Monthly Archives: November 2013

November 28, 2013 · 12:26 pm

A Season of Giving

Author: Max Gaines

SeasonsGreetings

This winter season, The Penn Fund encourages you to make undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania a philanthropic priority.

Alumni annual giving is a treasured Penn tradition dating back to the University’s earliest years. The philanthropic support of our alumni, parents and friends each and every year provides the vital resources necessary to maintain the University’s vision of inclusion (our groundbreaking no-loan policy), innovation (world-renowned faculty and research), and impact (made by Penn undergraduate students and alumni on campus and around the world).

Making your gift in support of undergraduate education through The Penn Fund before December 31 will:

  • ensure that your gift will be tax-deductible for the 2013 tax season (if applicable)
  • confirm your name listing in your  2012-2013 class honor roll.
  • assist the University in increasing its alumni participation numbers

Celebrate this Penn tradition and fuel the advancement of this great university and your alma mater. Go Quakers!

 

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November 28, 2013 · 10:16 am

New College House

Author: Janell Wiseley

The New College House on Hill Field is Penn’s first-ever residential building specifcally designed as a college house.

Read more about the groudbreaking and New College House.

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November 27, 2013 · 9:25 am

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Author: Patrick Bredehoft

Visits should be short, like a winter’s day.

~Ben Franklin

Without more than a whisper of warning, winter has come on quickly in Philadelphia.  The leaves put on an electric firework show for more weeks than we probably deserved this fall, soaking campus in hues of red, orange, and yellow from Homecoming through… well, yesterday, really.

Just like that, the leaves are down.  As students pack their bags for Thanksgiving break and pack their brains for midterms when then return, the trees are suddenly bare, leaving the ground momentarily reminiscent of a grand autumn.  And as the skies thicken into gray clouds and each new raindrop flirts with the possibility of flaking into snow, a chill hangs everywhere.  Even the squirrels seem restless.  The grass is bathed in gold for now, but for how long?

Of course, for those of us on campus, these are merely the harbingers of another season coming on in Philadelphia.  As we watch the students bustle out our windows and squint our eyes to imagine the first snowflakes sticking to College Green, it’s somehow reassuring to know that along with shorter days, winter is on the way.

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November 26, 2013 · 9:15 am

A Day in the Life of Penn, 2013

Author: Janell Wiseley

More than 80 photographers submitted 500 images of campus life to the University’s Flickr pool.  In addition, photographers participating in the project posted 172 images on Instagram, as well as 260 tweets on Twitter, #PennDayinLife.

Members of the Penn community also sent images from the campus outposts of Botswana, Guatemala, and Seattle.

10:53 a.m. Jacqueline Harper and Linda Schnolis examine a neonate lying in a baby warmer shortly after its birth. Ms. Harper and Ms. Schnolis are second degree nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Care of the Pediatric Patient course. Photograph by Steven Minicola, University Communications. 6H0A7960

10:53 a.m. Jacqueline Harper and Linda Schnolis examine a neonate lying in a baby warmer shortly after its birth. Ms. Harper and Ms. Schnolis are second degree nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Care of the Pediatric Patient course. Photograph by Steven Minicola, University Communications.
6H0A7960

11:26 a.m. - Veterinary nurse practitioner Jessica Bosco comforts her patient in the fluids ward. Photo by John Donges

11:26 a.m. – Veterinary nurse practitioner Jessica Bosco comforts her patient in the fluids ward. Photo by John Donges

4:30 P.M. Quiet on the quad- image by Ian McCurry

4:30 P.M. Quiet on the quad- image by Ian McCurry

5:15 PM- Designer and social activist Kenneth Cole stops by Penn to discuss his new book with College Fashionista founder Amy Levin. Photo by Jillian Kaltman

5:15 PM- Designer and social activist Kenneth Cole stops by Penn to discuss his new book with College Fashionista founder Amy Levin. Photo by Jillian Kaltman

6pm: Studying at Starbucks in 1920 Commons, image by Sarah Tinsley

6pm: Studying at Starbucks in 1920 Commons, image by Sarah Tinsley

10:36 p.m. - Nighttime Laundry. No matter what time of the day it is, all the washing machines always seem to be in use. Photo by Hannah Rosenfeld.

10:36 p.m. – Nighttime Laundry. No matter what time of the day it is, all the washing machines always seem to be in use. Photo by Hannah Rosenfeld.

To view the entire collection of images submitted by photographers, visit the University’s Flickr group pool.

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Filed under Campus Life, Janell W., Locust Walk Talk, Memories of Penn, Penn Nursing, Penn Vet, Philadelphia, Social Networking, Student Perspective

November 25, 2013 · 9:45 am

Sneak Peek: Spring Alumni Education Events

Author: Alyssa D’Alconzo, GED ’04, GRD ’11

Warning: If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to think about Christmas before Thanksgiving, you may not like this post. Because although there are still some brightly colored leaves on the trees on College Green and the holiday lights haven’t been fully illuminated on Locust Walk, we are already preparing for spring in Alumni Education!

