Monthly Archives: January 2014

January 16, 2014 · 3:13 pm

From Teen to Twenty Something

Author:  Carolyn Grace, C’16

WELCOME BACK, MY DARLING PENN QUAKERS!

Yes, second semester is finally upon us, and I am still on my winter break sleep schedule.  But I’ve missed dear old Penn, and I am thrilled to be back in the bustling atmosphere of classes, activities, and friends.  More importantly, I can now satisfy my strange craving for Houston Hall’s sushi.

Things certainly are busy for only the second day of school.  Rush has officially begun for Sigma Kappa as well as the other Panhellenic sororities.  I’m already exhausted from yesterday’s Open House, but I am even more excited to get a brand new pledge class in SK!

Counterparts is already in the midst of selecting our Spring semester repertoire, and we will soon begin rehearsals for our February performance in the ICCAs!  For those of you who have seen Pitch Perfect (unlike me!), you understand that this is a pretty cool event.  I don’t know much about it, but I’m always ready to be back on stage singing with CP.  More details to come!

The ICCA performance in Pitch Perfect. AKA my study guide!

The ICCA performance in Pitch Perfect. AKA my study guide!

For today, however, what I’m most excited for has nothing to do with sorority life or a cappella.  Today’s post, in addition to being my first one of the new semester, is the last post I will be writing as a teenager.  At exactly 12:17 AM tomorrow morning, I will be 20 years old!  I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’m about to become a “twenty something.”  I’ve seen the numerous BuzzFeed posts about this particular age group, all of them hilarious albeit slightly concerning.  Technically, I am a young adult.  So, how much of my life actually needs to be put together?  Quite frankly, I’ve always felt the label “teenager” was like a “get out of jail free” card for behavior.  Neurotic, eccentric, angsty, or overly emotional?  Hey, blame it on puberty and hormones!  I’m hoping I still have some of that leeway when I turn 20.

So, you can bet that I’ll be celebrating tomorrow, and you should too!  Well, maybe not celebrating my birthday specifically (though I’d certainly appreciate it 🙂 ), but rather celebrating a new year, new semester, and the new opportunities that come with it all.  Good luck this Spring, Quakers!

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Filed under Academics, Campus Life, Carolyn G., Clubs, Photos, Student Perspective, The Arts, The Arts at Penn, Video, Videos

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January 16, 2014 · 9:12 am

Penn Men’s Basketball Beats Princeton, 77-74

Author: Stephanie Yee, C08

Spirits were low going into part two of Saturday’s doubleheader after Penn Women’s Basketball’s tragic loss to Princeton, 53 – 84. After two hours of cheering, screaming, and serious heart palpitations, we celebrated the Men’s big victory over Princeton, 77-74. It was a great day to be a Quaker! Join us back in The Palestra this Saturday for College Game Day followed by Penn vs. St. Joe’s at 7 PM.

Penn beats Princeton, 77-74. Go Quakers!

Penn beats Princeton, 77-74. Go Quakers!

 

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Athletics, Stephanie Y., Uncategorized

January 15, 2014 · 12:35 pm

A Year in Review

Author: Joshua Durando

Every year, right around this time, we are all reflective on the year we’ve had, and look forward to what’s to come. We’ve learned lessons, grown another year wiser, and made resolutions to help make this year better than the last. For me, January not only signified a new calendar year, but also marked an anniversary – 1 year at Penn. That’s right; January 7th was the one year anniversary of the man who wrote his first blog post about the pet fish he keeps on his desk. For all inquiring minds, Pippen is alive and well.

He was feeling a bit shy today.

He was feeling a bit shy today.

