State College, PA
Founded in 1855
Pennsylvania State University, commonly known as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with 24 campuses across Pennsylvania, with University Park (PA) being its most well-known and largest flagship campus, often referred to as "Happy Valley." The university also has international campuses in Australia, Germany, and China. Penn State has over 40,000 undergraduate students, making it the largest university in the United States by student enrollment. Founded in 1855, its mission was to combine teaching, research, and public service in one university. The university offers nearly 1000 student clubs, allowing students to explore their personal interests during their academic careers. Additionally, Pennsylvania's natural environment supports various sports such as hiking, biking, skiing, and water sports, with numerous parks and ski resorts nearby enriching student life. Penn State offers more than 160 academic programs across approximately 19 colleges, including notable ones such as the College of Education, the College of Engineering, and the Smeal College of Business. The Nittany Lions, the university's sports teams, are members of NCAA Division I and the Big Ten Conference, excelling in sports such as volleyball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, American football, cross country, fencing, boxing, track and field, and swimming. The university ranks 8th among more than 1,000 U.S. four-year institutions in total athletic success. Every year, the football games at Beaver Stadium draw over 100,000 fans. The university's mascot, the Nittany Lion, is named after Mount Nittany, located near the university and home to wild mountain lions. As a result, the school's flag features an image of the mountain lion, and a large statue of the lion stands on campus. Notable alumni include CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, Nike CEO Mark Parker, Macintosh development project participant Jef Raskin, and many other entrepreneurs, politicians, media figures, and sportspeople.