicated to the 10 Penn Staters who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001: pennstatermag.com/alumni/remem...
September 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM
From our January/February 2002 issue: A special In Memoriam feature dedicated to the 10 Penn Staters who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001: pennstatermag.com/alumni/remem...
In memory of Matt Suhey, who died on Sept. 6, please revisit “Still Watching Out for Walter” from our Jan/Feb 2011 issue and read about the close friendship that developed between Suhey and Walter Payton, built on trust both on and off the field: pennstatermag.com/archives/sti... #WeAre
Still Watching Out for Walter
From our January/February 2011 issue: In 1985, Matt Suhey helped the Chicago Bears win the Super Bowl. But his enduring legacy in Chicago is not just as the lead blocker for the Bears’ Hall of Fame…
pennstatermag.com
September 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM
In memory of Matt Suhey, who died on Sept. 6, please revisit “Still Watching Out for Walter” from our Jan/Feb 2011 issue and read about the close friendship that developed between Suhey and Walter Payton, built on trust both on and off the field: pennstatermag.com/archives/sti... #WeAre
From student manager for the '83 season to head equip manager to Beaver Stadium’s events & facilities coordinator, Brad “Spider” Caldwell has spent 4+ decades with the Nittany Lions. Before retiring in July, he invited us to see some of the memories enshrined in his office: pennstatermag.com/spider
Keeper of the Flame
When Brad “Spider” Caldwell retired in July, it marked the formal end of his more than four decades as part of the Penn State football program. That run started when Caldwell ’86 H&HD joined the team…
pennstatermag.com
September 3, 2026 at 11:00 PM
From student manager for the '83 season to head equip manager to Beaver Stadium’s events & facilities coordinator, Brad “Spider” Caldwell has spent 4+ decades with the Nittany Lions. Before retiring in July, he invited us to see some of the memories enshrined in his office: pennstatermag.com/spider
The Sept/Oct ’26 issue is online now & includes an exploration of the many Penn Staters playing roles in NASA’s Dragonfly mission, the 50+ years legacy of the Renaissance Fund, & a look at rare keepsakes that football equip manager Brad “Spider” Caldwell has amassed in 4+ decades: pennstatermag.com
September 1, 2026 at 10:00 PM
The Sept/Oct ’26 issue is online now & includes an exploration of the many Penn Staters playing roles in NASA’s Dragonfly mission, the 50+ years legacy of the Renaissance Fund, & a look at rare keepsakes that football equip manager Brad “Spider” Caldwell has amassed in 4+ decades: pennstatermag.com
The mission of Penn State's Star Wars Club is to create an environment for all students at Penn State to connect, have fun, and share their love of Star Wars. Read more about the club in the Campus Life section of our July/Aug '26 issue: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
August 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM
The mission of Penn State's Star Wars Club is to create an environment for all students at Penn State to connect, have fun, and share their love of Star Wars. Read more about the club in the Campus Life section of our July/Aug '26 issue: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
On the first day of the fall 2026 semester, tell us: who was your first college friend? Check out answers by five alums: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/... #WeAre
August 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM
On the first day of the fall 2026 semester, tell us: who was your first college friend? Check out answers by five alums: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/... #WeAre
The serve can dictate the tone of a badminton match, so it’s important for skilled & backyard players alike to be proficient—& versatile. John He, VP of the Penn State Badminton Club, breaks down what goes into a successful serve, & when & how to change it up: pennstatermag.com/sports/chalk...
Chalk Talk: John He
How to serve excellence in a badminton match.
pennstatermag.com
August 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
The serve can dictate the tone of a badminton match, so it’s important for skilled & backyard players alike to be proficient—& versatile. John He, VP of the Penn State Badminton Club, breaks down what goes into a successful serve, & when & how to change it up: pennstatermag.com/sports/chalk...
"My grandfather, Jacob Cohen ’31 Bus, was the news editor of the Penn State Collegian newspaper in the summer of 1931...In recognition of his service...Jacob received a charm that found its way to me upon his passing..." Read more from Andrew Cohen '95 Com: pennstatermag.com/alumni/item-... #WeAre
Item of Note: July / August 2026
Commemorative charm from the Penn State Collegian, submitted by Andrew Cohen ’95 Com
pennstatermag.com
August 19, 2026 at 2:45 PM
"My grandfather, Jacob Cohen ’31 Bus, was the news editor of the Penn State Collegian newspaper in the summer of 1931...In recognition of his service...Jacob received a charm that found its way to me upon his passing..." Read more from Andrew Cohen '95 Com: pennstatermag.com/alumni/item-... #WeAre
From our May/June '76 issue: Today, Pennsylvania produces more ice cream than any other state. And, believe it or not, just about every ice cream company in the world has a Penn State connection. Read more: pennstatermag.com/icecream
August 13, 2026 at 1:02 PM
From our May/June '76 issue: Today, Pennsylvania produces more ice cream than any other state. And, believe it or not, just about every ice cream company in the world has a Penn State connection. Read more: pennstatermag.com/icecream
In historian Amanda Scott’s HIST 492 class, students learn that witches weren’t “warty old women stirring cauldrons," & how the 16th and 17th century fears of heretics, religious minorities, & other persecuted people factored into perceived witchcraft . Read more: pennstatermag.com/hist492 #WeAre
Cool Class: HIST 492 Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe
Students in Amanda Scott's HIST 492 study the portrayal of witches in 16th and 17th century Europe.
