Monthly Archives: September 2013

September 30, 2013 · 4:15 pm

Favorite Dining Options on Campus

Author: Lillian Gardiner, GEd’11

 

It’s taken me well over 2 years on campus to get a grip on all the yummy food offerings. So why don’t I save you the trouble and offer some of my tried-and-true favorites:

1. Joe’s Café, Steinberg-Dietrich. You may not find this on your own, but it’s a beautiful, well-lit space to have lunch inside. They offer sandwiches, soups, & salads, and a lot of healthy snacks like yogurt, hummus, and protein bars.

2. 1920 Common’s: Just past the bridge coming from Locust Walk. Featuring a recently renovated Starbucks, a gourmet grocery store, and a LOT of hot food options. If you have a sweet tooth, I’d poke around here.

commons

3. Farmer’s market! Wednesdays during the spring and summer in front of the bookstore. It’s hard to miss, but you should make a point of getting some fruit, fresh baked bread, and a Popsicle from the Lil’Pop Shop stand.

Farmers

4. Finally, food trucks. I’ll just list my favorites and you can look them up. Try Twitter for their locations and FB/websites for details: Delicias, Kim’s Oriental, Tyson Bees, Cucina Zapata, Lil’Dan’s, Pitruco.

Happy dining!

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Food Fiends, Lillian G.

September 27, 2013 · 6:21 pm

Penn Cares with the Penn Club of Northern California – Habitat for Humanity

By Betty Huang, ENG’12, GEN’12, and Jenny Zhan, C’10, W’10

Donning hard hats at 8:30AM on a chilly and grey Saturday morning, volunteers from the Penn Club of Northern California joined in on ground-breaking work with Habitat for Humanity of Greater San Francisco. The work was more physically challenging than usual because we were doing foundation work, that is, a lot of shoveling, waterproofing, wheelbarrowing, and moving dirt around. Despite the difficulties, it was very gratifying getting in on a project from the very beginning: Habitat had just received permits for a 28-unit single family development named Habitat Terrace, an ambitious project in the Oceanview neighborhood and the organization’s largest development yet in San Francisco.

NoCal Penn Cares 2 - 1

We are proud to contribute to Habitat’s mission to provide a helping hand to families in need of improved living conditions. The homes that we helped lay the foundations for will be sold to families at no profit and financed with 0% interest mortgages. In addition, new owners will put 500 hours of work into their own homes. It will take over 100,000 volunteer hours to finish this Habitat Terrace development in the next 2 years, and the Penn Club of Northern California is looking forward to seeing the project through. Thank you to all our volunteers on August 17th, and if you live in the area, please join us in serving our community!

NorCal Penn Cares 2 - 2

NorCal Penn Cares 2 - 3

NorCal Penn Cares 2 - 4

Read about our experience helping at the San Francisco Food Bank here.

Read about Penn Serves LA helping at Habitat for Humanity here.

The Penn Softball team volunteered at Habitat for Humanity in New Jersey last year – here’s the link to a story and video about their experience.

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Programming, Clubs, Events, GAN, Guest blogger, Penn Clubs, Photos, Volunteering, West Coast Regional Office

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September 26, 2013 · 11:25 am

What I’ve learned from Ohlin – One of the Penn Vet Working Dogs

Author: Jean Findlay

It has been just about a year since Ohlin has arrived at Penn and into my life. I am the Foster for the chocolate labrador named Ohlin, the 8th puppy to join the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. He arrived on Halloween Day 2012. He is now a constant companion and rides to work with me every day and attends school at one of the finest working dog programs in the country located at Penn on the Gray’s Ferry Campus.

