The AI Mirror Test: Why Engineering Education Must Change Now or Risk Irrelevance
Engineering employers have repeated the same frustration for more than fifty years. New graduates struggle to communicate effectively. Despite endless revisions to writing instruction and presentation formats, the complaint remains unchanged. After decades of studying engineering communication and observing how young engineers transition into practice, I believe we have been solving the wrong problem.
What Would You Miss Most?
March 18, 2026 We asked a simple question. If you moved away tomorrow, what would you miss most? The responses told a clear story about Happy Valley. People don’t just live here. They belong here. It Starts with the People Many answers began the same way. The people. Friends who became family. Neighbors who know […]
March 18-24: Something for Everyone in Happy Valley
Happy Valley doesn’t have a shortage of things to do. It has a shortage of ways to be in two places at once. It’s a good problem to have!
Whether you’re into live music, theatre, the outdoors, or sporting events, there’s plenty to get out for this week.
This Week’s Connect Happy Valley eLetter
Click image below to open email link, or view the PDF.
How It’s Made in a Blue White Zone
The other day, the TV show How It’s Made stopped me in my kitchen. One segment showed the Fisher Space Pen being assembled for use in space. Another walked through Dutch clogs carved from poplar, dried, and finished by hand. Slow. Precise. Weirdly soothing.
Then I caught myself wondering. Does anyone under 30 care how a space pen works or how clogs are made? Do they even know these things exist?
Why People Love Happy Valley
Survey responses reveal the people, places, and experiences that make this region unique
Last week Connect Happy Valley asked readers a simple but powerful question.
If you moved away from Happy Valley tomorrow, what would you miss most?
The responses tell the story of a region that offers something rare: a place where community, culture, outdoor beauty, and shared traditions come together in everyday life.
Many readers began with the most important reason of all: the people.
Building the Future of STEM in Centre County—But We Need a New Home
On many evenings in Centre County, long after the school day ends, a group of students gathers around workbenches, laptops, and robot parts. Some are designing mechanical arms. Others are writing code. Still others are strategizing how their robot will compete against teams from across the region. And yet others are developing business strategies to financially sustain and grow their organization.
What they are really doing is learning how to solve problems, collaborate, and think like engineers.
Spring Energy Returns to Happy Valley
Now that the unofficial holiday that shall not be named has come and gone, Happy Valley can celebrate “real” St. Patrick’s Day, bringing a little extra spirit to the calendar. With students returning from break and kicking off 55 Days of Café, it’s another sign that spring is on our doorstep.
But the week isn’t just about shamrocks and beer. A major youth wrestling tournament comes to town, Pegula Ice Arena hosts multiple postseason hockey games, and spring sports continue to ramp up across campus. Add in live music and a few creative community events, and the calendar is anything but quiet.
Here’s a look at some highlights.
An Ungovernable Weekend
Just over a week ago, Penn State students raised over $18 million for children with pediatric cancer. This past weekend, the same students threw the biggest party of the year: State Patty’s.
State Patty’s Day doesn’t exist on any official calendar; no university office or borough council created it. No administration would ever pass its blessing on such an event. You can’t even credit a specific group of students for creating it. Both the borough and the school have tried to end the tradition, but it has never even made a dent.
