Programs & Events

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences hosts a variety of events throughout the year that allow students, faculty, staff, and the community to enjoy and explore music, art, literature, writing, and societal issues.

Ongoing educational and supportive programs are also offered to international students to improve their proficiency in the English language.

• Creative Writers Reading Series
  Celebrated writers of poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction visit campus several times each year to give lectures, readings, discussions, and book signings.
• Digital Research and Pedagogy Lecture Series
  Event information to come soon. Contact Dr. Aaron Mauro with questions.
• English Language Study Center
  We offer a range of classes and support services, including classes in English for multilingual learners that help non-native English speakers improve writing, listening and speaking, reading, and culture and conversational skills.
• English Language Summer Institute in Erie (ELSIE)
  ELSIE is Penn State Behrend’s intensive English program, offering courses in academic English to prepare the pre-matriculated student for undergraduate studies at an American university.
• Gender Conference (PDF) | (Word)
  Since 2007, Penn State Behrend has organized a yearly conference to discuss questions of gender and sexuality. The idea originated with faculty who felt a need to discuss how representations of gender, and research about questions of gender, affect all the academic disciplines. There is no registration fee or process for attending the conference. All are welcome.
• Lake Effect High School Poetry Contest 
  The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, one of the premier programs of its kind in the country, invites high school students across the nation to submit poems to the annual Lake Effect National High School Poetry Competition. 
• Music at Noon: The Logan Series 
  In our free Music at Noon: The Logan Series concerts, listeners are treated to world class performances mixed with dialogue and interaction in an informal setting where lunches and casual attire are welcome. Key funding for Music at Noon: The Logan Series comes from Mrs. Kay Logan, a deeply committed supporter of arts and education at Penn State Behrend. The Logan Series was founded by Mrs. Logan in 1989.
• Musical Ensembles
  Penn State Behrend's musical ensembles, including the Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, and Pep Band, perform several concerts throughout the year.
• Psychology Colloquiums
  Our Psychology Department brings speakers from around the world to discuss aspects of the field, research they've accomplished, and new innovations that may change our outlooks on life in the Colloquium Series in Psychological Sciences and Human Behavior. These presentations are open to the public, as well as our Psychology undergraduates.
• Reimagining the Humanities Speaker Series
  Contact Dr. Janet Neigh with questions.
• Theatre Productions
  The college's Studio Theatre, an intimate performance space, is the site for two or three major theatre productions each year, staged by Penn State Behrend student thespians drawn from all academic disciplines
• Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference
  WPUPC is an opportunity for undergraduate psychology students to present their research. The 46th Annual Convention was held at Penn State Behrend on April 14, 2018.