The Arboretum at Penn State; Photo by Cody Goddard

The Arboretum at Penn State; Photo by Cody Goddard

University Park is the largest of Penn State's campuses and home to the University's central administration, its renowned graduate and undergraduate programs, visual and performing arts, and the NCAA Division I athletics programs. 

The 13-square-mile campus is home to more than 46,000 graduate, professional and undergraduate students, as well as more than 12,000 full-time faculty and staff. The University Park campus is pedestrian and bike friendly and features a mix of historic classroom buildings, cutting-edge modern architecture, and beautifully landscaped outdoor areas. 

Known as Happy Valley, State College and its surrounding boroughs offer many of the amenities of a quintessential college town in a clean, welcoming and multi-cultural community. State College is just a few hours' drive from New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. State College is consistently ranked among the nation's smartest, safest, and most livable cities. Nearly every neighborhood is within walking distance of a city park, and the surrounding areas have an abundance of agro-tourism and educational options, such as Shaver's Creek, Millbrook Marsh, and the Pasto Agricultural Museum. Budding scientists will love the Discovery Space science museum. 

Outdoors enthusiast? Learn more about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's vast network of state parks, many just a short drive from University Park: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/Pages/default.aspx

Foodies and sports fans can check out the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau for information on upcoming events: https://happyvalley.com. And don't miss the world-class performers who visit the Center for Performing Arts.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs maintains a helpful list of information regarding schools, real estate, shopping and other resources of interest for those moving to the area: www.research.psu.edu/opa/movingtostatecollege .