The past year has been incredibly busy (having to keep a fish alive and all), but also incredibly rewarding. I’ve learned a lot over the last year and can honestly say Penn has come to feel like a second home. Working in Programs and Special Events (P&SE), I have the unique opportunity to meet alumni from all across the country at a host of different events. Helping to plan events like Making History at Penn Park, Penn Spectrum, or yPenn Highballs allow me the opportunity to see Penn in many different ways. After reflecting on all of the events I have worked on over the last year, I think my favorite would have to be the Time to Shine 11 city tour which took place throughout the fall. The tour, meant to celebrate the end of the campaign and the exciting new frontiers at Penn, was probably the best way to indoctrinate a new employee into Penn’s vibrant culture. How could I not fall in love with this place? In every city you, our alumni, were so excited to hear about what Penn had accomplished and where it was going. Not only that, you were also excited to hear about me. Where did I work? When did I start? How was I liking it? Everyone was so welcoming, assuring me that I was “going to love it”. You weren’t wrong. The enthusiasm for this place is contagious.

Though the tour is over, 2014 does not fall short when it comes to opportunities to engage with Penn. I know all of us in P&SE are excited to plan fabulous events that allow you to come back to campus or celebrate Penn when we come visit you in your city. There are tons of exciting new events on the horizon including Penn 2 U’s, a series of yPenn events, and of course, all of the Alumni Weekend activities. So I guess the question really is: will engaging with Penn make it on your list of resolutions for 2014? Keep your eyes peeled for invites and save the dates coming your way. And of course, always check Frankly Penn for recaps and fun pictures.

We hope to see you in 2014!

 

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Filed under A Day in the Life - DAR, Campus Life, Josh D.

January 14, 2014 · 11:27 am

The Penn Alumni Website: All New, all Red and Blue

New Website

As you sip your coffee on Friday morning and visit the Penn Alumni website (as you normally do before starting your day) you may notice some changes. For the last year we at Penn Alumni Relations have been working diligently to bring you an updated site that is both easy on the eyes and intuitive in navigation. We hope that you find the site as fun to use as it was for us to create, and look forward to your feedback!

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January 13, 2014 · 6:23 pm

Penn Serves LA: Holidays are a Time for Giving

By Jane Gutman, CW’73, PAR’14, PAR’16

Holidays are a time for giving, and also for giving back. Fourteen years ago a man named Tom Bagamane and his sister decided to pack forty grocery bags and hand them out to homeless people they saw near home and work. The weekend of December 12 – 15, 2013, volunteers with The Giving Spirit headed to all parts of Los Angeles and handed full duffle bags to 2,600 homeless people. The bags were not dropped off in parks or near shelters, rather The Giving Spirit volunteers found isolated people and interacted with them in the process of handing over a bag filled with fresh and canned food, socks, hats, rain gear, toiletries and the like, along with an industrial strength blanket.

Giving Spirit group Dec.13.2013

On the Friday night of that weekend, over fifty Penn Serves LA volunteers of all ages congregated at a church in West LA to help to make greeting cards and pack Tupperware and ziplocks with necessities for The Giving Spirit’s bags. As Mr. Bagamane told the Penn crowd, The Giving Spirit knows it cannot cure homelessness, but it hopes to make the holidays and the coldest part of winter just a little easier for “our friends living on the street.” He asked the Penn alumni how it would feel to never hear your name spoken or to line up with your kids just to have a roof over your head for a few hours.

Giving Spirit 1 Dec.13.2013

Giving Spirit 2 Dec.13.2013

The Penn group pitched in for a few hours – some hauling heavy boxes, some joining the assembly lines, some binding blankets. It was a cold night, but we had lots of company and warm food provided by local restaurants…and we were reminded yet again how very lucky we are not to live in a tent or a box on the street. After a fulfilling and collegial evening, our Penn alumni headed back to their cars and homes, and over the Penn shirts they had donned many wore The Giving Spirit t-shirt emblazoned with, “GIVE HOPE LOVE”…and that’s what the holidays are all about!

Giving Spirit 4 Dec.13.2013

Giving Spirit 3 Dec.13.2013

All alumni, Penn parents, families and their children are invited to the next Penn Serves LA event on Sunday, February 23, 2014, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at One to One Outreach. Back by popular demand, we will return to assemble and deliver boxes of food to the low income, food-insecure of South Central Los Angeles. Children over 8 years are invited to attend. Bring a bit of joy and relief to those in need with us. Click here to sign up for this event.

