Commonwealth University-Lock Haven (LHU) is a
public university
A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
in
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Lock Haven is a city in, and the county seat of, Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan ...
, United States. It is part of the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is an American state agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that oversees 10 state-owned universities. Collectively, it is the largest provider of higher education in the commonwea ...
(PASSHE). The main campus covers and the branch campus in
Clearfield covers . It offers 69 undergraduate programs and 4 graduate programs.
History
LHU was founded in 1870 as the Central State Normal School. By 1927 it was known as the State Teachers College in Lock Haven and in 1960 the name was changed to Lock Haven State College. In 1983, the school joined the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is an American state agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that oversees 10 state-owned universities. Collectively, it is the largest provider of higher education in the commonwea ...
(PASSHE) and became known as Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. The Clearfield campus in
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough and the county seat of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 5,962 people, making it the second most populous community in Clearfield County, behind DuBois. The borough ...
was established in 1989.
LHU's previous president
Craig Dean Willis retired from Lock Haven in 2004. The vacancy left by Willis was promptly filled by
Keith T. Miller. Upon Miller's departure, Barbara Dixon, former president of
Truman State University
Truman State University (TSU or Truman) is a Public university, public Liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Kirksville, Missouri, United States. It had 3,664 enrolled students in the fall of 2024 pursuing degrees in 55 undergraduate ...
was appointed Interim President in 2010. In 2011, Michael Fiorentino, Jr. became the president, until his retirement in 2018. The current president of Lock Haven University is
Robert Pignatello.
In July 2021, Pennsylvania higher education officials announced that Lock Haven would merge with
Bloomsburg and
Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
Universities in response to financial difficulties and declining enrollment, and each institution would represent a campus of a single university. In March 2022, the new institution was created to oversee the three universities, and was named the
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. This consolidation was different from the PASSHE consolidation in Western Pennsylvania that also took place in July 2022, which saw the former California, Clarion, and Edinboro universities become campuses of the new
Pennsylvania Western University
Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) is a public university in Pennsylvania, United States. It has three campuses in the Pennsylvania boroughs of Pennsylvania Western University, California, California, Pennsylvania Western University, C ...
and adopt the academic brand name of "PennWest ''Location''". By contrast, "Commonwealth University" is not being used as a public-facing brand.
In January 2025, Commonwealth University announced that the Clearfield campus would close by the end of the 202627 academic year.
Campus
The campus covers on the western side of the city of Lock Haven. The university owns another at the CU-Clearfield campus and at the Sieg Conference Center. University property also includes a new East Campus in the former Lock Haven High School building.
Residence halls
CU-Lock Haven has two traditional residence halls, one hall of suites and one apartment building complex.
* = Halls that are scheduled to be demolished.
Academic buildings

Akeley Hall, completed in 1930, is one of the oldest buildings on campus. It was originally constructed as a laboratory school but now houses the
Computer Science
Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...
, Accounting and Management Department as well as many computer labs.
Sullivan Hall was originally constructed as a library in 1938, and was demolished in 2016 and replaced with an amphitheater. The three-story structure housed The Office of the President, Offices for the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Vice President of Student Affairs, and the Vice President for Finance, Administration, and Technology, Housing, Social Equity, Cultural Diversity, Institutional Research, and Planning and Assessment and
The Linda J. Emanuel Teaching and Learning Center.
The main building of Ulmer Hall, renovated in 1996, was constructed in 1952 and contains laboratories for the natural and earth sciences and classrooms. A building addition in 1969 added a greenhouse, planetarium, additional classrooms, laboratories and research facilities. A four-million dollar renovation was completed in 2014 to transfer many services to the building such as the ROTC program, the Registrar's Office and Financial Aid, as well as Counseling Services. Ulmer Hall also houses the executive suite which includes the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Management.
Russell Hall was originally constructed as a residence hall and was the last single-sex residence hall on campus, housing women only until it was renovated to house administrative offices. It has been recently demolished and replaced by a green space which is part of the University Commons encompassing the space that previously also included Sullivan Hall. Raub Hall was completed in 1964.