Ready for a sneak peek of future webinars and events? Read on!
[If not, you can visit us online whenever you’re ready at http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/education/ :)]

Office Hours:

Just as they do for current students, Penn Alumni Office Hours provide a forum to ask in-depth questions and explore points of interest with professors outside of the classroom. These live, interactive webinars offer an exclusive opportunity to engage in dialogue with Penn professors without leaving your home or office. Next semester, we are featuring four of Penn’s dynamic faculty members, who will focus on a topic or issue of their choice.

  • January 28, 2014 (Noon-1pm ET): Dr. Laura Perna, Professor of Higher Education, Graduate School of Education
  • February 19, 2014 (Noon-1pm ET): Dr. Sharonna Pearl, Assistant Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication
  • March 27, 2014 (Noon-1pm ET): Dr. Margo Brooks Carthon, Assistant Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing
  • April 10, 2014 (Noon-1pm ET): Dr. Mark Duggan, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, Professor of Health Care Management, Wharton School

Penn Alumni Travel Webinars:

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You can also learn from Penn faculty members during our Alumni Travel Webinar Series! Upcoming presentations include “The Art and Culture of Cuba”, “The History of Vienna and Prague”, and more! For a full list and to register, visit http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/travel/enews.html

Penn to You:

Penn2You_logoPenn to You is designed to bring Penn alumni, parents, and friends together for an evening of intellectual and social engagement. More information about these events and those still yet to be scheduled will be online soon!

  • February 5, 2014: Atlanta
  • February 6, 2014: Miami
  • April 1, 2014: London

Alumni Weekend:

1989 Flag at Parade

And, of course, we’ll help with the panels and lectures that add to parade and picnic festivities at Alumni Weekend 2014!

  • May 16-19, 2014


Join us on Facebook for Penn Alumni Travel and Education updates! 

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Filed under Alumnni Education, Alyssa D.

November 22, 2013 · 4:06 pm

Los Angeles Alumni – Already Excited for Alumni Weekend 2014

By Kiera Reilly, C’93  @KieraReilly

Alumni Weekend 2014 seems so far off. With fall colors decorating campus and cool temperatures descending for Homecoming, it is hard to imagine the campus will be full of full green trees and thousands of alumni in only six months.

This week, spearheaded by the Class of 1989, Los Angeles-area alumni from the classes of 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, and 1999 gathered at the home of Penn Alumni President Julie Beren Platt, C’79, PAR’05, PAR’08, PAR’12 and her husband Marc, also C’79, PAR’05, PAR’08, PAR’12, for a pre-reunion party.

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This same reunion cycle partied five years ago in anticipation of their reunion, also at Julie and Marc’s home, so 1989 Reunion Chair Lolita Jackson, ENG’89, decided that everyone should gather again, and they did! The Class of 1989 had the largest showing at the gathering, no surprise since they’ll be celebrating their 25th reunion in May. The other classes enjoyed gathering early in the reunion year, and mingling with other local alumni.

The Class of 1989 had a strong showing!

The Class of 1989 had a strong showing!

Julie welcomed and thanked everyone for attending – and said that she is looking forward to her 35th reunion. Lolita Jackson and Beth Kean then took over a Penn trivia contest – there was a friendly competitive spirit in the audience and a few hecklers – but it was all in good fun.

Julie Platt welcomes everyone while Lolita Jackson, ENG'89, and Beth Kean, ENG'89, look on.

Julie Platt welcomes everyone while Lolita Jackson, ENG’89, and Beth Kean, ENG’89, look on.

Penn trivia contest - hotly contested!

Penn trivia contest – hotly contested!

At 8:00, the Class of 1989 headed out to an after-party (it seems that after graduating, the “after” parties become earlier…) and the rest of the group left for home soon after.

If the enthusiasm and energy of these Los Angeles alumni is any indication, Alumni Weekend 2014 will be a smashing success – and one you won’t want to miss!

Hurrah 1994!

Hurrah 1994!

Looking good 1999!

Looking good 1999!

Connect with your class on Facebook to be informed about other pre-reunion gatherings and Alumni Weekend details:

Class of 1979

Class of 1989

Class of 1994

Class of 1993 (yes, we’re already thinking about our 25th in 2018!)

See all the photos from the event here.

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Filed under Alumni Weekend, Class of 1993, Kiera R., Photos, Reunions, West Coast Regional Office

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November 21, 2013 · 1:54 pm

Theater Scene

Author: Noelle McManus, C’17

As most of you may know, I am highly involved in the theater community at Penn. However, what you may not know is that I recently was given an opportunity to continue with iNtuitons, who just finished Midsummer Night’s Dream, on their general board for next semester. This means that I will be able to shadow older board members in order to find out what each position is like, take part in the choosing of the show we will put on next semester, and work on the show. I am so excited to get started because I am very interested in continuing with the theater scene at Penn.

The other group that I am currently working with is Stimulus Children’s Theater, which has just celebrated Stim Day! Stim Day was November 17th, and it is a day that the entire production team (cast, crew, and board) comes together in the PAC shop and finishes the last little things that need to get done before the show! It was really fun and I got to do 3 of my favorite things: paint, eat pizza, and eat cake!