About Penn Serves LA – Started in 2012, Penn Serves offers a way for direct community service for local Penn alumni and their children to serve Los Angeles’ most needy populations. We partner with established nonprofits and grassroots organizations for one-time volunteer opportunities. So far, we’ve served meals to the homeless, delivered food to low income families, planned activities with immigrant children, and so much more. Please contact us if you’d like to help at a future event via email at pennservesla@gmail.com or visit our website.

Read about our past events:

November, 2013 – Sending Holiday Warmth to our Troops

August and September, 2013 – Serving the Environment and LA Leadership Academy

May, 2013 – One on One Outreach

March, 2013 – Habitat for Humanity

January, 2013 – Inner City Arts

September, 2012 – The Midnight Mission

June, 2012 – Turning Point Shelter

 

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Filed under Alumni Programming, Guest blogger, Los Angeles, Penn Clubs, Penn Serves LA, Photos, Volunteering, West Coast Regional Office

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January 12, 2014 · 8:05 pm

Penn Alumni Clubs Toast Ben Franklin

#PennToastsBen

Ben Birthday Bash

By Kiera Reilly, C’93  @KieraReilly

Penn’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, is celebrating his 308th birthday on January 17, 2014. Join Penn alumni in a city near you for this year’s festivities!

Cities/clubs celebrating this year include: Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Las Vegas, Lehigh Valley, London, Long Island, Los Angeles, Metro NJ, New Haven, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Northern California, Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, Shanghai, Seattle, and Westchester/Rockland Counties.

Follow the fun on Twitter with the hashtag #PennToastsBen

Baltimore

Penn Club of Baltimore

Friday, January 31, 2014

5:00 pm -7:00 pm

The Party Room/Area at The Greene Turtle

1606 Whetstone Way

Baltimore (South Bmore/Fed Hill), MD 21230

Join the Penn Club of Baltimore for appetizers and a cash bar to celebrate the birthday of Penn’s founder, Ben Franklin. Start the New Year with your follow Penn alumni. For questions or to RSVP, contact pennbalt@yahoo.com.

Boston

Penn Club of Boston

Thursday, January 16, 2014

7:00 pm

Max Brenner

745 Boylston Street

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubBoston

Celebrate Ben Franklin’s Birthday with desserts at Max Brenner!

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk St in Boston, MA in 1706? He then went on to attend Boston Latin School, ran away to Philadelphia at the age of 17, and eventually helped found the University of Pennsylvania and went on to become one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Today, his legacy lives on in the field of politics, philosophy, science, and education.

Join us on January 16th at 7pm at Max Brenner’s as we celebrate the legacy of the illustrious man and founder of Penn, Ben Franklin. RSVP is required. RSVP through the Penn Club of Boston website or by sending an email to stephanieh@pennclubofboston.org. RSVP Here!

Houston

Penn Club of Houston

Thursday, January 16, 2014

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Camerata

1834 Westheimer Road

Houston, TX

713.522.VINO

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubHouston

Penn Houston is celebrating Ben’s 308th birthday at Camerata, a cool, recently opened Montrose wine bar that has a laid-back vibe and amazing wine list. First glass and apps are on the club! Join us to kick off 2014 with familiar faces and new friends as we reminisce on Ben and good old Penn. Advance registration required via our website.

Registrants & Fees:                       Registrant Fee

Child/Guest of Member                $ 5.00

Child/Guest of Non-Member        $ 10.00

Member Penn Club of Houston    $ 5.00

Non-Member Penn Club of Houston   $ 10.00

More info on Camerata: Popular among bar and restaurant critics, Camerata was named in December as the 3rd hottest wine bar in the country by Eater National and has been featured by Texas Monthly, Houston Press, Culturemap, the Houston Chronicle, and Eater Houston, to name a few. Owned by Paul Petronella and directly adjacent to his restaurant Paulie’s, Camerata offers an ever-changing bottle list from ex-Uchi Houston beverage director David Keck in a space that draws a hip, younger crowd.