Sloan Fine Arts Center, completed in 1973, contains classrooms, faculty offices, both a small and large theatre for student and professional performances and lectures, and a gallery which hosts six exhibitions throughout the year. The Departments of Fine Arts, the Department of communications, and Performing Arts are located here. The theatre hosts a number of performances that are open to both the student body and community. Room 321 is home to the Countdown Theater. Here student directed one-act plays and other short performances expand the role of the theater department and provide students with additional learning experiences.
Robinson Hall, completed in 1981. This building houses the Departments of Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary and Special Education,
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
, Mathematics, Communications Media and Philosophy. Other features include the Hamblin International Hall of Flags Auditorium, a full production television studio and radio station, a Math Lab and tutoring center devoted to remediation and placement testing, and classrooms. The building also provides housing for the information technology services, including a student-run tech department. The building is scheduled to undergo a major renovation in 2021 following a comprehensive review of facilities usage.
Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center, completed in 2007, houses the Offices of Admissions, University Relations and Alumni Relations. The Foundation offices are also located in the Durrwachter Center. This area coordinates and manages philanthropic activities that support the university. Alumni Relations provides programs and services for over 30,000 graduates.
East Campus Science Center
In 2004 Lock Haven acquired the old Lock Haven High School, which was no longer used due to the creation of
Central Mountain High School. This consisted of the junior high school, senior high school, and the gym building. In April 2010, Lock Haven unveiled its plans to build a 40 million dollar new science center where the old senior high school was located. In October 2010, Governor Rendell signed a bill that gave 4 million dollars in funding. Official groundbreaking did not occur until May 4, 2012, this marked the beginning of demolition of the senior high school and construction of the science center. The new science center officially opened for the Fall 2013 semester. It has expanded labs for all science majors other than computer science, and includes a new class 100000 clean room facility for the rapidly expanded Nanotechnology program, allowing the university to rely less on Penn State's clean rooms. Nanotechnology research facilities include characterization and synthesis instrumentation. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place on September 12, 2013, and a cornerstone capsule was opened which contained a list of the senior high school staff, the graduates, and a newspaper from 1928. The previous Junior High School section of the facility now houses the University Controller's office, the Criminal Justice academic department, and several classrooms and labs. The previous gymnasium building houses several classrooms, the Haven Cupboard/Haven Hangout, and a large gymnasium used for athletic practices and special events. Plans exist for the gymnasium and supporting space within the building to be constructed into a Wrestling Center showcasing the strong Division I wrestling program, and a $1 million redevelopment capital grant has been approved by the Pennsylvania Governor's office to support that effort.
Stevenson Library
Lock Haven University and its library began in 1870 as the Central State Normal School. All classrooms, dormitories, the dining room, the library, and the auxiliary rooms were housed in the original Sullivan Hall, located approximately where North Hall stands. During the night of December 9, 1888, the entire structure burned to the ground. For the next 16 years, the library needs were met by reading rooms provided by two campus literary societies, The Price Literary Society and the Shakespeare Society.

In 1904, the library was reorganized. Caroline R. Flickinger was the first librarian. Since that time there has been a steady growth in the number and type of library materials and services. This growth has taken the library through two previous buildings into this structure. The present building was designed to be flexible enough to provide for current needs and to allow future development. Currently, an online public access catalog and an automated circulation system are in place. This online catalog is available on the campus network.
The library is named for a citizen of Lock Haven, George B. Stevenson (1889–1965). He served for many years as a Pennsylvania State Senator. After he retired, he was appointed the librarian of the state senate. Stevenson also served as a mayor of Lock Haven, as postmaster, and as a trustee of the university. The system of dams on the West Branch valley of the Susquehanna River was a concept of Senator Stevenson.
Stevenson Library is the university's library. Its archive collection includes every student newspaper (''The Eagle Eye'') since 1965, as well as every yearbook (''The Praeco'') since 1913 until it was discontinued in 1980; and was reinstated in 2006. The archive collection also provides the university with rare books and photographs. The library offers internet database services that gives the university access to full text magazine and newspaper articles, DVDs, books, and an array of information. The Children's Library on the ground floor of the building contains over 20,000 children's books. Stevenson also offers reference services, wireless internet, computer access, and a 24-hour study lounge.