This upcoming weekend and week are bound to be exciting as well. My first birthday as a college student is this weekend! Also, my college house is hosting a Thanksgiving Food Drive Gala on Sunday! Tuesday night marks the beginning of my first Thanksgiving Break and I’m so excited to see my family again.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Filed under Campus Life, Fine Art, Student Perspective, The Arts, The Arts at Penn

November 20, 2013 · 3:31 pm

Penn Alumni Travel Photo Contest

Author:  Janell Wiseley

The Penn Alumni Travel Photo Contest is open to all Penn alumni, family, and friends that participated in a Penn Alumni Travel trip. The contest showcases some of the memorable moments on a Penn Alumni Travel program.

ENTER YOUR PHOTOS NOW!

Guidelines

  • Participants may enter one photo, taken during a Penn Alumni Travel trip, in each of the following categories: People, Places, Culture, Nature
  • Submit up to one entry per person in each category. Each photo will be judged on its creativity and quality, as well as its relevance to the specific category in which it is entered.
  • Include a two to five word description/caption for each photo submitted.
  • Deadline for entries is February 28, 2014
  • Submit photos via email, jwiseley@upenn.edu or mail digital files on a CD to:
    Penn Alumni Travel E. Craig Sweeten Alumni House
    3533 Locust Walk
    Philadelphia, PA 19104.
  •  Photos will be judged by Penn Alumni Relations Staff and announced in the spring of 2014.

Prizes

  • Grand Prize: $300 trip credit
  • 1st place: Kindle (one for each category)

Visit the Penn Alumni Travel website for more information.

Past Grand Prize Winners

2013 Grand Prize Winner Reed House-Uros Islands Photographer: Amy Converse

2013 Grand Prize Winner
Reed House-Uros Islands
Photographer: Amy Converse

2012 Grand Prize Winner Hippos in the Serengeti Photographer: Robert Chewning, WG'76

2012 Grand Prize Winner
Hippos in the Serengeti
Photographer: Robert Chewning, WG’76

2011 Grand Prize Winner Quito, Ecuador, Hillside Photographer: Christine Turk

2011 Grand Prize Winner
Quito, Ecuador, Hillside
Photographer: Christine Turk

 

 

 

 

 

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November 19, 2013 · 2:57 pm

Penn Alumni Club of Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Author: Stephanie Yee, C’08One thing I have learned this year is Penn alumni LOVE art! The Penn Alumni Club of Philadelphia hosted two events at The Barnes Foundation in early 2013, and both events sold out in minutes! We recently hosted an event at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Léger: Modern Art and the Metropolis special exhibit. Alumni met at the PMA at 9AM on a Saturday. We were split into two smaller groups for our private tours. Our tour was given by the mother of Leah Popowich, C00 G06, from Office of the President at University of Pennsylvania. There is a Penn connection everywhere!

Penn alumni on a private tour of the Léger: Modern Art and the Metropolis special exhibit

Penn alumni on a private tour of the Léger: Modern Art and the Metropolis special exhibit

Beautiful fall day in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Beautiful fall day in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Following our tour, we met for brunch at Rembrandt’s, a restaurant within walking distance of the museum. Our brunch featured guest speaker and Penn Art History Professor André Dombrowski. We are big fans of Dr. Dombrowski at the Penn Alumni Club of Philadelphia. He is a phenomenal speaker and always excited to participate in Penn Alumni events. If you haven’t heard him speak, you need to ASAP! Dr. Dombrowski discussed the Léger and his contemporaries and how the Léger exhibit has been covered in the media. The Penn alumni in attendance were very knowledgeable about art and had great questions for Dr. Dombrowski.

Penn alumni enjoying a wonderful talk by Penn Art History Professor André Dombrowski

Penn alumni enjoying a wonderful talk by Penn Art History Professor André Dombrowski

The event was so successful that we plan to host another event at the PMA in Spring 2014. We are excited for the upcoming special exhibits, and we hope you will join us for the event. Check our website for more details!

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Programming, Alumnni Education, Philadelphia, Stephanie Y., The Arts

November 18, 2013 · 8:33 am

Alumni You Should Know About

Author: Marvin Rocha, C’05

Rocha 11-18

You probably know that John Legend, Candice Bergen, and Elizabeth Banks went to Penn, but did you know that there is currently a flock of Penn alumni making their way through Hollywood? Penn alumnus Matt Rosler (C’96), the creator of the Dueling Tampons, recently launched Penntertainment, a blog that chronicles the successes and appearances of Quaker actors, authors, directors, and musicians. Here, you can see 2006 College alumna Stephanie Lynn appear in a Funny or Die skit; you’ll hear Sean Hayes refer to Robert Gant (C’90) as “the handsome one”; you can event spot Penn alumnus Marcus McGee (C’01) on Scandal. All of these alumni are showcased in the website’s Penn Alumni You Should Know About, which is currently in its 9th Volume. These alumni give us a reason to stay tuned in.

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