Penn State Harrisburg

09/10/2026

Gibran Jones, class of 2008, shares where his degree has taken him - and the important role he sees as Penn State Harrisburg playing in the region's future.

Stay tuned for more alumni spotlight videos as we celebrate Penn State Harrisburg's 60th anniversary!

More on the 60th anniversary here: https://sites.psu.edu/hbgtimeline/

Penn State Harrisburg Alumni and Friends

09/10/2026

Counseling and Psychological Services held a mental heath resource fair yesterday to help connect students with resources and services on campus and in the surrounding community.

A candlelight vigil to honor and remember those affected by su***de will be held tonight, Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. on Vartan Plaza.

Students can visit DiscoverEast to learn more about events happening throughout September for Su***de Prevention Month.

09/09/2026

Making connections at the Involvement Fair!

See more photos on our Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/penn-state-harrisburg/albums

09/09/2026

Trisha Campanaro recently became the first student to earn a doctorate in engineering and computing systems from Penn State Harrisburg, marking a milestone for the program that began in 2023.

Campanaro defended her dissertation in June and graduated in August, which coincided with Penn State celebrating the University's one millionth degree awarded.

“It's kind of now hitting me how cool and special the timing is,” Campanaro said, noting that in addition to being the first graduate of her program, she's also graduating during Penn State Harrisburg's 60th anniversary. “That's a pretty neat milestone for everybody.”

Trisha Campanaro recently became the first student to earn a doctorate in engineering and computing systems from Penn State Harrisburg, marking a milestone for the program that began in 2023.

09/08/2026

L. Marvin Overby, professor of political science at Penn State Harrisburg, has been appointed the C. Judson King Endowed Visiting Professor at American University of Armenia (AUA) for the fall and spring semesters.

He said in a story from AUA that his longstanding commitment to international education was one of the reasons he was drawn to the visiting professorship.

“I believe in the transcendent value of international education. Living and working in an international environment encourages me to consider the American experience not in isolation but in comparative perspective, and to fold that perspective into my courses and research,” he said.

Read more about Dr. Overby's research and teaching in the link.

Dr. Overby is a professor of political science at Penn State University (PSU) and served as director of PSU’s School of Public Affairs.

09/02/2026

Ever wonder what the early days of the campus bathtub races looked like?

Bernard Dymond, Penn State Harrisburg class of 1975, shared this video from the 1974 bathtub races with our Alumni Relations office when he attended his 50th class reunion last year.

The bathtub race tradition started in 1972. Students designed their tubs-on-wheels themselves, Dymond remembered, and took turns pushing them through different portions of the race. The original races took a longer route around campus than the roughly 50-yard dash that takes place today.

As a student, Dymond, who earned a degree in electrical engineering technology, and his wife, Pamela, lived in what was then married student housing (now the Educational Activities Building). After earning his degree, Dymond spent years as an electrical engineer and later design engineer for numerous companies, retiring in 2020.

Bathtub races will be part of the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration! Find more details here: https://sites.psu.edu/hbgtimeline/60th-anniversary-celebration-weekend/

Penn State Harrisburg Alumni and Friends

08/29/2026

The U.S. is experiencing a nursing shortage – find out how you can join this growing profession and make a difference!

The Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing Second Degree Program at Penn State Harrisburg is an accelerated, 16-month program designed for anyone seeking a nursing career who already holds a bachelor’s degree in another field.

Learn more about the program at an upcoming virtual information sessions. Email [email protected] for details and the Zoom link.

The next information session are:
Monday, August 31, 2026, 12-1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 6-7:30 p.m.

More information: https://harrisburg.psu.edu/story/56441/2026/02/19/virtual-information-sessions-set-second-degree-nursing-program

08/28/2026

What a week! Hope everyone had a great start to the semester.

08/26/2026