Parking: Camerata is located on Westheimer, between Driscoll Street and Morse Sreet. Parking can be find on either side street, and entrances are on Westheimer and the back of the restaurant.

Las Vegas

Penn Club of Las Vegas

Friday, January 17, 2014

6:00 – 8:00 PM

Banger Brewing (downtown)

Follow on Twitter: @PennLV

The Penn Club of Las Vegas is excited to host the Vegas Ivy Plus community for a beer tasting in honor of Big Ben’s Birthday. There will be discounted drinks for our group as well as a tour of the brewery. Beer + education = win win for us and Ben.

We hope you can make it and are looking forward to seeing you all there. Last year we had a great turnout and a great time. Note: Ben Franklin wigs optional (kidding).

Questions, email: Lea Artis, C’08 at leartis@alumni.upenn.edu. (And even if you can’t, make sure you’re on our email list!) PS. Visit our new website PennLV.com for all upcoming events and news.

Connect with PCLV on: Facebook  |LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Lehigh Valley

Penn Alumni Club of the Lehigh Valley

Thursday, January 16, 2014

6:00 – 7:00 PM Happy Hour

7:00 PM Dinner

Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse

2805 Lehigh Street (just off Rt. 309)

Allentown, PA

“Take time for all things; great haste makes great waste”

The Penn Club invites you and your guest(s) to Ben’s Birthday Bash (“eve”) celebrating Benjamin Franklin’s 308th birthday.

Two menu options: The Full Rodizio – $28.99 – Enjoy a variety of rotisserie grilled meats carved table side, glazed pineapple, a gourmet salad bar, and authentic Brazilian appetizers, all Unlimited! Gourmet Salads – $16.99 – Enjoy unlimited authentic Brazilian appetizers and unlimited trips to the gourmet salad bar, featuring over 30 hot and cold items. Rodizio is 100% MSG free, 100% Peanut free, and 95% Gluten free. We hope to see you there. Please rsvp and indicate if you are joining us for Happy Hour, Dinner or Both (hopefully both!) We need to give the restaurant an accurate count so that they can accommodate us properly.

RSVP to Joan at info@pennclublehighvalley.com.

London

Penn Club of the UK

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

7:00 pm

21 Covent Garden

21 The Market

WC2E 8RD London

In celebration of Ben Franklin’s birthday, we are celebrating our beloved founder’s special day with drinks. Come join us at 21 Covent Garden from 7 PM, where we will have a reserved area in the bar overlooking the Covent Garden Piazza. Feel free to bring a Ben Franklin-related item… We’ll buy a drink for the person with the best or most unique item!
Looking forward to seeing you and raising a toast to dear ol’ Ben.

Questions? Email the club at pennalumniuk@gmail.com.

Long Island

Penn Club of Long Island

Thursday, January 23, 2014

7:30 pm

Vespa

Great Neck, NY

Join us in celebration of Ben Franklin’s Birthday, Ben’s Bash. There will be a brief Club meeting, followed by dinner.

Los Angeles

PennClubLA

Friday, January 17, 2014

7:30 – 9:00 pm

The Churchill

8384 W 3rd St

West Hollywood, CA 90048

Note: Location change, no longer at The Pikey!

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubLA

Ben Franklin Birthday hat 2

Happy New Year Penn Alumni! We would like to invite you to come celebrate Ben Franklin’s birthday with fellow classmates at The Churchill this Friday! Help us cheers to dear old Ben! Find more information and RSVP here.

Metro NJ

Penn Club of Metro New Jersey

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

7:30 PM

Birthday Cake and Open Board meeting

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubMetroNJ

All Metro NJ Penn Alumni and Penn Parents are invited to join us for Ben Franklin’s Birthday Bash at the home of Carol Michaels. After an open board meeting, there will be refreshments including Ben’s birthday cake. RSVP here.

