From Everywhere to Here: The Beautiful Diversity of State College

One of my favorite things about living in State College? You can meet the world without ever leaving town. Just being in our store on Calder Way, I meet so many people from so many places!

Thanks to Penn State’s main campus, our little corner of Pennsylvania is home to students, faculty, and families from all over—different states, different countries, and every kind of background you can imagine. That mix of people is part of what makes life here so interesting (and fun!!).

From Coast to Coast

Walk across campus or down College Avenue and you’ll hear accents from every corner of the U.S.—from Philly to California, Texas to New England, and everywhere in between. Some students grew up just a few miles away; others are here for the very first time, swapping ocean views or desert sunsets for the beauty of Happy Valley.

From All Around the World

Penn State is truly global. We have students from China, India, South Korea, Brazil, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Germany—you name it. On any given day, you might be chatting with someone who’s celebrating a holiday you’ve never even heard of, introducing you to a food you’ve never tried, or teaching you how to say "HI!" in another language.

Heck, I'm originally from Mississippi, and I introduce my friends to new "isms" all the time! Bless their hearts (in the good way!).

How It Shapes State College

That’s one of the coolest things about being here. The mix of cultures, traditions, and perspectives keeps our town fresh and full of energy.

It’s also in the friendships you form. You start to see that even though we may come from totally different places, we can still bond over a good meal, shared Penn State pride, or trying to figure out just how many layers you need to survive a State College winter.

Our Common Ground

At the end of the day, everyone here - whether you’ve been in State College your whole life or just stepped off a plane for the first time - becomes part of the same story. We cheer together at Beaver Stadium, we fill the streets during Arts Fest, and we make Happy Valley feel like home.

Here at Town Pride State College, we celebrate that mix of people, stories, and traditions. Because it’s not just where we’re from that matters - it’s where we’ve come together.