A six-foot-long birthday cake, decorated with blue and white icing and a giant cake replica of the HUB-Robeson Center, waited to be cut into 1,000 slices.

Students and faculty gathered on the ground floor of the HUB at noon yesterday to celebrate the building's 50th birthday with performances by the Penn State Singing Lions and members of the Penn State Indoor Drumline.

Penn State President Graham Spanier, sporting a themed pin for the occasion, said 4 million people walk through the building's doors every year. "The HUB has been through three renovations and kept up with the university's space and programming needs," Spanier said. "Join me in saying happy birthday to the HUB, and then we're going to cut the cake."

Throngs of students passing through the HUB on their way to classes or for lunch stopped to admire the cake and listen to the speakers.

Stan Latta, director of unions and student activities, challenged the Nittany Lion mascot to do 50 push ups -- one for each year the HUB has been open -- which he successfully completed. Latta said when the HUB opened in 1955, there were listening rooms where students could listen to records and use rotary phones. "Now students can text message, instant message and communicate with others using Thefacebook," Latta said.

Vice President for Student Affairs Vicky Triponey said people from other universities visit the HUB throughout the year to decide how to make their student unions better.

"Many people call the HUB the 'living room' of the campus because people can come together and connect," Triponey said. "It's a place where people can come together, communicate and learn from each other outside the classroom."

She said the birthday celebration is about paying tribute to the students of past, present and future generations.

The Penn State Singing Lions sang "Happy Birthday" and "Fight On, State!," followed by a performance by the Penn State Indoor Drumline.

The Penn State Indoor Drumline had completed their first number when a man on the stairs of the HUB yelled at the drumline, telling them to move their performance outside because the noise had carried to the first floor of the HUB as well.

However, the crowd responded by booing the man, and the drumline continued to perform two more energetic numbers.

Tara Burnham (junior-public relations) said her favorite part of the celebration was the drumline.

"The birthday celebration was a great way to celebrate the history behind the HUB," Burnham said.