New Haven, CT

Penn Club of New Haven

January 19th, 2014

6:30pm

Linsly Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street

New Haven, CT

Ben Franklin’s Birthday Celebration and Speaker Event

Join us for a presentation entitled “Callings and Culture-Picking: Lessons on Work and Food from the Wilds of Psychology” (topics that were of great interest to Ben!) by Penn Psychology Professor Dr. Paul Rozin and our own Dr. Amy Wrzesniewski, C ’94, of the Yale School of Management, followed by refreshments and birthday cake! The event is free, but RSVP via email to robpennclubnh@gmail.com.

Northeastern Pennsylvania

Penn Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

11:30 am – 2:00 pm

East Mountain Inn, in the Bistro

Off Exit 170-A of I-81

Ben Franklin Bountiful Buffet Birthday Bash

with Special guest speaker

Gregory E. Johnson, CFP®

Director of Gift Planning

University of Pennsylvania

Attire for the day is casual. Buffet will be served (cash bar). The price for the event is $30 per person. If you like to avoid the rush please include your dues of $15 for 2014.

RSVP no later than Thursday, January 9th by calling 570.208.3130, ext. 147 or by e-mailing me at AndrewPasonick@penneastern.com.

Northern California

Penn Club of Northern California

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

6:00 – 8:00 pm

O3 Bistro & Lounge

524 Van Ness Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94102 (Google Map)

Follow on Twitter: @NCPennClub

Penn’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, is celebrating his 308th birthday in January 2014. Join Penn alumni for this year’s festivities! Join us as we mingle with familiar and new alums and play Ben Franklin and Penn trivia! Event details here.

Cost: $10 with advanced registration, $15 at the door (ticket includes appetizers and one drink)

RSVP: Click here to purchase tickets

Orange County, CA

Penn Club of Orange County

Thursday, January 16, 2014

5:30 – 7:00 pm

Bluewater Grill at the District

2409 Park Ave.

Tustin, CA 92782

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubOC

Please join Orange County area alumni us for a fun evening of networking and remembering Ben. Also, bring ideas of events you would like to see our club take on this year!

RSVP to penncluboc@gmail.com so that we know how many will be in attendance. We look forward to seeing you there and starting off 2014 in celebration!

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.”

― Benjamin Franklin

Philadelphia

Penn Club of Philadelphia

Saturday, January 11, 2014

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Lecture series brunch at The Plough & the Stars, 123 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Private guided tour at Benjamin Franklin Museum, 317 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Follow on Twitter: @PennClub

Ben Franklin’s Birthday Bash! Lecture Series Brunch and Private Museum Tour

Come celebrate the University of Pennsylvania’s Founding Father’s 308th Birthday at the new Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia!

Join us for a lecture series brunch at The Plough & the Stars restaurant in Old City with Penn Professor John Milner, Adjunct Professor of Architecture Historic Preservation and two project directors from Quinn Evans Architects, the architecture firm responsible for renovating and expanding the Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia. Following the brunch, we will experience a private guided tour of the new Benjamin Franklin Museum in Old City.

Cost: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

RSVP: Click here to buy tickets!

http://www.pennclubphilly.org/article.html?aid=832

Phoenix, AZ

Penn-Wharton Club of Arizona

Thursday, January 16, 2014

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

University Club of Phoenix

39 E. Monte Vista

Phoenix, AZ 85004

Follow on Twitter: @Penn_Wharton_AZ

Join fellow alumni as we once again celebrate Ben’s Birthday at our annual Ben Franklin Birthday Bash. This is always one of our most popular events, so be sure to sign up early.

DETAILS Appetizers and a birthday cake, Cash Bar

COST: $20

Appropriately, at this event we honor our Ben Franklin Sponsor members. We appreciate the additional support; you and a guest are invited to this event at NO CHARGE. Red & Blue Society members and a guest attend all events at NO CHARGE. Special Invitation to our Young Alumni to join us at NO CHARGE.

RSVP: Click here to RSVP!!!

Portland, OR

Penn Club of Portland

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

5:30 – 7:00 pm (or until the last person leaves)

Kells Irish Brew Pub.

