It was a week full of celebration in Happy Valley with homecoming in full swing. Various events and activities took place for students and alumni to gather together in honor of 100 years of returning to campus. VALLEY has the scoop on all things fun that happened during Penn State’s Century of Stories homecoming festivities.
Allen Street Jam and Dance Competition
On Monday, Allen Street was filled with local food vendors and businesses, showing their Penn State pride and love for Happy Valley. Student-run dance organizations participated in the dance competition, showing off their talent for all to see. Members of the student court were also present, taking part in all activities. “This year’s Homecoming theme, ‘A Century of Stories,’ truly resonated with me; it represented the eclectic experiences that all Penn Staters have,” Connor Pardoe, a member of the 2019 student court, said. “This week, by being a part of the 2019 student court, I was able to reflect on my story, hear about other’s story, and celebrate Penn State’s story.”
For the Glory Talent Show
On Tuesday night, homecoming pairings, along with student organizations and other participants took part in the For the Glory Talent Show. Penn State Dance Alliance came out on top and won. Lion Ambassadors and Coda Conduct also placed in the talent show.
Best of Penn State Carnival
On Thursday, the Best of Penn State Carnival took place on the HUB lawn. It was put on as, “a carnival where the Penn State community can come together and have fun.” There were carnival games and rides, a merchandise sale, food, voting for the 2019 student court and even an escape room!
Parade Night
On Friday night, students, alumni and members of the Penn State community gathered together to celebrate the parade. The parade took place throughout campus and on College Avenue downtown, featuring floats from various student organizations, homecoming pairings and others. Members of the student and faculty courts also participated, riding on the back of cars throughout campus and downtown.
Football Game vs Purdue
Finally, on Saturday afternoon, the Penn State Nittany Lions took on the Purdue University Boilermakers. The Nittany Lions came out on top and beat Purdue 35-7. The 2019 homecoming executive committee, as well as the student court and faculty court took the field during halftime to recognize the winners.
“The University’s proud past and hopeful future is founded in the individual narratives and they will serve as stepping stones to a great Penn State for the next century to come,” Pardoe said about his experience being a member of the student court. “This week, I was able to truly understand the uniqueness of being a Penn Stater and proudly represent the many Penn State narratives, that make up our ‘We’ in the We are … Penn State.”
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