Fall 2025 in Happy Valley: An Inflection Point Like No Other — And You’re Smack in the Middle of It
t Connect HappyValley, we said last week that what is happening here felt like a social experiment. This week, it feels like a live broadcast from America’s future, though in Happy Valley it is closer to a Spruce Creek Lager paired with a tray of Spruce Creek Tavern fries than to anything you see on cable news.
Drive by the Penn State athletic fields right now, and you might think we are prepping to host the Olympics.
New press box for the soccer teams, new practice fields, dining facilities and weight rooms. Stadium overhauls and upgrades. Heavy machinery everywhere. It is not just athletic infrastructure. It is a metaphor. Happy Valley is building like it knows something big is coming. And it is.
Introducing the Connectors: Frank S. Archibald, Joe Minich and Rebecca Farmer Force
Frank S. Archibald Frank S. Archibald is a lifelong engineer, educator, and community advocate with deep connections to State College. After earning his BSME from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a PhD from Cambridge, Frank built a career in research and innovation with organizations including Lockheed, Pratt & Whitney, the Navy, and Penn State’s Applied […]
The Blue and White Zone: Living the HappyValley Life, Together
A few weeks ago, I asked a question that had been bouncing around in my mind: What if Happy Valley is already a Blue Zone in disguise? Not the branded kind, but something more authentic and local a “Blue and White Zone,” rooted in community, connection, and the HappyValley way of life.
Introducing the Connectors: Michele Crowl and Bernie Ryan
Meet Michele Crowl, a familiar force for innovation and connection in Happy Valley. She jokes that, like many, she once planned to escape to warmer climates after graduation—
We can’t wait to meet you! Penns Valley Pedals and Pints
Buggy up! If you hear this term, it means you’re on your bike in Penns Valley, Centre County, PA and an Amish buggy is heading your way. Millheim is home of Penns Valley Pedals and Pints, one of the biggest consistent road riding bicycle clubs in the county. If you are hearing, “buggy up,” you know you’re in for a fun evening of beautiful scenery and a ride with a friendly biking club.
Happy Valley Fall 2025: The Love Boat Semester at the ChatGPT Inflection Point
The curtain is going up this weekend, and the audience has arrived. Fifty thousand students. Parents and alumni. Visitors from every corner of the globe. Sidewalks pulse, cranes stretch the skyline, and Saturday’s kick off bar crawl starts at noon will hum with thousands wearing the same Line Leap t-shirt. This is the kickoff to fall in Happy Valley — our in-season.
The View from Number Two: Promise, Peril, and Joy in the Journey
Penn State football hasn’t seen a number this small next to its name this early for a very long time.
The Nittany Lions open the 2025 season ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll, a first for the program, which last reached the two-spot in October of 2017, only to lose it weeks later in Columbus. In terms of the preseason, State has not been rated this highly since the ill-fated 1999 team began the year ranked third. Perhaps even more striking than the ranking itself is the number of first-place votes awarded to the Lions (23), only two shy of No. 1 Texas! This show of faith from the nation’s voters that James Franklin’s squad belongs near the top of college football is both a compliment and a burden.
Maker Faire Happy Valley: Where Curiosity Meets Community
Happy Valley has always been a place where people turn ideas into reality — where curiosity is encouraged, creativity is valued, and making things with your own hands still matters. This September, that spirit will be on full display at Maker Faire Happy Valley, a two-day celebration of invention, learning, and community connection.
At the heart of it all are Discovery Space and The Rivet, two organizations that believe opportunities to explore and create should be open to everyone.
Living Well in Happy Valley: Maybe We Already Have the Secret
I’ve been thinking a lot about wellness lately—not just personal health, but how our surroundings shape how we live. I listen to a lot of podcasts, read widely, and ask questions. One idea that keeps popping up is the concept of Blue Zones, places where people live longer, healthier lives. But before you roll your eyes (I’ve heard the skepticism too), I’m not here to sell a brand. I’m more interested in what we can learn from the core principles: move naturally, eat mostly plants, connect deeply, and live with purpose.
