Artifacts Celebrate Penn State-Lehigh Valley 100th Anniversary

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (December 14, 2011) -- The Gallery at Penn State Lehigh Valley will continue the celebration of the campus centennial with an exhibit highlighting the history of the campus. The exhibit will run from Jan. 16-Feb. 11, 2012, and is free and open to the public. A reception sponsored by Penn State Lehigh Valley alumni will be held Feb. 2, 2012, from 6-8 p.m.

In 1912, Penn State Lehigh Valley, then known as the Allentown Extension, opened its doors as one of the first permanent technical centers of The Pennsylvania State University, and has the distinction of being the oldest continuously-running campus outside of University Park. While the campus name and location have changed over the years, its mission has not – still emphasizing Penn State's original land-grant institution mission of offering lifelong learning opportunities to the community.

 This new exhibit will chronicle the campus' history through artifacts that depict, among other things, its early days as an engineering extension, its support of training women for the war effort during WWII, and examples of student life throughout the last century.

 The exhibition is free and open to the public. The gallery is located on the third floor of the campus at 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley. Gallery hours are Monday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday noon-5 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday noon-6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For an appointment, or for more information, please contact Ann Lalik, gallery director, at 610-285-5261 or e-mail annlalik@psu.edu.