Pennsylvania State University

#130 / #43
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
Public university in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University Featured Rankings

About Pennsylvania State University

By James Barham, PhD

Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) was founded in 1855 as the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania.

In 1862, the school’s name was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. In 1874 it was changed once again, this time to Pennsylvania State College, at which time a classical liberal arts curriculum was married to the agricultural training program.

In 1953, under the presidency of Milton S. Eisenhower—the brother of former US Army Supreme Commander and then–US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower—the college was upgraded to Pennsylvania State University.

With 23 campuses statewide in addition to the flagship University Park campus, Penn State is the first-tier public university system in Pennsylvania (the University of Pennsylvania being a private institution). With a total student population of more than 96,000, it is one of the largest universities in the US.

Prominent Penn State connected individuals include the following:

  • Poet, Theodore Roethke
  • Novelists, John Barth, Joseph Heller, Alan Furst & Richard Russo
  • Screenwriter, Steven E. de Souza
  • Computer scientists, Jef Raskin & John M. Carroll
  • Physicists, David Bohm, Roger Penrose & Lee Smolin
  • Nobel laureate in chemistry, Paul Berg
  • Climate scientist, Michael E. Mann
  • Plant geneticist, Nina Fedoroff
  • Population geneticist, Masatoshi Nei
  • Anthropologist, Nina Jablonski
  • Radical social critic and Catholic priest, Ivan Illich
  • Online education pioneer, Michael G. Moore
  • Former US Senators Richard Schweiker, Rick Santorum & Kelly Ayotte
  • Prime Minister of Bhutan, Jigme Thinley

According to Wikipedia, The Pennsylvania State University is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State became the state's only land-grant university in 1863. Today, Penn State is a major research university which conducts teaching, research, and public service. Its instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education offered through resident instruction and online delivery. The University Park campus has been labeled one of the "Public Ivies", a publicly funded university considered as providing a quality of education comparable to those of the Ivy League.

Pennsylvania State University's Online Degrees

What Is Pennsylvania State University Known For?

Pennsylvania State University is known for it's academic work in the following disciplines:

Pennsylvania State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Who Are Pennsylvania State University's Most Influential Alumni?

Pennsylvania State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Earth Sciences, Criminal Justice, and Engineering. Here are some of Pennsylvania State University's most famous alumni:

Paul Berg
Paul Berg
An American biochemist, Professor emeritus at Stanford University & Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
Steven Levy
Steven Levy
An American journalist.
Graham Harman
Graham Harman
An American philosopher.
Douglas Comer
An American computer scientist.
Benjamin Bloom
Benjamin Bloom
An American psychologist.
Harry J. Anslinger
A 1st Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics .
Iris Marion Young
Iris Marion Young
An American philosopher .
Robert B. Pippin
An American philosopher.
John Mashey
An American computer scientist.
Ross Ulbricht
Ross Ulbricht
An American founder and administrator of the illicit online marketplace the Silk Road.
Vance Packard
An American journalist.
Thomas R. Dye
An American political scientist.

Who Are Pennsylvania State University's Most Influential Faculty?

Pennsylvania State University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Earth Sciences, Criminal Justice, and Engineering. Here are some of Pennsylvania State University's most famous alumni:

Roger Penrose
Roger Penrose
An English mathematical physicist, recreational mathematician and philosopher.
Henry Giroux
An American academic.
C. R. Rao
C. R. Rao
An Indian-American mathematician.
Stephen Barrett
Stephen Barrett
An American psychiatrist.
Ivan Illich
Ivan Illich
An Austrian philosopher and theologist.
Haskell Curry
Haskell Curry
An American mathematician and logician .
John Barth
John Barth
An American writer.
Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka
Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka
An American philosopher.
Joe L. Kincheloe
An American academic.
Abhay Ashtekar
An Indian physicist.
Barry Marshall
Barry Marshall
A Nobel Prize winner, and Professor of Clinical Microbiology.
Philip Jenkins
A British historian.

Image Attributions