Cake, music and a gift will highlight Penn State's 150th birthday next month

University Park, Pa. -- No birthday would be complete without cake, a chorus of "Happy Birthday" and unwrapping a present. And that's exactly what is planned for Penn State's 150th birthday on Feb. 22.

The University's sesquicentennial committee is encouraging colleges, campuses, departments and other academic and administrative units at all 24 locations statewide to serve birthday cake that day. Meanwhile, the Old Main chimes will play "Happy Birthday" throughout the day. The present will be in the form of a grand unveiling of a gift to the University from the class of 2003.

The academic and administrative units may choose their own cake design and size, making these sweet delectables as simple or as elaborate, as large or as small, as desired, according to Steve MacCarthy, vice president for University Relations and head of the committee.

"We thought this would be a great way to involve large numbers of faculty and staff throughout the University in a festive aspect of the sesquicentennial observance," he said. "It also gives Penn State's various units an opportunity to do something creative that reflects their unique roles in the University."

The Bakery at Penn State will provide sesquicentennial birthday cakes for students in each of the seven residence hall dining commons for a festive dinner on Feb. 22.

In addition, the University is cooperating with the Centre Daily Times newspaper of State College and Giant Food Stores, which are sponsoring a Penn State birthday cake contest and inviting readers to submit photos of "just the right cake for Penn State's birthday bash." Visit http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/10622619.htm for more about the contest.

The Office of Physical Plant will program the chimes in Old Main to play "Happy Birthday." The song was recorded in the School of Music and will play on the quarter-hour.

The class of 2003's mural, to be located in the HUB-Robeson Center, uses oil and acrylic paint on canvas to depict the past 50 years of the University's history. Created by nationally renowned artist Richard J. Haas of New York, the mural complements the land-grant frescoes in Old Main created by Henry Varnum Poor in the 1940s. The frescoes show the land-grant mission and evolution of the University from its founding in 1855 to the late 1940s.