pennstatermag.com
August 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM
In historian Amanda Scott’s HIST 492 class, students learn that witches weren’t “warty old women stirring cauldrons," & how the 16th and 17th century fears of heretics, religious minorities, & other persecuted people factored into perceived witchcraft . Read more: pennstatermag.com/hist492 #WeAre
One of the university’s most beloved destinations was dedicated in 2010, but it was more than three decades in the making by that point. Read our Campus Life section for more on the Arboretum's origin story: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
August 10, 2026 at 3:00 PM
One of the university’s most beloved destinations was dedicated in 2010, but it was more than three decades in the making by that point. Read our Campus Life section for more on the Arboretum's origin story: pennstatermag.com/campus-life/...
Alums, what was your favorite Beaver Stadium tradition? Share with us for a chance to be included in a future issue's Reminiscing page.
August 4, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Alums, what was your favorite Beaver Stadium tradition? Share with us for a chance to be included in a future issue's Reminiscing page.
Writing your obituary in advance of your demise is a favor to your survivors and could be a way to control your legacy, says R. Thomas Berner is a Penn State professor emeritus of journalism and American studies. Read more: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
Who Tells Your Story?
Sharing creative life lessons from the crypt.
pennstatermag.com
August 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Writing your obituary in advance of your demise is a favor to your survivors and could be a way to control your legacy, says R. Thomas Berner is a Penn State professor emeritus of journalism and American studies. Read more: pennstatermag.com/my-thoughts-...
PSU has long been a pioneer in world-changing innovations. Across 100+ research centers/institutes, faculty & students are driving discoveries that create economic opportunities, inspire startups, & save lives. Penn State research is not one story, but many: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe... #WeAre
Broad Expertise, Big Impact
Encompassing colleges and campuses across the entire university system, the scope of Penn State’s world-class research enterprise holds the potential to boost economies, cure diseases, and alter…
pennstatermag.com
July 29, 2026 at 2:45 PM
PSU has long been a pioneer in world-changing innovations. Across 100+ research centers/institutes, faculty & students are driving discoveries that create economic opportunities, inspire startups, & save lives. Penn State research is not one story, but many: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe... #WeAre
Architects often see sustainability as an ecological problem, but social sustainability is foundational for ecological & economic sustainability, says architecture prof Alexandra Staub. Read about how her research might make our built environments more inclusive: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe...
Q&A: Alexandra Staub
Alexandra Staub studies social sustainability in architecture.
pennstatermag.com
July 28, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Architects often see sustainability as an ecological problem, but social sustainability is foundational for ecological & economic sustainability, says architecture prof Alexandra Staub. Read about how her research might make our built environments more inclusive: pennstatermag.com/faculty-expe...
Since its launch in 2018, PSU’s Fostering Lions Program has helped nearly 200 students from foster care manage the challenges of college life—challenges for which they often lack support. Now, the program’s leadership is focused on maximizing what works: pennstatermag.com/collections/... #WeAre
July 23, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Since its launch in 2018, PSU’s Fostering Lions Program has helped nearly 200 students from foster care manage the challenges of college life—challenges for which they often lack support. Now, the program’s leadership is focused on maximizing what works: pennstatermag.com/collections/... #WeAre
Natalie Freeman is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who led the PSU field hockey team in goals & points in 2025. Read more about how she chose Penn State, who her biggest influence is, what she admires about her new coach, & what the future might hold for her: pennstatermag.com/freeman #WeAre
Nittany Lion Spotlight: Natalie Freeman
Field hockey’s top returning scorer shares why Penn State was the place for her and why she’s excited about her new coach.
pennstatermag.com
July 20, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Natalie Freeman is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who led the PSU field hockey team in goals & points in 2025. Read more about how she chose Penn State, who her biggest influence is, what she admires about her new coach, & what the future might hold for her: pennstatermag.com/freeman #WeAre