210 NW 21st Avenue

(betw. NW Davis St. and NW Everett St.)

Portland, OR

Ben Franklin portrait

Benjamin Franklin’s 308th Birthday Happy Hour

While touring Ireland in 1771, Benjamin Franklin was moved by the level of poverty he observed. Since Ireland’s economy was governed by the same trade regulations and laws of Britain that governed America, Franklin’s observation, that America could suffer the same effects should Britain’s colonial rule continue, fueled his passion for independence. So, once again this year, we are celebrating Benjamin Franklin’s 308th birthday with a nod to Ireland on Wednesday, January 15th (actually two days before his birthday) at Kells Irish Brew Pub.

Look for friends, smiling faces and/or small Penn flag.

RSVPs, while not required, are always appreciated to club president John Vosmek at John Vosmek john.vosmek@vosmek.com.

San Antonio, TX

Penn Club of San Antonio

Friday, January 17, 2014

11:30 AM

Youz Guyz South Philly Cheesesteaks

316 Pat Booker Road

Universal City 78148

The Penn Alumni Club of San Antonio will continue our tradition of celebrating Ben’s Birthday Bash on Friday, January 17. Once again we will gather, starting at 11:30 A.M., at San Antonio’s Philly cheese steak emporium and our informal clubhouse, Youz Guyz South Philly CheeseSteaks, phone 210-659-8930. Be ready for Quizzo while we munch our lunch.

RSVP by Monday, January 13, to Elaine Ayala, eayala@express-news.net, 210-250-3402.

San Diego, CA

Penn Club of San Diego

Friday, January 17, 2014

6:00 pm – ?

Eddie’s

3501 30th Street

Follow on Twitter: @PennClubSD

The Penn Club of San Diego will celebrate Ben’s Birthday Bash! A small corner is being reserved at 6pm at Eddie’s! Cheesesteaks, Tastycakes and other menu items will be available for purchase.

RSVP by emailing pennclubsd@gmail.com.

Seattle, WA

Penn Club of Seattle

Bowling for Ben

Sunday, January 12, 2014

5:00 – 7:00 pm

The Garage Bowling and Billiards

1130 Broadway (on Capitol Hill)

Seattle, WA 98122

Follow on Twitter: @PenninSeattle

Join the Penn Alumni Club of Seattle in celebrating Ben Franklin’s 308th birthday with an evening of bowling, billiards, food and drink at the great space known as “The Garage” on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Bowling begins at 5:00 PM. You can bowl, schmooze, eat and drink, play some billiards and just enjoy the company of local Penn alumni and parents. Cost for the night will be $10, which includes bowling and shoe rentals. $20 includes bowling, shoe rental and a Penn Club of Seattle t-shirt! (Food and drink will be on you).

RSVPs are required at http://www.pennclubofseattle.com/item/554706. Space is limited so sign up today!

Shanghai

Ben Franklin birthday hat

Penn Club of Shanghai

Thursday, January 23, 2014

7:30 – 9:30 PM

Sarment Wine Bar

Reel Mall, 1601 West Nanjing Road

( 南京西路1601号2楼202-1室, 近常德路)

Wines start from 45RMB. Buy two glasses get one free.

Ben Franklin’s Birthday Bash and Standing Committee Elections

To kick off the Penn Club’s events in the new year, we are commemorating our University’s founding father, Ben Franklin, with a birthday bash in his honor. Please join us for some drinks and good times with your fellow alumni!

During the birthday bash, we will hold our annual standing committee (i.e. board) elections. We encourage all alumni interested in helping shape the future direction of our club to take part in the election by either running for a position or simply by attending and voting during the elections. The position that are available for election:

Chairman (President)

Secretary of the Treasury (Treasurer)

Secretary of Propaganda (Secretary)

Secretary of Internal Affairs (Webmaster)

Secretary of Labor (Professional Events)

Secretary of Education (Educational Events)

Secretary of Civil Affairs (Community Service Events)

Secretary of Social Affairs (Social Events)

Secretary of Recruitment (Secondary School Committee)

If you are interested in learning more about running for a position, please email us at penn.club.shanghai@gmail.com. We will accept nominations for positions until Tuesday, January 21.