Fredericks Family Memorial Carillon

The Fredericks Family Memorial
Carillon
A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a musical keyboard, keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are Bellfounding, cast in Bell metal, bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and Musical tuning, tu ...
was designed and completed by the van Bergen Company, which specializes in bells, in 2000. The grand carillon is one of fewer than 200 grand carillons in North America. It weighs more than and can be played manually or by an automatic system that can produce 500 songs from memory. The bells were cast in the
Fonderie Paccard.
Academics
LHU's Institute for International Studies offers study abroad programs for its students. The program offer students the choice to study from 32 different schools in 20 different countries around the world. Students have the choice to study abroad for semester long, a whole academic year, or summer programs.
Campus and student life
Campus Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) focuses on educational programming, awareness and prevention of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Student Involvement office & recreation center
The Student Involvement Office is composed of professional staff (employed by the Student Auxiliary Services) who are responsible for seeing that the day-to-day functions for the organization.
The Student Recreation Center is open to all students of LHU. This facility provides students with recreation activities to stay physically fit. The SRC contains an inventory of equipment that includes a rock wall, an indoor track that's 1/8 of a mile long, basketball, racquetball, and intramural sports.
Clubs and organizations
The Student Auxiliary Services (SAS) supports and funds over 140 clubs and organizations on campus. Student activity fees and profits generated through the bookstore support these clubs. Requests to start new clubs can be filled out in the SAS Office.
Bookstore
The University Bookstore at Lock Haven is owned and operated by the Student Auxiliary Services. All profits from the bookstore go towards supporting clubs and organizations on campus. The location of the bookstore is in the lower part of the PUB.
Media
CU-Lock Haven's student campus newspaper, ''The Eagle Eye''. Students may earn a staff position on the newspaper in their first year at the university.
CU-Lock Haven's radio station is WLHU. An online radio station, which streams live on the internet, is located in the same facility as its new and improved television studio, allowing easy access between the two stations. WLHU has a free format program schedule using a studio which broadcasts daily, as well as broadcasting many sporting events and other programs throughout the school year. Students have the ability to join the school's radio club and create their own radio station broadcast.
CU-Lock Haven's student-operated television station, The Havenscope,
LHUTV broadcasts news, sports, and other programs. Its studio occupies next to WLHU, Lock Haven University's radio station. The television studio is wholly digital and has a
teleprompter
A teleprompter, also known as an autocue, is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script.
Using a teleprompter is similar to using cue cards. The screen is in front of, and usually bel ...
system, two editing bays, and field production equipment. It includes two backdrops, one for news broadcasts and one for interviews. The studio is on the sixth floor of Robinson Hall and is equipped with a
green screen
Chroma key compositing, or chroma keying, is a visual-effects and post-production technique for compositing (layering) two or more images or video streams together based on colour hues ( chroma range). The technique has been used in many fie ...
, at least three main broadcast cameras, an integrated TriCaster 8000 production system for audio and video production, several broadcast monitors, a
roll-in system, and many other broadcast systems. The studio usually airs at least one show a week called ''LHU in Review'' hosted by LHU students which covers news, sports and other topics. In the late 1980s students began airing a short morning news segment called "The Morning Alarm" that ran at the top of the hour. The first segment aired live and was then re-broadcast over the campus television network between breakfast and lunch. The television station also broadcasts sporting events and many other programs.
Greek life
CU-Lock Haven has 26
fraternities and sororities
In North America, fraternities and sororities ( and ) are social clubs at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations, as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sorori ...
.
Athletics
* Affiliation:
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA)
Division I and
Division II
* Conference:
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. The conference was originally formed in 1951 as the State Teachers C ...
(PSAC), in Division II, for most sports. Field hockey and wrestling participate in Division I as members of the
Atlantic 10 Conference
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. The A-10's member schools are located most ...
and
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Its members co ...
(MAC) respectively.
