The Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley

Celebrate Earth Day and National Parks Week with ecologist Roger Latham! Presented in partnership with Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens and Valley Forge Park Alliance. Step into the Pennsylvania Piedmont with ecologist and conservation biologist Roger Latham to uncover the unique geology and ecology that make Southeastern PA’s wildlands truly special. Explore freshwater tidal marshes, mafic glades, forests on diabase soils, and serpentine barrens--all home to many state-endangered species. Learn about the natural history and ongoing stewardship of these ecosystems, found nowhere else in the state. Roger Latham has worked as a research ecologist, conservation biologist and environmental planner since 1973.

Dive into a night of captivating films! Discover adventure-filled documentaries that inspire audiences through film, art, and ideas.Join us for an evening of inspiring and captivating films handpicked from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado. Founded in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of America’s longest-running film festivals. The annual festival is held every Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, CO. Mountainfilm is a dynamic nonprofit organization and festival that celebrate adventure, activism, social justice, environment and indomitable spirit.Mountainfilm on Tour in Malvern, PA will feature a collection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and engaging documentary short films that align with Mountainfilm’s mission to

Join Jenny Rose Carey as she unveils the forgotten contributions of pioneering women in horticulture!Women have tended and loved their gardens for millennia but their contributions are largely forgotten. In this lecture, Jenny Rose Carey takes a small slice of time, 1900 to 1940, and explores the key women who founded gardening organizations including The Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women; The Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association; and The Garden Club of America. Other women discussed include authors, garden designers, conservationists, dig-in-dirt gardeners, and influential women from Chester County who participated in the horticultural movement during that time.Jenny Rose

From puritans to polyamory, Professor Rebecca Davis explores the story of America’s sexual past.In the United States today, we have government decrees that there are only two sexes, debates about “trad wives” and polyamory, and frequent references to the nation’s “puritan” past. But in her latest book—and in this talk—Professor Rebecca L. Davis argues that seventeenth-century Puritans are a weak precedent for how the history of sexuality has unfolded in the United States. Into the 1800s, the United States was far more welcoming of gender nonconformity and same-sex/queer desires than we might presume. Instead, a significant shift occurred in the

Join FBI Special Agent Jake Archer for a riveting journey into the world of art crime and cultural heritage recovery!Special Agent Jake Archer, FBI Art Crime Team - Philadelphia Division will share thrilling insights into his work investigating and recovering stolen art and cultural property across the globe, including his experience helping recover a Revolutionary War-era musket stolen over 50 years ago from Valley Forge.SA Archer conducts art and cultural property-related investigations, repatriations, and training domestically and internationally. SA Archer is the team lead for the Art Crime Team's international matters involving the FBI's Eurasia Legal Attaches, to include areas

Join us in celebrating the power of art to inspire environmental action and advocate for a greener, healthier future!Artists are often inspired by nature and create art out of the outstanding natural beauty all around us. We are now at a critical juncture where we need to advocate for harnessing our imagination, wealth, and technology to make our communities and our country greener and healthier places for everyone to live. Recently the Supreme Court curtailed the powers of the EPA to protect the environment, no longer requiring the reductions in emissions that are urgently needed to limit global warming. What

Discover the powerful stories of women who have transformed their journey with alopecia into art, resilience, and self-empowerment.Alopecia affects millions of women worldwide, often disrupting their sense of self, identity, and beauty standards. This exhibition aims to bring to light the emotional and psychological impact of hair loss, showcasing powerful visual narratives from women artists.Join us in exploring the journey of resilience, empowerment, and transformation through diverse artistic perspectives. Witness the strength, transformation, and reclamation of self that follows the challenges of hair loss.Experience deep, personal, and creative explorations of this condition, reflecting both the pain and challenges of hair

What is the connection between the Underground Railroad and Valley Forge? Dionne Patterson will explain, educate and inspire us.Dionne Patterson, the visionary behind UGR3DAY Underground Railroad Experiences Inc., is dedicated to illuminating the antebellum era by exploring the lives of both free and enslaved African Americans, as well as the multifaceted history of the Underground Railroad. A proud graduate of Delaware State University, Dionne is a certified cultural interpretive guide, genealogist, herbalist, forest bathing guide, researcher, and historian. Her mission is to provide a holistic education that brings to light the untold stories of landscapes, structures, and the people who

What stories can data tell about our world? How can design shape a more sustainable future?What stories can data tell about our world?How can design shape a more sustainable future?Sustainable Narratives: Visualizing Data, Design, and Community invites viewers to explore these questions through a curated collection of visual works that intersect data, sustainability, and community engagement.This exhibition, led by Huiwon Lim, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Penn State, presents both solo works as a graphic designer and design educator, as well as collaborative projects with students, offering diverse perspectives on how data can be transformed into powerful narratives.The showcased

What is the Indigenous tribe's connection to the Continental Army's encampment at Valley Forge? A Oneida historian explains.Heather Bruegl is an Oneida Nation of Wisconsin citizen and first-line descendent Stockbridge Munsee. She is a graduate of Madonna University in Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in U.S. History. Her research comprises numerous topics related to American history, legacies of colonization and Indigeneity, the history of American Boarding Schools, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Heather has presented her work at academic institutions, including the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bard College, Vassar College,