The Help Tool

Navigating college can sometimes be a stressful experience. You probably have lots of questions but may not be sure who to ask. Don't worry. We've got you covered! Explore the topics listed in our Help Tool to find information and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Emergency assistance

If you or someone you know is thinking of hurting themselves or someone else, get help immediately, no matter the time of day or night.  

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis:  

  • Call 911 for emergencies.  

  • Call the 24/7 Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400.

  • Text the 24/7 Crisis Text Line. Text "LIONS" to 741741. 

  • Go to the nearest emergency room. The hospital closest to Penn State Beaver is Heritage Valley Beaver, 1000 Dutch Ridge Road, Beaver, PA 15009. 724-728-7000.

  • Contact Penn State Beaver Personal Counseling (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Student Affairs & Engagement Office, 113 Student Union Building or call 724-773-3951 or 724-773-3959  

More personal counseling and emergency information

Access to software

Office 365: Available to everyone at Penn State, Microsoft Office 365 offers online versions of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and more. The Office Suite apps are also available to be downloaded and installed on your personal device.

G Suite: Available at no cost to Penn State students, faculty, and staff members, Penn State G Suite accounts include the following core set of apps: Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Hangouts Meet and Chats, Sites and Jamboard.

Adobe Creative Cloud: Everyone at Penn State is eligible to sign up for a free Adobe Creative Cloud account. Through the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud products, you have access to a host of creative tools for digital imaging, design, web, and video, as well as online services including 20GB of storage.

Software @ PSU: Free and discounted software available to students such as MathWorks MATLAB, and software license purchasing for faculty and staff.

softwarerequest.psu.edu: Free software including anti-virus, file transfer, and VPN software available to students, faculty, and staff.

WebApps: WebApps provides access to several popular applications from a wide array of devices, and is available for use on personal devices to anyone with a Penn State Access Account. Available WebApps include: ArcGIS Desktop, JMP Pro, Mathematica, MATLAB, Minitab, Microsoft Office, SAS, and SolidWorks

Autodesk: Autodesk offers free educational licenses to its 3D design and engineering software, including the AutoCAD suite, Maya, and more. Available to all students, faculty, and staff. These software products can be downloaded by signing up for an account at the Autodesk website using your Penn State e-mail address.

Visit the Information Technology Site

Wireless Connectivity

Wireless connectivity is usually available indoors and outdoors on campus. If you have difficulty with wireless connections, please contact the IT Help Desk (room 101 LCB), 724.773.3830.

Wireless locations

The wireless network can be accessed in the following buildings and should also be available outdoors near these buildings:

  • Harmony Hall 
  • Brodhead Bistro
  • Gym
  • Ross Administration Building
  • Library
  • Student Union Building
  • Laboratory Classroom Building
  • General Classroom Building
  • Michael Baker Building

How to connect

The procedure to access the wireless network is the same at all Penn State locations.

To set up your device, visit:  Setting Up Your Wireless Connection

Visit the Information Technology Site

Borrow Equipment

The Penn State Beaver Library has computers and audio/video equipment that can be checked out for varying lengths of time. Stop by the front desk for more information.

Equipment to Loan
Technology Number Available Length of Loan
Dell laptops 8 1 week
Chromebook laptops 12 4 hours
Viewmasters 10 2 weeks
Sony Bloggies flip cameras 8 2 weeks
Canon VIXIA HF G20 1 2 weeks
Go Pro Max 1 1 week
Nikon CoolPix L830 2 2 weeks
Nikon D5600 w/lenses 1 1 week
Nikon KeyMission 360 2 1 week
Sony FDR-AX53 1 2 weeks
Tripods and mini tripods 8 2 weeks
Wireless Microphones 2 2 weeks
Portable Phone Chargers 6 4 hours
Scientific Calculator 6 4 hours
TI-84 Plus Calculator 6 4 hours
Stabilizer Tab Mounts for phones and tablets 5 2 weeks
Steadicam Volt 1 2 weeks
Oculus 2 VR Headset 1 4 hours
Updated Aug. 14, 2023

Visit the Information Technology Site