Explore University Park

Welcome to Penn State University Park! As a transfer or change-of-campus student, you will be a new member of our University Park community in the fall. To help ensure you have the information you need to know before you arrive on campus, we are hosting virtual orientation opportunities throughout the summer—you can find more information about virtual orientation in your tasklist. Because we know you may want to visit University Park this summer in addition to attending your virtual orientation, we have created this website to help you plan your trip. You can use this website to customize a self-guided experience to explore the University Park campus before you arrive in the fall. 

We’ve designed this webpage to help you plan for your visit to the University Park campus. Please note that these visits are optional, and at your own leisure. Because some offices and buildings may have different hours in the summer, we encourage you to reach out to any individuals you plan to meet with ahead of time to coordinate a meeting. Please do not expect that all offices and buildings will be open.  

You can get started by clicking through the menu below.  

Download Penn State Go on your mobile device: Penn State Go is an all-in-one mobile app that provides a custom campus experience for students. With GPS integration, this will also be one of the tools you use to navigate campus upon arrival. (Download here: mobile.psu.edu)  

Plan Your Route: Don’t think of this visit as a campus tour, but rather, a self-guided expedition of Penn State University Park. Visit map.psu.edu and use the menu on the left to filter through the locations available on the map. This is a great opportunity to visit Points of Pride (landmark buildings), Academic and Administrative buildings (including the location of student service offices and classrooms), and to just see the campus. We’ve included instructions on using this feature below in the “during your visit” section of this page.  

Customize Your Experience: You may have specific people you want to meet or places you want to visit. If so, be sure to reach out with plenty of time in advance to coordinate a meeting. Please note that not all individuals or resources will be able to accommodate a meeting request. If you aren’t sure who to see while you’re on campus, here are some options to consider: 

  • Meet with an academic adviser from your college. If you have questions about your fall schedule or academic opportunities within your college, connecting with an adviser may be helpful. To view your new assigned academic adviser in your college, select “My Advisers” on the homepage of your LionPATH. If you do not have a new adviser in LionPATH yet, you can reach out to your college’s change-of-campus contact listed on this website (scroll halfway down the page to find the list of University Park colleges).  

  • Discuss your education-related finances with Student Aid. You may have questions about your financial aid, scholarship opportunities, or work study, and the Student Aid office can help. You can find their contact information on their website. 

  • Connect with the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC). The MRC supports students from diverse backgrounds and works to foster their success. Contact the MRC to meet with a counselor and understand the identity-based resources available to you.  

  • Meet with Student Disability Resources. If you received academic accommodations previously or would like to consider utilizing accommodations, discuss your needs with the Student Disability Resources staff; find their contact information here. 

  • Plan for your future with Career Services. Now is a great time to meet with Career Services to discuss your post-college goals and develop a plan to achieve them. View Career Services’ offerings and contact information here. 

  • Meet with Housing. If you are living on campus in the fall, the Housing website has a wealth of information you need to know, and information specific for change-of-campus students and transfer students. You can also reach out with questions or to find a time to meet.

  • Learn how Off-Campus Student Support can help. Living off campus? The office of Off-Campus Student Support has resources and people who can help you navigate that. Consider coordinating a meeting with them if you have questions about off-campus housing.

Be Flexible: As you plan for your visit, we ask that you plan with a bit of flexibility. This includes confirming the hours of operation for your intended stops during your visit to University Park.  

Dress Appropriately: The University Park campus and State College are walkable communities. You should be prepared to spend a lot of time outside during your visit!  You can plan for this by keeping an eye on the weather in the days leading up to your visit, but also plan for quickly changing weather conditions. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and pack an umbrella or raincoat. 

Parking at University Park: You will be required to have a visitor parking pass while parked on campus. Parking in the Stadium West lot costs $5 per day. To pay for parking, you can use the Park Mobile app or the physical paystation in the lot. This website provides more information on parking while visiting campus. Pro tip: From the Stadium West lot, we recommend starting with either Beaver Stadium, the Bryce Jordan Center, or head down Curtin Rd into the heart of campus with a quick stop at the We Are Statue and then to the Berkey Creamery. 

 

Begin Your Journey: Welcome! Now that you’ve arrived, it’s time to explore campus. We recommend using features located in the Penn State Go app. Follow the steps below to access the map and apply filters (or search a specific location) to set up walking directions to your first destination.  

To create your own experience: 

  • Open Penn State Go (download here: mobile.psu.edu) 

  • Select the “maps” icon  

  • Allow the website “map.psu.edu” to use your location 

  • To search a destination, select the magnifying glass in the upper right corner 

  • To activate filters, select the menu button in the upper left corner.  

  • You can filter by Pride Points, Academic & Administration, Dining, Campus Housing, and more.  

  • Once you select your category and find a location you would like to venture to, select the navigate icon to generate walking directions 

  • Repeat steps 3-5, to select and navigate through your desired campus spots.  

To generate a pre-made campus walking tour: 

  • Open Penn State Go (download here: mobile.psu.edu) 

  • Select the “maps” icon  

  • Allow the website “map.psu.edu” to use your location 

  • Select the menu button in the upper left corner. 

  • Tap “tours” listed to the right of “Locations.” 

  • Select the “Campus Walking Tour.” 

  • At each location, tap up arrow next to the name of the destination at the bottom of the screen to read more information. 

Be Prepared for Classes: Exploring University Park before your classes start provides you with a great opportunity to map out your route between your scheduled classes. If you have already scheduled your fall semester classes, pull up your class schedule in LionPATH and use the Penn State Go map to search your classroom locations and walk your route. Keep your eyes open for nice study spots.    

Get Social: We’d love to know that you’re visiting campus and see your photos!  Use our hashtag (#psusummer) and tag our Instagram @PennStateSOTP.  

The Borough of State College: The excitement and energy of Penn State extends beyond campus and into State College. Check out these resources below for ways to enjoy all that Happy Valley (State College) has to offer: 

 

If you still have questions about visiting University Park, contact us!