* Facilities:
Hubert Jack Stadium, McCollum Field, Thomas Field House Center, Foundation Fields, Charlotte E. Smith Field, Rogers Gymnasium, West Branch Cross Country Course, Tomlinson Center, Zimmerli Pool
* Team name: Bald Eagles
* Team colors: crimson and white
* In 2007, Lock Haven won the
National Collegiate Boxing Association
The National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) is a non-profit college sports organization that organizes boxing fights for student athletes. The association falls under the auspices of USA Boxing. After 1960, the NCAA no longer sanctioned bo ...
national championship.
* Lock Haven won the
NAIA national wrestling championship in 1961, 1963, 1966 and 1967.
* Lock Haven won the NCAA Division II Women's Softball National Championship in 2006 and 2009.
* Lock Haven won the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer National Championship in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
and the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer National Championship in 1977 and 1978.
Notable alumni
*
Harris Jacob Bixler (1862–1930),
U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, 1921–27
*
Tim Boetsch (b. 1981), Professional
Mixed Martial Artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
(MMA), retired
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC) fighter
*
Charlie Brenneman (b. 1981), Bald Eagle wrestler; Professional
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
fighter, formerly in the
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...
's Lightweight Division
*
Chris Collier,
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
player
*
Tym De Santo, Finalist on ''
HGTV Star'', Host of Style File Show in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, Musician-Front man for Nashville-based band Black Denim
*
Habern W. Freeman (b. 1941), Maryland politician
*
Harry L. Haines (1880–1947), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, 1931–39 and 1941–43
*
Michael K. Hanna, Sr., Democratic member and Minority Whip of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts.
It ...
*
Brittani Kline (b. 1991), winner,
America's Next Top Model, Cycle 16
*
Cary Kolat
Cary Joseph Kolat (born May 19, 1973) is an American wrestler and wrestling coach who earned two NCAA championships in 1996 and 1997 for Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania and was a member of the United States Men's Freestyle Wrestling Team ...
4× Pennsylvania State Champion in wrestling, 2x NCAA Champion Wrestling, current coach U.S. Naval Academy – Competed in 2000 Sydney Olympics. A three-time World Cup gold medalist, he also won World silver and bronze medals. Three U.S. Open championship medals and a pair of Pan-Am Games first-place finishes. Kolat was a member of the U.S. National Team from 1991 to 2002. In the summer of 2011, Kolat returned to competitive wrestling, was a finalist at the U.S. Open and competed in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.
*
Tina Martin Head Coach,
University of Delaware Women's Basketball (1996–present)
*
Sara McMann
Sara McMann (born September 24, 1980) is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to Bellator MMA, competing in the Women's Featherweight division. She is a former Olympic wrestler and received a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympi ...
, 2004 Olympic ''Silver Medalist'' in women's freestyle wrestling; currently a professional
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
fighter, competing in the Women's
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...
bantamweight division
*
Charley Molnar (b. 1984), Head Coach,
UMass Minutemen football
The UMass Minutemen football team represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Minutemen compete as an NCAA Division I FBS independent schools, FBS independent. Since 1965, their ...
*
Red Murray (1884–1954), professional
MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
baseball player for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
and
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
.
*
Kevin O'Dea, NFL assistant special teams coach for several teams including the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
,
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
,
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
,
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, and presently with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
*
Kevin Rush TMBSL Manager/Owner
New Jersey Nets
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995
* "New" (Daya song), 2017
* "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
*
J. Buell Snyder (1877–1946), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, 1933–46
*
Jamie Varner
James Varner (born October 12, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist who fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former WEC Lightweight Champion.
Background
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Varner attended Deer ...
(b. 1984), All-American wrestler and
NCBA Champion; retired professional
Mixed Martial Artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
, former
WEC Lightweight Champion, last competed in the
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...
References
External links
*
Athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lock Haven University Of Pennsylvania
1870 establishments in Pennsylvania
Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union
Universities and colleges established in 1870
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Public universities and colleges in Pennsylvania
Universities and colleges in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Universities and colleges in Clinton County, Pennsylvania