Socials

The ChE GSA coordinates a number of social events throughout the year with the goal of building a stronger community within our department. Below are just some of the events we hold on an annual basis. We are always open to new suggestions that will bring our department together.

Picnics
Potlucks
IM Sports and Grad Cup
Park Trips

Picnics

Departmental picnics are held at the beginning of the summer around Memorial Day and at the beginning of the fall semester around Labor Day. The summer picnic is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments from the academic year. Students that participate in the department’s REU program are also included in the picnic, giving them an opportunity to build a social relationship with professors and graduate students. The fall picnic acts as a kickoff to a new academic year. This also serves to welcome and introduce new first year students to the department. Typically, picnics are held at Sunset Park in State College, a 15 minute walk from the Fenske Laboratory. Along with good food and company, professors and students participate in activities such a volleyball and an egg toss, a departmental favorite.

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Potlucks

Potlucks are held 3-5 times throughout the year, primarily around holidays and breaks in the academic year, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break. Our department’s ethnic diversity makes potlucks a great time to sample food from a variety of cuisines.

IM Sports and Grad Cup

The ChE GSA participates in a number of IM sports, including volleyball, softball, soccer, and bocce. We are also open to forming teams in the many other IM sports that Penn State offers, which can be found at Penn State’s IM Sports website. We also participate in the Grad Cup, a field day held annually for graduate students throughout the university.

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Park Trips

The State College area has a number of beautiful local and state parks perfect for day trips. On one trip to Bald Eagle State Park, students had the opportunity to picnic, hike, kayak, and learn how to use an atlatl.

rsz_20140628-1445-untitled_shoot-0566Lakeside Trail Hike at Bald Eagle State Park

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