Tatiana Campos-Teixeira

Whether you had a valentine or celebrated with friends, Penn State Abington lined up events to fill the week of with laughter and fun. All of the following events were listed on engage and were free to attend.

Monday, the day before the day of love, students created personalized Valentine’s day cards for all the special people in their lives. The event was hosted by the Library Lions and co-hosting is the Abington College Library, and according to the main organizer Brendan Johnson, Outreach and Engagement Librarian, there were blank cards, Valentine’s Day-themed stickers, stencils, and other craft supplies ready for students to personalize their messages. Pizza and snacks were provided as well. 

Another event on February 13th was the Valentine’s Day Baking Party hosted by the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion office. Participants baked cupcakes and cookies together with lots of love. Winners received prizes. Baking kits were included with registration and recipes/directions were provided. 

On the day of love, ACE (Abington Campus Entertainment) and the Nature Club co-hosted a Valentine’s Day Social. The event took place in the Lubert Commons from 11 AM – 1:30 PM. The event’s engage page encouraged students to register: “Come enjoy fun make-and-take activities, sweet desserts, and delicious hot chocolate while socializing with your friends!” There was also a photo booth to capture memories. 

Also on the 14th, SEAL hosted Leading with Love. As the engage website describes it, it was “A joint program between LEAD and SERVE where we explore the impact of empathy on leaderships. Leadership & Love is a workshop connected to a service event. The workshop will explore how empathy can be incorporated into a person’s leadership style. We will also cover the kind of benefits that practicing empathy can have within a team.” The activities mentioned include art and community service. 

On February 15th, Global Programs hosted Love Around The World. This event allowed students to express their love for traveling, sustainability, and diversity at the Abington Campus. Participants learned more about study abroad trips, the countries represented on our campus, and sustainability efforts at Abington. 

Valentine’s day is a widely celebrated holiday where people express their love and adoration for their loved ones and the people that are precious to them. Although everyone has different ways of celebrating the holiday or expressing their love, it is known to have been around for centuries. One of the oldest recorded pieces of evidence of Valentine’s day, being a day to celebrate love and romance was by the Poet Geoffrey Chaucer, in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules” “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”