Ohlin1

Ohlin2

If Ohlin could speak these are the things that I think he would be reminding all of us to do:

  1. Stretch when you wake up
  2. Wag more – bark less
  3. Be loyal
  4. Live simply
  5. Take naps
  6. Don’t feel guilty about eating a treat
  7. Make new friends
  8. When loved ones come home run to the door to greet them
  9. Long walks are good for you
  10. When someone is having a bad day just sit next them – no words necessary

There are 16 puppies that are in training to be detection dogs. This week you may have seen in the news that the center celebrated its one-year anniversary with a special program and graduated the first puppy, K9-Socks, who will join Penn’s Division of Public Safety as their first explosive and tracking dog. These puppies are all named after 9/11 rescue dogs. There were more than 300 search and rescue dogs that helped in the rescue effort at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. This video tells their story. Ohlin’s namesake was deployed to the World Trade Center.  Here is a photo of the original Ohlin at work.

firedog

In the past year, Ohlin has grown from a little ball of fur into 58 pound sleek, athletic, energetic, and let me repeat energetic dog. He is a handsome boy who is always happy – his tail wags all of the time. He would never be able to work with explosives!

outsidesleepingpup

In Ohlin’s first weeks with me he went into the election polls to vote on November 6, rode in a shopping cart, visited the Penn Student Calling Center, attended the Penn-Harvard football game and helped me to meet neighbors who wanted to say hello to the cute little chocolate lab at the end of the leash!

cart

Ohlin is currently part of the cancer team of three dogs, which also includes, McBaine (sponsored by St. Germain Catering) and Tsunami. This collaborative project, launched by Penn and the Monell Chemical Senses Center, with an $80,000 grant from the Kaleidoscope of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation, involves experts in such disparate fields as veterinary science, oncology, physics, organic chemistry, and nanotechnology. Follow this link to the article that appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

thankyou

If you are interested in learning more about the Penn Vet Working Dog Program please reach out to them or me. There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer and spend time with these little super-heroes in training. I plan on trying to get a superman costume on Ohlin for Halloween this year. We’ll see how that goes.

grownup

Visit http://pennvetwdc.org/ and sign-up to receive their eNewsletter.

Other links of note are:
https://www.facebook.com/PVWorkingDogCenter
https://twitter.com/@PennVetWDC

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Filed under Jean F., Penn Vet, Penn Working Dog Center, The Penn Fund

September 25, 2013 · 11:14 am

Spectral Analysis

Author: Patrick Bredehoft

“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.” —W. Somerset Maugham

This past weekend highlighted some great examples of the astonishing variety of communities and opportunities to be found on Penn’s campus. With the second Penn Spectrum conference to be held in Philadelphia, we welcomed multiple generations of diverse alumni back to campus for a weekend of impassioned discussions and warm reunions.  Whether the alumni were sharing academic research, personal anecdotes, or salsa moves, the spirit of collaboration was palpable.

Penn Weekend 1 (2)

On Saturday afternoon, College Green was also abuzz with students celebrating Skimmerfest, a campus-wide party that includes great musical acts, food trucks, a 40-foot climbing wall, and a giant inflatable football player (perhaps an omen for the game to come?).  Students flooded the center of campus, enjoying the perfect weather and time spent with one another.

Just a few blocks away, a makeshift city was being assembled on Hill Field, with the following invitation to the campus community:

 What is the best way to teach students about what it’s like to live in informal settlements – which will be home to over half of the world’s population within the next two decades? Create an opportunity for them to build and inhabit a makeshift ‘city’ using cardboard and other simple materials right in the University of Pennsylvania’s backyard.  On Friday, Sept. 20th  and Saturday, Sept. 21st, students from the School of Design will re-create the best conditions possible of a hypothetical informal settlement – the fastest growing type of habitation in the world.

Penn Weekend 2 (2)

Alumni reuniting, students celebrating, and global realities made into local experience: just your typical weekend, Penn!

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Filed under Campus Life, Multicultural Outreach, Patrick B., Penn Spectrum

September 24, 2013 · 9:30 am

100 years with the Sphinx

Author: Janell Wiseley

Have you ever been to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology?  Have you ever wondered about the Sphinx – a 15-ton single piece of red granite, the largest such stone sculpture in the Western Hemisphere and the sixth largest in the world?  How did it get there, and why is it at Penn?Sphinx-story1[1]

Wonder no more.  Check out the Penn Current for the full story of how the Sphinx arrived in Philadelphia in 1913.

