James Franklin has not been a member of the Pennsylvania community for very long, but he has received the warmest of welcomes from the Penn State community. Franklin's busy first weeks on the job at the Nittany Lions' new football coach will include a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
Franklin will be the guest of U.S. Representative Glenn "GT" Thompson, a Penn State graduate from the state's 5th congressional district.
"I am grateful and very appreciative of Rep. Glenn Thompson's invitation to attend the President’s State of the Union Address," Franklin said in an official statement. "I look forward to hearing the President’s vision for 2014 and beyond and what we, as citizens of the greatest union in the world, can do to help move our nation forward."
The State of the Union will be broadcast across all major networks and is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.
"With the beginning of a new year, we are filled with a sense of optimism and possibility. The State of the Union offers us the chance to reflect upon the previous year and provides us with a preview of the challenges and opportunities that we face together," Rep. Thompson said in an official release. "Given these sentiments, it’s an honor to have Coach Franklin as my guest for this occasion.
"As a proud Penn State alumnus and a life-long Centre County resident, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to Coach Franklin on being named as head coach of the Nittany Lions and to welcome him and his family to Happy Valley," Rep. Thompson added.
