History of Penn State New Kensington

Penn State New Kensington was founded in 1958 as a result of a study of the local need for higher education in the Alle-Kiski Valley. From its roots in a remodeled high school building on Fourth Avenue in New Kensington, the campus has evolved into a modern educational facility on seventy-two beautifully wooded acres in Upper Burrell.

The New Kensington Center was opened in 1958 in the First Ward School Building in the heart of the city of New Kensington. In 1963, the Center moved to the former Parnassus Junior High School and began offering the first two years of Penn State's baccalaureate programs on a full-time basis in education, liberal arts, business administration, and human development.

In the same year, Alcoa offered to give the University a thirty-five-acre tract of land on Route 780 in Upper Burrell Township, four miles east of the city.

In September 1966, classes convened in the Engineering Building, the Upper Burrell campus’ first building. Today, the Engineering Building houses one of only two fully-equipped student Intensive Care Unit (ICU) laboratories in the country. Also in 1966, men’s basketball became the campus’ first varsity sport.

Two years later, 1968, the Science, Activities, Faculty and Administration, and Library buildings were completed. The new facilities included additional labs and the Art Gallery. In the same year, twenty-seven additional acres were purchased from a neighboring farmer.

The Health and Physical Education Complex opened in 1969. The complex comprises the 1,000-seat PSNK Field House (basketball, volleyball, and racquetball courts), a weight room, cardiovascular training center, nurses station, faculty offices, classrooms, and a soccer field.

In 1971, the Forum Theatre, a 420-seat thrust stage theatre, opened with the student production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

As the campus grew, so did its enrollment and the need for a gathering place for students. In 1975, the Student Learning Center opened with a cafeteria, recreational facilities, bookstore, and Academic and Career Success Center.

In the late 1980s, a capital campaign provided funds for a Science and Technology Center, The opening of the building in 1990 made the campus one of the most technically advanced in the Penn State system. In 2000, a large section of the Activities Building was remodeled to form the Information and Technology Center - home to the Information Sciences and Technology program.

After a ten-year building hiatus, the new Conference Center and classroom building opened in March 2001. It contains a large conference room, a kitchen, two large and six small classrooms, faculty and staff offices, and a lobby with a large courtyard.

 Today, more than 900 students matriculate on campus and are studying in fifteen associate, bachelor's, and master’s degree programs. As we plan for the future, the New Kensington campus is looking to add additional academic programs that are grounded in the campus’ curricular strengths — math, science, and liberal arts — to meet the changing needs of the region.. Students seek an educational system that is accessible, flexible, time and place appropriate, and one that provides a broad range of choices.  New Kensington is a part of such a system, the Penn State system

CAMPUS LEADERSHIP
1958-Present