From the Chancellor and Dean

This is a special year for Penn State Altoona as we celebrate our 80th anniversary. Penn State Altoona began as the Altoona Undergraduate Center (AUC) after a group of enterprising citizens petitioned Penn State to open a junior college in Altoona. The committee of visionaries raised $5,000 to renovate the Webster School building in downtown Altoona. The AUC enrolled 119 students and employed nine faculty members during its first year of operation. After WWII, the Citizens Advisory Board raised $36,000 from private citizens and local industry to purchase the abandoned 38-acre Ivyside Park that had been an amusement park from 1927 to 1945. One of the features of the Park was its nearly 121,000 square foot swimming pool, which at the time was renowned as the world’s largest outdoor concrete pool. The campus was referred to as “Bathhouse U,” because for several years the bathhouse served as the main classroom building. In 1948, 900 students were enrolled in classes at the former Ivyside Recreation Park.

Another milestone in our history was becoming a four-year degree-granting college in 1997. Today we offer 23 baccalaureate degrees and the first two years of over 275 Penn State majors. We are proud to offer the only four-year baccalaureate degree program in Rail Transportation Engineering in the country, which is fitting considering our city’s rail history. Our continued growth and success is due in large part to the generosity of our alumni, neighbors, and friends. Without the philanthropic support of our many donors, we would not be able to provide the educational opportunities, cutting-edge research, and transformative experiences to engage, inspire, and prepare our students for success.

As we celebrate our 80th anniversary this year and reflect on our history, we look to the future. We continue to advance our mission of teaching, research, and service while remembering our founders who recognized the value of higher education and invested in our community by launching the AUC. We continue to meet our founders’ vision for Penn State Altoona and our community by providing the highest quality and most affordable education possible.

While our campus and college have changed significantly over the past 80 years, one thing has remained constant, and that is the steadfast support of our community, alumni, and donors.

On behalf of our entire Penn State Altoona family, and especially our students, I thank you for your continued support of our students and college.
Warm regards,

Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry
Chancellor and Dean

Ivy Leaf Features

Working from "Home"

Showing Their PRIDE
Penn State Altoona's Pride Alliance joined with the community to hold Altoona's first Pride Parade in October.