Our campers stay overnight in residential halls on campus. While it can vary from year to year, most youth programs are housed in South Halls or East Halls. The Walker Building, where many activities take place, is on the opposite side of campus. Please prepare your child—they will do a lot of walking!
Most rooms are double occupancy with no air-conditioning. Campers will have a roommate close to their age. Roommate assignments are made by program staff. Mutual requests for preferred roommates (as made on the registration form) will be honored. Occasionally, a participant may have a single room based on the enrollment numbers. Special requests for a single room must be submitted via email to the program manager, Rachel Cole, at ruc195@psu.edu at least four weeks in advance for consideration.
Based on the gender submitted on the registration form, males and females will be housed in separate buildings. If that gender does not match your child’s gender identity, please do not hesitate to contact the program manager, Rachel Cole, at ruc195@psu.edu at least four weeks in advance of the program. We will work together to make sure your child feels safe and welcomed.
There are shared bathrooms on each dorm floor, but not in the rooms. Please note, we will try our best to reserve renovated residential halls with air-conditioning, but it is not guaranteed because summer resident instruction students get top priority.
Campers eat together in either Pollock, South, or Findlay dining halls for most meals. Three meals per day are provided. The dining halls serve a variety of meals that include vegetarian and gluten-free options. Due to the tight schedule, some meals are catered and delivered on-site to campers. Typical catered meals are pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Jersey Mike’s, and Chick-fil-a.
We try our best to accommodate food preferences when catering, however, it is not always guaranteed unless medically necessary. Food allergies must be disclosed to the program manager, Rachel Cole, at ruc195@psu.edu. Learn more about Penn State Campus Dining Allergies and Special Diets, or call 814-867-5277 or email foodallergies@psu.edu for more information.
Counselors supervise the campers 24/7. We hire both male and female counselors, and they stay in the residence halls with the campers. All our staff have all required clearances and background checks. Campers are supervised at all times, and they are not allowed to go anywhere unless their counselors and/or instructors are with them.
Resident campers enjoy evening activities together as a group. Activities may possibly include a State College Spikes baseball game, group games, movie nights, bowling, or shopping downtown.
The registration fee includes all meals, housing, and scheduled activities. The only items your child might want to purchase with their own money would be extra snacks (in addition to what is provided daily) and/or souvenirs. Please note that campus is cashless, so a debit/credit card is required for purchases.
Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the program manager, Rachel Cole, at ruc195@psu.edu, at least four weeks prior to your arrival.
If your child will require any other type of accommodation, please do not hesitate to reach out. The needs of any participant in a youth program will be discussed privately with that child’s parent/legal guardian on a case-by-case basis with the goal of promoting a safe environment and quality experience. If you have any questions, please contact the program manager Rachel Cole, at ruc195@psu.edu.
Parents who indicate their child will be arriving and departing without adult supervision during the registration process will be emailed instructions a few weeks before camp for how to purchase an on-campus parking permit for their child. Your child must obtain a parking permit and park in their assigned parking lot. Failure to do so may result in a parking fine. Participants must surrender car keys to a camp staff member and will receive them back at the conclusion of camp.
For legal reasons, the University cannot release the names or phone numbers of other participants, not even to those who want to carpool.
Details about arrival and departure, including check-in location and parking options, will be sent in the “Know Before You Go” email to parents/legal guardians and participants prior to the beginning of camp. For planning purposes, check-in is usually between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. on the first day of camp, and campers are typically free to depart on the last day around 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. (parents/guardians are encouraged to arrive no later than 12:30 p.m.).
Please review the Youth Programs Ethics and Compliance web page.
By Air: The State College Regional Airport, previously named University Park Airport (airport code: SCE) is ten minutes away! Visit the State College Regional Airport website for information on flights. We recommend that you make the State College/University Park Airport your final airport destination. Taxis are often located outside of the airport baggage claim area, curbside. Participants are responsible for arranging ground transportation between the airport and campus, university employees are not allowed to transport minors onto campus.
By Car: The University Park campus is located within driving distance of many major cities, including Harrisburg (1.5 hrs., 90 mi.), Pittsburgh (3 hrs., 137 mi.), Philadelphia (3.5 hrs., 194 mi.), Baltimore (3.5 hrs., 155 mi.), Washington, D.C. (4 hrs., 190 mi.), New York City (5 hrs., 250 mi.), and Toronto (6.5 hrs., 304 mi.). See Happy Valley Adventure Bureau for detailed visitor information.
By Bus: The following companies provide bus service between major cities and State College, Pennsylvania: Greyhound and Megabus.