1913 sphinx

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Filed under Historical, Janell W., Penn Museum, Philadelphia

September 23, 2013 · 12:04 pm

Wharton Alumnus, Rohit Chopra, Addresses Issues Related to Student Debt

Author: Lisa Marie Patzer

The Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative is pleased to announce a talk by Wharton MBA alumnus Rohit Chopra, student loan ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, scheduled for Thursday, September 26, at 4:30 PM, in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, Room 109.  Chopra will be speaking on “Student Debt: The Next Financial Crisis?”

Chopra was appointed to the oimbudsman position, created by the Dodd-Frank Act, in 2011 by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.  In that role, he leads the agency’s work on behalf of students and young Americans.  He also is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post on student debt issues.  Before joining the CFPB, he worked at McKinsey & Company.

This talk is open to the University community, but registration is required:
https://whartonppi.wufoo.com/forms/student-debt-the-next-financial-crisis/

Chopra_Header

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Filed under Lisa Marie Patzer, Penn Law, Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative

September 20, 2013 · 4:39 pm

One Heart, One Way

Author: Carolyn Grace, C’16

Hey there past and present Quakers!

Today, I officially assume my role as both a work-study student at Alumni Relations and a sophisticated writer in the blogsophere.  We’ll see how well that second job goes.

Needless to say, I am extremely excited to share with you all my sophomoric experiences as a sophomore here at Penn!  Whether it’s late-night study sessions in Van Pelt or early morning brunches at 1920 Commons, flinging toast at football games or jamming during a cappella rehearsals, I will try my best to capture the many facets of campus life that remind me why I chose this incredible institution.  So, here goes nothing!

***

At 9:00 PM on Tuesday night,  a to-go box of pasta and green beans in hand, I made my way to room F95 of Huntsman Hall with another 120 girls or so.  It was time for the weekly chapter meeting of my sorority, Sigma Kappa!

Since I was given a bid to join last February, I have loved every minute of my time in SK.  The motto for the sorority is “One Heart, One Way,” a phrase that rings true to its members.  I had the amazing luck of getting into the same sorority as three of my other very close friends.  What was even more amazing was the number of close friends I made over the course of the semester.  Formals, philanthropy events, retreats, through it all I have met girls with interests and ideas that really intrigue me, regardless of whether or not they were similar to my own.

Bid Night 2013 - I am officially invited to join SK!

Bid Night 2013 – I am officially invited to join Sigma Kappa!

Wing Bowl - SK's Spring Philanthropy Event

Wing Bowl – SK’s Spring Philanthropy Event

Although the school year has only just begun, Sigma Kappa is already up and running with events!  Two weeks ago, the girls and I went on a boat cruise for our Sisterhood retreat.  All aboard the Spirit of Philadelphia, we were treated to brunch, dancing, games, and a breathtaking view of our fair city.  For this week’s chapter, we started planning our fall philanthropy event, Quizzo.  Ranked last spring by 34th Street magazine as the best trivia event of the year, SK’s Quizzo is packed with fun facts and prizes!  The money we raise goes towards our national  Alzheimer’s Disease and Research Grant Program, one of the many charities we support.

S(K)ailing at our Sisterhood Retreat!

S(K)ailing at our Sisterhood Retreat!

Finally, today is the beginning of our annual Moms and Special Women’s Weekend!  We’re kicking off these next few days with a Meet the Moms dessert reception at City Tap House tonight at 8:00 PM.  Other activities will include dinner in Center City, brunch at the Sigma Kappa chapter house, and both the Memory Mile Walk and Penn’s Second Annual 5K for the IOA (Institute on Aging). This weekend looks pretty packed, and I can’t wait to spend it with my mom and my SKisters!

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Filed under Campus Life, Carolyn G., Clubs, Philanthropy, Photos, Student Perspective

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September 19, 2013 · 11:35 am

My Second First-Year

Author: Rachel Stewart, C’16

My first day of college didn’t begin with a walk down Locust to Huntsman or a long trek to the labs in DRL. I didn’t have breakfast with my hallmates in Hill or use dining dollars to grab some sushi in Houston.

On my first day of college, I woke up on the eighth floor of a dorm building on 116th and Broadway in Manhattan. I crossed the street to take a class in Kent, had lunch in Hewitt, and then on to more classes in Altschul and Barnard Hall.

