Benjamin P. Blasingame, a pioneer in the development of the U.S. Air Force's early Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems who was named a 1970 Distinguished Alumnus of Penn State, was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Hall of Fame on Aug. 11, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colo. He has made several lasting and significant contributions to Air Force Space and Missile programs, according to an Air Force spokesperson, and created the department of aeronautics and astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Paul Levine's career history covers a spectrum of fields, from newspaper reporter, to trial lawyer, to law school teacher, to television writer, to his current full-time job, novelist. He has created several book series with well-known characters, starting with the linebacker turned hard-nosed lawyer Jake Lassiter, who features in seven books. In his latest book, "Illegal," Levine introduces readers to Jimmy (Royal) Payne, who Levine describes as a down-and-out L.A. lawyer who gets caught up in the "shadowy world of human trafficking and sexual slavery." Levine offers a first-person account of the inspiration behind his newest title.

Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Charles Bierbauer is scheduled to speak 4 p.m. Friday (Feb. 27) in 102 Thomas Building, University Park, as part of the opening ceremony of the 2009 Penn State Model United Nations Conference. The speech -- which is sponsored by the Penn State International Affairs and Debate Association, the College of Communications, the College of the Liberal Arts and the Schreyer Honors College -- is free and open to the public.