Penn State Altoona
Encyclopedia
Penn State Altoona is a commonwealth campus
of The Pennsylvania State University
. It is located in Logan Township
, Pennsylvania
, just outside of Altoona, Pennsylvania
, although some of its buildings are located in the heart of Altoona's downtown.
, president of the Pennsylvania State College, to support an undergraduate center in Altoona. In July, the citizen’s committee launched a campaign to raise money to renovate an abandoned grade school building to house the new center. More than $5,000 was raised from 8,000 local contributors in only two months. The college opened its doors to just 119 freshmen and nine faculty members. Sixty-eight years later, Penn State Altoona numbers keep growing, with more students graduating each spring.
₭ over 4100 total students
៛ 569 faculty and staff
₮ 18 baccalaureate degrees
₮ 8 associate degrees
₮ 18 minors
₮ 15 varsity athletic teams
₮ 76 clubs, student organizations, fraternities and sororities
₮ 4 residence halls
Penn State Altoona offers internships, research programs and study abroad programs along with continuing education and training. Students can complete their degrees at Penn State Altoona or transfer to another Penn State location.
One student activity is the Altoona Film Series. It takes place at 7pm on Sundays at the Devorris Downtown Center.
, Phi Sigma Kappa
, and the only real fraternity Sigma Pi
. There are also two sororities: Gamma Phi Beta
and Alpha Sigma Tau
.
There are also several off campus housing locations, the most popular of which is Nittany Pointe.
In addition to housing on campus, there is a cafe on campus called 'Port Sky Cafe' which serves food from hamburgers and French fries to more varied foods. In the Slep Student Center building, there is a popular small coffee shop called "Common Grounds" as well as "Coasters Coffee Bar" located in the Hawthorn Classroom Building. There are also a few fast food restaurants within a mile radius of the campus as well. The campus is located less than two miles from downtown Altoona
.
Pennsylvania State University Commonwealth Campus
The Pennsylvania State University is a geographically dispersed university system with campuses located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
of The Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. It is located in Logan Township
Logan Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Logan Township is a township in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,925 at the 2000 census...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, just outside of Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
, although some of its buildings are located in the heart of Altoona's downtown.
History
In 1939, a citizen’s committee led by the Altoona Chamber of Commerce Chairman at the time convinced Ralph D. HetzelRalph Dorn Hetzel
Ralph Dorn Hetzel was the tenth president of the Pennsylvania State University, serving from 1927 until 1947...
, president of the Pennsylvania State College, to support an undergraduate center in Altoona. In July, the citizen’s committee launched a campaign to raise money to renovate an abandoned grade school building to house the new center. More than $5,000 was raised from 8,000 local contributors in only two months. The college opened its doors to just 119 freshmen and nine faculty members. Sixty-eight years later, Penn State Altoona numbers keep growing, with more students graduating each spring.
₭ over 4100 total students
៛ 569 faculty and staff
₮ 18 baccalaureate degrees
₮ 8 associate degrees
₮ 18 minors
₮ 15 varsity athletic teams
₮ 76 clubs, student organizations, fraternities and sororities
₮ 4 residence halls
Penn State Altoona offers internships, research programs and study abroad programs along with continuing education and training. Students can complete their degrees at Penn State Altoona or transfer to another Penn State location.
Baccalaureate Degrees
- Biology, B.S.
- Business, B.S.
- Communications, B.A.
- Criminal Justice, B.S.
- Criminal Justice, B.A.
- Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology, B.S.
- Elementary and Kindergarten Education, B.S
- English, B.A.
- Environmental Studies, B.A.
- History, B.A.
- Human Development & Family Studies, B.S.
- Integrative Arts, B.A.
- Letters, Arts & Sciences, B.A.
- Mathematics, B.S.
- Mathematics, B.A.
- Nursing, R.N./B.S.
- Organizational Leadership
- Political Science, B.A.
- Psychology, B.S.
- Psychology, B.A.
- Security and Risk Analysis, B.S.
- Science, B.S.
Associate Degrees
- Business Administration
- Criminal Justice
- Electrical Engineering Technology
- Human Development & Family Studies
- Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Nursing
- Science
Student life
Currently there are over 75 Active Student Groups on campus, including five fraternities, and two sororities, the Black Student Union, Christian Student Fellowship, Students About Living the Truth, Psychology Club etc. The student groups are overseen by the Student Government Association, whose other duties include improvement of campus, student advocacy, and distributing money to groups. Student Life also includes many planned events, speakers and musicians, as well as plenty of student organization run events.One student activity is the Altoona Film Series. It takes place at 7pm on Sundays at the Devorris Downtown Center.
Greek life
Currently there are three fraternities including AcaciaAcacia Fraternity
Acacia Fraternity is a Greek social fraternity originally based out of Masonic tradition. At its founding in 1904, membership was originally restricted to those who had taken the Masonic obligations, and the organization was built on those ideals and principles. Within one year, four other Masonic...
, Phi Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Kappa
-Phi Sigma Kappa's Creed and Cardinal Principles:The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles.-World War II:The...
, and the only real fraternity Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi is an international college secret and social fraternity founded in 1897 at Vincennes University. Sigma Pi International fraternity currently has 127 chapters and 4 colonies in the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee...
. There are also two sororities: Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta is an international sorority that was founded on November 11, 1874, at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The term "sorority," meaning sisterhood, was coined for Gamma Phi Beta by Dr. Frank Smalley, a professor at Syracuse University.The four founders are Helen M. Dodge,...
and Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau is a national Panhellenic sorority founded on November 4, 1899, at Michigan State Normal College...
.
Housing and Food
Penn State Altoona offers its students on campus housing during the fall and spring semesters (not available in the summer). These housing options include:- Oak Hall - Built in 1964, Oak Hall is a traditional residence hall which, along with Maple Hall, houses the majority of freshmen who live on campus. There are two students per room and the halls are coed by wing. There are Resident Assistants, who live on each floor, who serve as student counselors to the residents of the floor.
- Maple Hall - Built in 1970, Maple Hall is a traditional residence hall which, along with Oak Hall, houses the majority of freshmen who live on campus. There are two students per room and the halls are coed by wing. There are Resident Assistants, who live on each floor, who serve as student counselors to the residents of the floor.
- Spruce Hall - Built in 1987, Spruce Hall consists of suites: four students share two bedrooms and a private bathroom. Spruce Hall is reserved mostly for sophomores. Residence life staff office space is also located here.
- Cedar Hall - Built in 1997, Cedar Hall houses 320 students, includes living space for professional residence life staff, office space, and a guest staff/faculty apartment. The rooms in each hall are furnished with two single beds, two desks, two dressers, closet space, cable TV,and a small microwave/refrigerator/freezer. Vending machines and coin operated laundry machines are located in each hall. The lounge contains a TV and study, and professional staff members are available for the residence halls.
There are also several off campus housing locations, the most popular of which is Nittany Pointe.
In addition to housing on campus, there is a cafe on campus called 'Port Sky Cafe' which serves food from hamburgers and French fries to more varied foods. In the Slep Student Center building, there is a popular small coffee shop called "Common Grounds" as well as "Coasters Coffee Bar" located in the Hawthorn Classroom Building. There are also a few fast food restaurants within a mile radius of the campus as well. The campus is located less than two miles from downtown Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
.