LION Bash Brings Students, Residents Together to Celebrate State College

South Allen Street was filled with life as Penn State students and long-term residents came together to celebrate life in State College as part of the inaugural LION Bash on Thursday night.

Students and residents played games together, learned about their civic duties through trivia, enjoyed food and live music and came to more of an understanding about how both groups can be better neighbors to each other.

The LION Bash – which is so named because it celebrates “living in one neighborhood” – was planned by the State College Borough and Penn State to address and ease tensions that exist between the two different populations that define the town.

And judging by the number of college kids, parents and neighborhood leaders that were talking and laughing together, it seems LION Bash was a success.

“Unfortunately, some of our residents only interact with students at 2:30 in the morning when they’re walking home, so all they see is that lifestyle conflict,” said State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham. “But at the same time, a lot of students don’t realize how many opportunities there for them in town, everything from ways to volunteer to professional resources to events like this.”

The Nittany Lion was on scene to hand out smiles, selfies and high-fives. Photo by Michael Martin Garrett/StateCollege.com

Penn State senior Bryce Burkentine says he’s felt some of those tensions with long-term residents. Each morning he sees a neighbor who walks her dog down their street, and each morning Burkentine says she gives him “the evil eye.”

Burkentine says he hopes that older residents can understand that students aren’t trying to disrupt anyone’s lives when they stay up late or party on the weekends. They’re just trying to enjoy a special time in their lives and have fun, he says.

“But we’re coming into their town, and we need to understand that,” Burkentine says. “We need to understand them, and we need to respect that.”

Local band Pure Cane Sugar filled the air with the sweet sounds of harmonious voices. Photo by Michael Martin Garrett/StateCollege.com

Centre Region resident Amy Schirf says she’s never had a bad interaction with students but admits that she tends to avoid downtown State College during the Penn State academic year. She says she can see why some people might have negative feelings about students, but Schirf just can’t feel the same way.

“They do so much for this town, and they’re a huge boost to the economy,” Schirf said. “Whether or not we want to, we have to learn to live together. It’s so much better to live in harmony than to be fighting each other.”

And it looks like State College took a big step towards ensuring that harmony with the LION Bash – which is envisioned as a recurring annual celebration.

“This is so wonderful. It has to happen every year,” Goreham said. “This is what living in a small town is all about.”