Campus Life

(Virtual) Things to Do at Penn State: April 16-23

A selection of virtual events happening across Penn State this weekend and next week

The Palmer Museum of Art is offering a number of virtual talks and online exhibits, including "Photography=Abstraction," which is available through June 30. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the free virtual events taking place at the University this weekend and next week:

Events

Undergraduate ExhibitionApril 15-17, https://undergradresearch.psu.edu. The Undergraduate Exhibition moves to a virtual format to showcase students' performances and research presentations.

2020 Blue-White Virtual Tailgate 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., April 18. Penn State Athletics is hosting a virtual tailgate for football fans to gather online with events throughout the late morning and early afternoon. Registration required.

Monday Movie Night: "A Wing and a Prayer" 6 p.m., April 20, https://bellisario.psu.edu/monday-movie-night. The Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications is showcasing "A Wing and a Prayer," a critically acclaimed PBS documentary that tells the story of World War II aviators who risked their lives and freedom in the late 1940s to prevent what they viewed as a second Holocaust, followed by a discussion of the film. 

Penn State Creates: Epic Zoom Backgrounds — 3-4:30 p.m., April 22, via Zoom. Become the envy of all your co-workers while unleashing your creative energy to design a dynamic Zoom background! Join Teaching and Learning with Technology’s Media Commons for some laughs as you learn to create a Zoom background video. Required tools for the session include Zoom, the free Adobe Creative Cloud account available to Penn State students, faculty and staff, and a tablet or smartphone with Adobe Rush installed.

Performances

"Streaming Passion" 7 p.m., April 16, https://theatre.psu.edu/pscsvirtual. Penn State Centre Stage Virtual will present Marc Palmieri's live new play, "Streaming Passion" — a comedic tale about the "Passion Play" being rehearsed via Zoom.

Lectures

Dean's Lecture Series: Perspectives on the Pandemic — Esther Chernak — 4 p.m., April 16, via Zoom. Esther Chernak, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health, Drexel University School of Public Health and the Drexel University College of Medicine, and director of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication at Drexel, will provide a comparison of data on the epidemic in Pennsylvania versus other states, offer a framework for the theoretical range of public health/health care response options, highlight some response strategies from other parts of the country/world, and focus on the public health/health care response here in the commonwealth.

"Coronavirus and International Affairs Roundtable" 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., April 17, via Zoom. The discussion brings together experts in law and international affairs from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean.  Registration required.

Penn State All-Sports Museum Virtual Chat — 1:30 p.m., April 17, via Zoom. Former women's volleyball player Maggie Harding and former football player Jim Nelson will discuss their time at Penn State and where they are now. Registration required.

Free Your Mind — Phil Yu4 p.m., April 17, Paul Robeson Cultural Center Instragram account @psuprcc. Phil Yu, founder and editor of the popular Asian American news/culture blog "Angry Asian Man" will discuss recent acts of discrimination and xenophobia against individuals of Asian descent.

Virtual Gallery Talks — "African Brilliance: A Diplomat's Sixty Years of Collecting" 11 a.m., April 20, via Zoom. William Dewey, associate professor of art history, will be featured.

EarthTalks: David Yoxtheimer4 p.m., April 20, via Zoom. David Yoxtheimer, assistant research professor and extension specialist, will discuss the science and technology of shale energy development, and how to combine research, policy and technology to mitigate the environmental issues while meeting society's energy needs.

Virtual Q&A with Saquon Barkley6:30 p.m., April 20. The Penn State Student Programming Association will host a virtual Q&A with New York Giants running back and former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley. Registration required.

"Radiocarbon Universe: Fundamentals of Radiocarbon"11 a.m., April 21. Brendan Culleton, scientist in Penn State's Radiocarbon Lab, will present "Fundamentals of Radiocarbon" in this new webinar series about radiocarbon dating from the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories. Registration required.

"Talking to Youth about COVID-19: Starting the Conversation and Keeping it Going"Noon, April 21. Dr. Jessica Mattingly, child and adolescent psychologist in the College of Medicine, will discuss how parents can learn how to start the conversation about COVID-19 with their children, what to discuss and how to maintain an open line of communication with their child. Registration required.

NASA astronaut Eileen Collins 7 p.m., April 21. The Penn State Student Programming Association will host a virtual lecture by Eileen Collins. Registration required.

"Personal Finance in the World of COVID-19"8 p.m., April 21. The Alumni Association and the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center are hosting a webinar with panelists to discuss personal finance during the pandemic. Registration required.

Coffee Hour with Paul Clifford9 a.m., April 22. Paul Clifford, CEO of the Penn State Alumni Association hosts a coffee hour featuring guest Melany Mazaleski, president of the Blue and White Society. Registration required.

Virtual Gallery Talks: "Grounded: Environments in Flux" 1 p.m., April 22, via Zoom. Melissa Leaym-Fernandez, doctoral candidate in art education and women's gender and sexuality studies, will be featured.

"Penn State's 1935 Female 'Letter "Man"' and New Frontiers in the History of Women's Intercollegiate Sport in the United States" — 1:30 p.m., April 22, via Zoom. The Penn State All-Sports Museum, in partnership with the Penn State Center for Sports In Society, with Mark Dyreson and Tommy Slotcavage. Registration required.

Dean's Lecture Series: Perspectives on the Pandemic — Yuanli Liu — 4 p.m., April 23, via Zoom. Yuanli Liu, dean of the School of Public Health at Peking Union Medical College will provide a comprehensive review of the major interventions undertaken in China in response to COVID-19 and will extract lessons that can be learned from China by other countries.

Exhibits

HUB-Robeson Galleries — Visitors to the HUB-Robeson Galleries online exhibitions can explore photographs, videos, interviews and more.

"African Brilliance: A Diplomat's Sixty Years of Collecting"Through May 24, http://exhibitions.psu.edu/s/african-brilliance/page/welcome. A presentation of a wide-ranging selection of African art from the collection of Ambassador Allen Davis, featuring art from West, Central and East Africa.

"Drawing on a Legacy: Highlights from the John Driscoll American Drawings Collection" — Through June 7, http://exhibitions.psu.edu/s/drawing-on-a-legacy/page/welcome1. The exhibition spotlights 30 watercolors and drawings from a diverse group of 19th-century American artists.

"Photography=Abstraction"Through June 30, here. This virtual pop-up exhibition is an interactive gallery with images, text and informational videos for selected works. Once “inside,” explore by using your mouse or touch screen to click the navigational buttons included throughout the presentation as you tour the virtual gallery. 

Last Updated April 22, 2020