Soon University Creamery customers will have another flavor of ice cream to choose from.

To celebrate Penn State's sesquicentennial -- or 150th -- anniversary in 2005, the Creamery will develop a new flavor dreamed up by customers.

Some students have already started to think of potential entries to add to the 110 current flavors.

"I would name it Nittany 'Nana," said Sarah Lewing (freshman-hotel and restaurant management). "It would be banana ice cream with banana chunks and a ribbon of chocolate."

Nearly 500 suggestions have already been received and more than 1,000 are anticipated, said Eston Martz, a sesquicentennial committee member. The committee oversees the contest, as well as events for the anniversary celebration.

Anyone can suggest a flavor name and ingredients until December 31 by sending an e-mail message or visiting the official entry Web site. Once the committee chooses a winner, he or she will receive a complimentary half-gallon of ice cream and a copy of a commemorative sesquicentennial book.

"It's tradition that the Creamery will develop a new ice cream for certain special events and a good way to call attention to the upcoming sesquicentennial," said Mike Bezilla, sesquicentennial committee member.

The winner will be chosen and notified in spring 2004. The winning flavor will be introduced on July 4, 2004, and sold until July 2005.

"I envision that the Penn State faithful will submit suggestions in droves," said Tom Palchak, Creamery manager.

Palchak said previous contests, such as the naming of the popular flavor Peachy Paterno, produced lots of feedback from ice-cream craving customers.

Some of the wackier entries will also be acknowledged when the winning flavor is announced.

"How about a Birch Beer flavor?" asked Andy Adams (freshman-engineering). "Or Caramel Apple -- minus the stick?"

Other students had more traditional suggestions.

"I would pick coffee ice cream with raspberry swirls and chocolate chips," said Natalie Wiest, a Bucknell University student. "I'd call my ice cream Keep Me Up at Night. It'd give me palpitations."

Some ideas were even more exotic.

"Mine would be Brazilian Dreams and have coconut ice cream with sweetened condensed milk," Emily Volpini (freshman-hotel and restaurant management) said.

Jenna Flanagan (freshman-premedicine) thought stickies, a popular cinnamon-flavored local dessert, would taste great in ice cream.

Even university officials offered suggestions.

"I can see it now ... OPP Ice Cream. It has expertise and efficiency in it," said Paul Ruskin, manager of Office of Physical Plant. "I don't know what it would taste like, but it would taste good."

The OPP is constructing a new food science building, which will house the new Berkey Creamery, to be completed in December 2005.