Monthly Archives: April 2011

April 6, 2011 · 1:16 pm

The Secret Life and Times of the Quaker Mascot

Author: Matthew Gould, W’14

My Game Face

Unbeknownst to the majority of my friends, I am the University of Pennsylvania’s mascot, Quaker Ben Franklin. Although historically the Quaker’s true identity has remained secret, in recent years it has become custom for the identity of the mascots (there are currently three athletes) to be disclosed.  Whenever I tell someone that I am “The Quaker,” they always respond with, “Do you get paid?”  For me, the experience is worth so much more than any paycheck could provide, and even without a paycheck, I embrace the opportunity with open arms.

As soon as I step into Ben Franklin’s suit, I become a different person; I put on a different persona, and I become famous. Everybody, whether it is opponent fans or our own, falls in love with me. Much like they would a sports star, the fans bombard me with pictures and accordingly I act like a star.  I refuse to settle for anything less than on-court seats, and I have a virtual all-access pass that security guards never question, even when I romp through the stands. I am the face of the university, a student athlete, and part of a long tradition of spirit that fills the halls of the majestic Palestra and the bleachers of the powerful Franklin field. I carry on tradition that has been acted and reenacted for hundreds of years, and I am a piece of the excellence that Penn offers. I have the ability and the responsibility to inspire entire crowds to their feet, to pump up every fan in the stands, and at the same time, I am to act as the voice of those fans. I wear the Penn logo with dignity not only to honor the university but to commend its alumni as well.

I am a true Penn Quaker, and I bleed Red and Blue!!!

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April 5, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Mayan Death Mask

During my sophomore summer at Penn, I worked at Penn Museum Publications. I always took the long way up to the office on the fourth or fifth floor to get more time in the Museum. Considering it houses amazing artifacts like this Mayan Death Mask and has an amazing exhibit filled with artifacts from China, I should probably visit again soon. It’s far too easy to forget all the great resources available here at Penn, but I guess that’s what keeps me coming back.

Image taken from AP Photo archives.

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April 4, 2011 · 4:46 pm

Squirrels on Film

Author: Aimee LaBrie

We used to have an employee here who referred to me as “The Squirrel Lady,” because every time we were outside together walking on Locust, I would make a “ccchhi-ccchhi” noise at the numerous tame squirrels that dot the green (roughly translated, “ccchhi-ccchhi” means “I have potato chips” in Squirrelese).  I suppose I can’t blame her for thinking it odd that I would want to feed the squirrels–to most people, they are just rodents with fluffy tails.  But spend any time on the Penn campus, and you will see that the squirrels here are more like cats than rats; they are not afraid of people and they will eat pretty much anything you give them. Not only that, but they will come up to you and take the food from your fingers with tiny, human-like paws and then sit back on their haunches and gnaw it up until their cheeks are plump.  I am certain there will come a day when I call over to a squirrel and it runs toward me, takes a flying leap off of a bench, and lands on my face. Until then, I’ll just continue to be The Squirrel Lady.

Here is a photographic example of how busy the squirrels are on campus, and how they strive to stay on top of news from the DP (photos courtesy of Leigh Ann):

 

He has found today's newspaper. Now just has to figure out how to get it back to his nest.

 

In dragging it back home, he panics, wondering if perhaps this is too much paper for his limited space.

 

Practicality wins out as he chooses just the celebrity section.

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April 1, 2011 · 8:00 am

My Top Penn List: Acronyms

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95
I am confident that if you ask any alumnus/a from the nineties about Penn’s knack for creative acronyms, you will get a laugh and a story about a memorable one.  From standing in line in Palestra at CUPID* for my Penn Card to calling PARIS* one last time to see if I passed Business Italian and if I would actually graduate, I remember that my life at Penn was peppered with acronyms and initialisms.  I wanted to share with you my favorite current acronyms from campus.

10.  PASS – Penn Alumni Student Society
9.    SPEC – Social Planning and Events Committee (can’t have a fling without ’em).
8.    PENNCAP – Pennsylvania College Achievement Program
7.    WCIT – Wharton Computing and Information Technology, pronounced like “wicket.”
6.    MAP – Major Advising Program, “You don’t have to be ‘lost’ to take advantage of MAP, just curious.”
5.    LIFE Program – Living Independently for Elders Program
4.    Penn ReunionFACTS – Penn Reunion Fall Alumni Class Training Session
3.    WHALASA – Wharton Latin American Student Association
2.    JBaGeL – Penn’s Jewish LGBTQIA Community, from Jewish Bisexual Gay and Lesbians
1.    PHINS – Peers Helping Incoming New Students, which references the dolphin on the Penn Shield.

I’d love to hear what your favorites Penn acronyms are, whether they are still used or are a blast from the past.

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