As a sophomore transfer, I have a different perspective on Penn than most first-years. I appreciate much of what most freshmen take for granted: that laundry is free, that I can get Insomnia Cookies delivered to my room, and that Starbucks accepts dining dollars. More importantly, I appreciate the sense of community and interaction in my hall, classes, and on campus in general. At my school last year, I could walk from one end of campus to the other without spotting a friendly face or someone who wasn’t engrossed in reading their e-mail. When I walk down Locust to class, I say hello to my friend on her way back to Hill for a nap, run into the President of the cooking club I just joined (and briefly ask her about our next meeting), give an awkward wave to one of my TA’s, and finally sneak into class where my friend is saving me a seat.

Penn is truly “the social Ivy,” and after about a month here I’ve an incredible array of people who are genuinely interested in discussing topics ranging from Obama’s next steps on the Syrian crisis to the best flavor at Capogiro. I’ve made Facebook friends, gained Twitter followers, added numerous numbers to my contact list, and managed to form a group of friends who I actually hang out with in real life. While it’s easy to complain with my friends and classmates about the high stress levels and competition at Penn, especially during midterm season, I try to take a step back and appreciate that I have people to complain with at all.

trees

View from my dorm room window last year.

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Filed under Campus Life, Rachel S., Student Perspective

September 19, 2013 · 9:18 am

My Top Penn List: Penn Spectrum 2013

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

While advanced registration for Penn Spectrum 2013 is closed; walk-on registration is available Friday and Saturday. This conference is gearing up to be phenomenal.

The educational pieces highlight topics that focus on issues pertinent to our multicultural groups and are given a Penn spin with alumni thought-leaders. The social get-togethers encourage camaraderie. Finally, Penn is always beautiful in the early fall and Penn Park is bustling with activity.

Here are the top ten events that I’m looking forward to this weekend.

10.   Guided Tour of Penn Park by University Architect David Hollenberg.
Friday, September 20, 1:30pm
Meet at Weightman Hall, 235 South 33rd Street (between Locust and Spruce, near Franklin Field)

See the University’s beautiful new green space featuring environmentally-conscious recreational and athletic areas on the eastern edge of campus. Learn about the Park’s unique design, and hear from Mike Diorka (Associate Athletic Director, Facility Management) about how people are putting the new space to use.

9.   Black Bodies in Propaganda: The Art of the War Poster
Sunday, September 22, 12noon
Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South Street, Trescher Entrance

Browse this collection of 33 posters aimed at mobilizing African-Americans in war efforts, even as they faced oppression and injustice in their homelands.

8.   Post-racial Leadership at Penn and Beyond
Friday, September 20, 4:30-6pm
Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street

Join the James Brister Society (JBS) for a panel discussion featuring members who have demonstrated leadership at the University and in their careers. Followed by networking with the panelists and your fellow attendees.
Moderator: Leslie Kruhly, University Vice President and Secretary. Panelists include Gil Casellas, L’77, University Trustee, JBS Co-Chair, Chairman of OMNITRU, former Chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Claire Lomax, Esq., C’84, University Trustee, Member-School of Social Policy & Practice Board of Overseers, General Counsel-The Lomax Companies; John Chou, Esq., L’84, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at AmerisourceBergen Corporation; Farah Jimenez, Esq. C’90, L’96, JBS Member, President and CEO of People’s Emergency Center.

7.   Harvest Ceremony and Tour of Penn’s New Lenape Garden
Also at Saturday, September 21, 5-6:30pm
Greenfield Intercultural Center, 3708 Chestnut Street

Celebrate with us at the home of the beautiful, tortoise-shaped Lenape Garden. It was created to educate the community about the Lenape who first called the Delaware Valley home. Also featuring the art of Jack “Crying Raven” Anderson from the Ramapough Lunaape Nation who works with acrylic, oils, watercolor, and collage. His art reflects his transitional life, strong family values, but also rebellion against education, conformity and strict social mores. It also reflects who he has become after going through a healing process and developing new respect for family values, spiritualism, society, art and music.

