January is Town&Gown month in State College.
Since 1966, residents and visitors to State College and Penn State University have enjoyed Town&Gown Magazine, a publication celebrating the people, places and events that make the area such a vibrant community.
Earlier this week, at a breakfast held at The Corner Room, State College Borough Mayor Elizabeth Goreham proclaimed January as “Town & Gown Month.”
The Centre County Historical Society recently honored Town&Gown with the Preservation Award for Excellence in Education and Advocacy.
The first Town&Gown Magazine was published in January 1966. It contained just 16 black and white pages.
Mimi Barash Coppersmith founded the publication and served as publisher until 2008, when she sold the company.
“For the borough to find it worthy of official recognition of an idea of mine that turned into something beautiful is just a very nice feeling in my heart,” Coppersmith said. “It was my third child and a little more difficult to rear and make beautiful than it was to raise two beautiful children. It was a labor of love, just like raising my family was.”
Coppersmith said that to this day, Town&Gown holds a special place in her heart.
“Even though it’s just a piece of paper, it has a high level of relevance in my heart and soul. It felt good,” she said.
Rob Schmidt, who has been publisher of Town&Gown since 2008, said that Town&Gown is a reflection of the State College community.
“Our success is a credit to our editor David Pencek and our entire staff,” Schmidt said. “Thanks to our loyal advertisers we are able to offer Town&Gown, free of charge, to the entire community.”
In addition to celebrating the people, places and events of the State College area, Town&Gown also provides readers with valuable information about events, dining and other local happenings.
There are at least 20,000 copies printed each month, distributed free to consumers at more than 450 convenient locations in Centre County and the surrounding counties of Blair, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Clinton and Clearfield. Locations include banks, medical offices, hotels, the PSU campus, restaurants, supermarkets, the airport and visitors centers.
Indiana Printing and Publishing Inc. owns both Town&Gown and The Centre County Gazette.
Back issues of Town&Gown are available on microfilm at Penn State’s Pattee Library.
For more information, call (814) 238-5051 or (800) 326-9584.
