UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s iconic S-Zone is a staple of college football and has taken many forms over the years. This year, thanks to the Lion Ambassadors, the Penn State Alumni Association’s student alumni corps, the S-Zone will be a banner stretching across 800 seats above the team tunnel at Beaver Stadium.
Through a partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association, Blue & White Society, and Lion Ambassadors, the banner will honor the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 and feature the names of members of those classes.
“Over the years, the S-Zone has taken many forms. From flip cards to the shakers and T-shirts, the iconic 'S' in the middle of the south end zone continues to serve as the symbol of pride and support from students, alumni and fans,” said Andy Mader, president of the Lion Ambassadors and a member of the Class of 2021.
“Although we cannot physically gather in Beaver Stadium at the moment, Lion Ambassadors is committed to providing the same support. We are excited to carry on this longstanding tradition with the ability to recognize the classes of 2020 and 2021 that have helped guide Penn State through this challenging year.”
This S-Zone banner is designed to celebrate and pay homage to both of these classes, who saw their Penn State experiences altered significantly in this past year. In the absence of fans, it also will help to show support for Penn State's student-athletes and coaches who will compete in Beaver Stadium this season.
The banner will be in place for the Nittany Lions’ matchup with Ohio State on Oct. 31 and will remain visible in Beaver Stadium through the end of this 2020 season.
“The members of the classes of 2020 and 2021 have been in the hearts and on the minds of Penn State alumni. Many have expressed genuine concern for the way the final year of their Penn State student experience has been altered in UNRIVALED ways. Throughout the pandemic, the Alumni Association has continued to look for ways to lift up these Penn Staters and help them feel the power of the Penn State network,” Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford ’20g said.
“In this small but visible way, the Alumni Association is putting the names of members of the classes of 2020 and 2021 in the iconic S-Zone to support their classmates on the field and to show the world who has college football’s greatest student section — with or without fans in attendance!”
For an additional presence in the stadium, interested students, alumni and fans can purchase cutouts of themselves to be placed inside Beaver Stadium for the entire 2020 football season as part of the Virtual Valley Experience. More information on fan cutouts can be found here.