In the spring of 1939, a citizen's committee led by Altoona Chamber of Commerce Chairman J.E. (Ted) Holtzinger convinced Ralph D. Hetzel, president of the Pennsylvania State College, to support an undergraduate center in Altoona. In July, the citizen's committee launched a campaign to raise money to renovate an abandoned grade school building to house the new center. More than $5,000 was raised from 8,000 local contributors in just two months -- an astounding amount considering that many in this area were still unemployed.
On September 13, 1939, the Altoona Undergraduate Center opened in the Webster Grade School Building in downtown Altoona. The freshman class of 119 commuter students was taught by nine faculty members. In 1940, the citizen's committee was reorganized into an Advisory Board for the Center. The Board raised another $3,000 for a second downtown building, Madison, to make room for sophomore science courses.
World War II almost forced the AUC to close as men went to war and women went to work. To keep the center open, the Advisory Board financed operating deficits and opened a women's dormitory from 1944 through 1947 for female students from out of town.
Returning World War II veterans overfilled the Webster and Madison buildings in 1946 and the Center desperately needed more space. After raising $50,000, the Advisory Board purchased Ivyside Park in 1947, an abandoned 38-acre amusement park on the outskirts of the city, for a new campus. The park was home to the world's largest concrete swimming pool, now a parking lot for the college. Existing park buildings such as the bathhouse, a huge two-block-long dressing room, were renovated for the Center's use — hence the Center's affectionate nickname, "Bathhouse U." The Ivyside Park campus opened in 1948 with approximately 600 students and 30 faculty members.
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During the 1950s, associate degree programs were added and brought many more out-of-town students to Altoona. As enrollment increased, so did funds from the community. Money was pledged to build the E. Raymond Smith Building, a classroom and administration building that replaced the Bathhouse. In 1958, with the opening of the Smith Building, the AUC's name was changed to the Altoona Campus of The Pennsylvania State University. On July 1, 1997 the Penn State Altoona Campus became Penn State Altoona, a four-year baccalaureate degree-granting college of the University.
Penn State Altoona offers baccalaureate degrees in business; criminal justice; English; environmental studies; electro-mechanical engineering technology; human development and family studies; integrative arts; letters, arts, and sciences; nursing; and science. The college also offers third-year course work for elementary education majors, as well as the first two years of course work for more than 180 Penn State majors. Also available are associate degrees in electrical engineering technology; mechanical engineering technology; business administration; criminal justice; human development and family studies; information sciences and technology; science; nursing; and letters, arts, and sciences.
Over the years, the Advisory Board has purchased land bordering Penn State Altoona as it became available. The Ivyside Park campus now contains 150 acres with more than 20 buildings centered around a pond, the original warming dam from the old Ivyside Amusement Park.
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The first residence hall (Oak) and the Harry E. Slep Student Center opened in 1964. Six more buildings opened in 1970: a second residence hall (Maple), a dining hall, the library, the science and engineering buildings, and the chapel, which was built entirely with privately subscribed funds. The Steven A. Adler Athletic Complex was built in two stages in 1972 and 1977. Five more new buildings were built during the 1980's, which essentially completed the college's physical plant. The bookstore building was completed in 1985, a third residence hall (Spruce) in 1987, the Community Arts Center and the Computer and Learning Resources Center opened in 1989, and a maintenance building was completed in 1993. The Slep Student Center was renovated during the 1995-96 academic year, and a free-weight room was added to the Adler Athletic Complex during the summer of 1996. Construction for the Cedar residence hall and the Ralph and Helen Force Advanced Technology Center broke ground in the spring of 1996, and both were completed in the fall of 1997.
In 1999, the College added its first location in downtown Altoona with the leasing of the Downtown Conference Center, formerly the Playhouse Theater. Managed by the continuing education and training office, programs and courses for individuals, businesses and the community were offered. Soon thereafter, the entire continuing education and training office relocated to downtown Altoona and the Conference Center was purchased by the College in 2005.
In 2001, the Cypress Building was constructed which now is home to faculty offices and classrooms. The Sheetz Family Health Center opened its doors in 2002, providing a home for the College's nursing degree programs, Health and Wellness Center, and a private urgent care center open to both the College and community.
Spring Run Stadium, home of Penn State Altoona's men's and women's soccer teams, was added to the College's athletic complex. The Stadium features a regulation soccer field, 8-lane track and 2,000 seat grandstand.
With the purchase of land on Gwin Road across from the residence halls, the College again expanded its landscape. The Beech House, home to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, as well as the Larch House, a short-term guest house for visitors and relocating faculty and staff, are located on this site.
In 2005, the College's newest classroom building celebrated its grand opening. The Hawthorn Building houses 56 faculty offices and 24 classrooms, including a music rehearsal room and three computer classrooms.
In May 2006 the Community Arts Center was renamed the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts in honor of Altoona philanthropist Anthony Misciagna and his family. In November of the same year, the Downtown Conference Center was renamed the Devorris Downtown Center in honor of Donald and Nancy Devorris' philanthropic commitment to Penn State Altoona.
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