Nominations are now being accepted for the 2017-18 Penn State York Advising Award. Students may submit nominations for the award which is presented at the Academic Awards Program in April of each year. Nominations that were previously submitted during the fall 2017 semester will be combined with nominations for spring 2018, and a winner will be selected. Deadline is March 5.

It’s the year of the dog and Penn State York is celebrating Chinese New Year on Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 12-1 p.m., with a variety of activities, food, and more. The festivities, in the Conference Center of the Main Classroom Building, are free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Penn State York Diversity Committee and the Multicultural Club.

It was a little before her fourth birthday that Thalia Splawn, now 20, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Just five years later, Splawn was in remission, and in 2011 was declared cancer-free. Splawn, along with two other Penn State York students, Casey Dierdorff and Paulina Martinez, will represent their campus in the fight against pediatric cancer at The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately known as THON, Feb. 16-18 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Writers of fiction, poetry and drama interested in having their work published or performed should plan to enter the Penn State York Literary Competition sponsored by the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center (The Pullo Center) and “Any Other Word,” the campus’ online literary magazine. This competition is open to Penn State York students.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2017-18 James H. Burness Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is given annually to recognize any aspect of excellent instruction (lectures, demonstrations, classroom activities, handling of discussions, individual attention, laboratory instruction, etc.) that contributes to the academic quality of Penn State York.

February brings two exciting ticketed shows to Penn State York’s Pullo Family Performing Arts Center (The Pullo Center). “Musical Thrones: A Parody of Ice and Fire,” Feb. 11, and 'Gobsmacked!', Feb. 15, with both performances at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still available.

Robots were in action on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Penn State York when 36 teams of middle and high school students from across Pennsylvania, and one from New Jersey, took part in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) South Central PA Regional Qualifier, a daylong robotics competition. The event took place in the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center at York campus.

Nazu African Dance will take to the stage at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 when Penn State York’s free cultural series continues in the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center (The Pullo Center) on campus. No tickets are needed for this performance sponsored by the Penn State York Student Affairs Office.

First Relic Recovery is the name of the game when 36 teams of middle and high school students from across Pennsylvania participate in the FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) South Central PA Regional Qualifier, robotics competition, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Penn State York.

Penn State York will again honor Maddie Hill during the second annual Maddie Hill Basketball Games on Jan. 19 at Penn State York. Hill was 19 when she died in June 2016 after battling cancer three times. The ceremony, scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m., will be held between the women’s and men’s basketball games in the campus gym in the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center.

“Where Do We Go From Here” is the topic of a presentation set for Jan. 23, at Penn State York. Carlos Wiley, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center at University Park, will be the featured speaker at 12:15 p.m. in Room 3 (lecture hall) in the John J. Romano Administration Building. The program, sponsored by the Penn State York Cultural Diversity and Enrichment Committee, is free and open to the public.