6.   Look Who’s Famous Now! Increasing Asian American Presence in Media and Entertainment
Saturday, September 21, 3:30-5pm
Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall

Discover the challenges that Asian Americans have historically faced in these industries and how we addressing these challenges today. Learn how access to digital technology has affected Asian and Pacific Islander representation, both onscreen and behind the scenes. Featuring Brian Redondo, C’05, Digital Project Manager at the Ad Council, Jessica Park, W’06, Director, Office of the CEO at Warner Music Group and Bing Chen, C’09, Global Creator Development & Management Lead at YouTube.

5.   LGBT Community at Penn: Past, Present & Future
Saturday, September 21, 5-6:30pm
LGBT Center, 3907 Spruce Street

Join in the conversation about the LGBT community at Penn and how it has evolved over the last several decades, including the development of the LGBT Center itself and how Penn’s LGBT Center is a model among its peers at other institutions. We’ll conclude with a dialogue about the challenges that lie ahead and the vision for the Center and our community in the years to come. With Bob Schoenberg, GSW ’89; Director, Penn LGBT Center; Erin G. Cross, G ’10; Associate Director, Penn LGBT Center; Carolyn DeChants, SP2 ’13, and Andres Castro Samayoa, GSE ’17.

4.   Traditional Native American Grand Entry and Official Welcome
Friday, September 20, 7pm
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Harold Prince Theater, 3680 Walnut Street

University administrators offer a formal welcome after our Penn Spectrum Grand Entry, featuring drums and dance based on the opening ceremony of a Powwow. As part of this tradition, any military veterans present will be honored by the other attendees and event will be emceed by Talon Ducheneaux, C’15

3.   Black Alumni Reunion Dinner and Keynote Speaker
Saturday, September 21, 7:30-9pm
Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

This Reunion Dinner program includes greetings and remarks from the Black Alumni Society (BAS) and Makuu Black Cultural Center as well as Keynote Speaker, Marc Morial, C’80, President and CEO of the National Urban League, former Mayor of New Orleans.

2.   Questions vs. Solutions: The Immigration Discussion Continues
Saturday, September 21, 3:30-5pm
Colloquium Room, 8th Floor, Huntsman Hall, 3730 Walnut Street

Why should community members support efforts to improve the integration and inclusion of those new to the U.S., as well as others facing language and cultural barriers, into the social and economic fabric of a city? Featuring a conversation with Jennifer I. Rodríguez, GCP’01, Executive Director, Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs. Hosted by Nicolas Rodriquez, C’04, Conference Co-Chair, Board member of the Association of Latino Alumni.

1.   Penn Spectrum Dance Party (21+ Only)
Saturday, September 21, 9pm-1am, Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall

In the tradition of Taste of Penn Spectrum from Homecoming and Alumni Weekend, dance the night away to R&B, salsa, Bhangra, hip hop, merengue, reggaeton, soca, and more to end the Saturday’s activities on a high note.

I know that our Penn Alumni Relation staff will be working hard to make this a fantastic event for our Multicultural Outreach teammates and our diverse alumni alike.

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Filed under Alumni Programming, Casey R., Multicultural Outreach, Penn Spectrum, Top Ten

September 18, 2013 · 9:39 am

Penn Student, Again!

Author: Lillian Gardiner, MSEd’11, Program Director, Institute for Law & Economics, University of Pennsylvania Law School

When I finished my Master’s program, I thought I’d never go back to school. But after a very short period of time, I actually found myself missing the classroom and having a teacher.

bueller

Now, I’m taking my first class as an alumna (and Penn staff member) and am still amazed that this is one of the benefits included in being a graduate of Penn.

As alumni, we can take courses through Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies. There’s a wide variety of course offerings, with many classes offered in the evenings.

I’m currently enrolled in the Sociology of Bioethics, taught by Collette Joyce. The goal of the course is “to understand the nature of the bioethics profession and its modes of argumentation, and to explore the cultural, social, political, and professional underpinnings of bio-ethical debates.” Class meets for three hours once a week on the evening. The readings have been challenging but manageable with my work commitments. I love  being back in a classroom, learning for the sake of learning and not worrying about my grade.

If you’re local, hopefully you can take advantage of this option at some point. See you in class!

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Lillian G., Penn Law