Westchester/Rockland Counties, NY

Penn Club of Westchester and Rockland Counties

Saturday, January 25, 2014

7:30 pm pub fare and drinks

9:30 pm Penn Alumni Band, “The Velcrows”

MTK Tavern

30 East Main Street

Mt. Kisco, NY

(914-218-3334)

Ben’s Birthday Bash featuring Penn Alumni Band “The Velcrows” at MTK Tavern

This year we are heading to Mt. Kisco to enjoy great food and drinks while enjoying the music of a Penn Alumni Band!

Mingle with fellow alumni while enjoying pub fare and drinks from 7:30 to 9:30PM, and then Randi Nielsen, W’84, Robert Birkenholz, ME’82, and Mike Rosenman, C’76, will be performing with their band, The Velcrows, at this fun venue! MTK Tavern is located in Mt. Kisco, an easy walk from the train station if you would rather not drive. The evening will conclude with a cake to celebrate Ben Franklin’s birthday!

RSVP/PAYMENT (includes cover charge and from 7:30-9:30PM: food and wine/beer/soft drinks): Through January 20th: $50 for members  and $60 for nonmembers; From January 21st through January 25th: $60 for members and $70 for nonmembers; Use the red link below to rsvp and pay by MC/Visa or to pay by check, email the event chairperson, Wendy Weinstein at wendy.weinstein.karp@gmail.com with the number of attendees and then send a check payable to “The Penn Club of Westchester & Rockland Counties” and write “Ben’s Birthday Bash” on the memo portion of the check. Please send the check to Club Treasurer: Pamela Harpaz, 12 Woodmill Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514.

For questions or additional information, please contact the event chairperson: Wendy Weinstein at  wendy.weinstein.karp@gmail.com.

Click here to buy tickets!!!

Philadelphia

Celebration in Philadelphia honoring Ben Franklin

Celebration! Benjamin Franklin, Founder, will present the Franklin Founders Award to Dr. Edward O. Wilson in recognition of his lifetime of work in the natural sciences, and his insights into the genetic basis of the social behavior of animals, including humans. Recognized worldwide as a leading authority on ants, Dr. Wilson has used his findings on social species to develop cutting-edge theories about human behavior. His 2012 book, The Social Conquest of Earth, looks at altruism and conflict in human society. Dr. Wilson, who received the Pulitzer Prize in 1979, is an emeritus professor at Harvard University.

The day’s Philadelphia celebration includes a free morning seminar on the topic of Observing the World, featuring:

Robert McCracken Peck, Senior Fellow, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy, Chair of the Dept. of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware

A procession up 5th Street to Dr. Franklin’s grave will be followed by a luncheon honoring Dr. Wilson.

AGENDA

9am-10:30am Seminar, Franklin Hall (free)

11am-11:30am Procession and wreath-laying at Franklin’s Grave (free)

11:45am – 1:45pm Luncheon at The Chemical Heritage Foundation, 315 Chestnut Street

Please visit www.ushistory.org/celebration for more information and registration

Click here for Registration / Luncheon Tickets

 Don’t forget to post your photos and fun with the hashtag #PennToastsBen

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Filed under Alumni Programming, Clubs, GAN, Kiera R., Penn Clubs, Social Networking, Uncategorized, West Coast Regional Office

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January 10, 2014 · 9:26 am

For the Blue

Author: Liz Pinnie

Braveheart2

Short of smearing blue paint on your face and wearing a kilt, it can be challenging to capture the attention of many, and urge them towards a singular goal.

However, this remains one of my broader goals within my position as Assistant Director for the Penn Alumni Interview Program.  Like much of Penn, the Interview Program is a complex swirling vortex of ideas, passions, data, collaboration, integration, and the slightly wild goal of offering interviews to 100% of applicants.  In order to try and explain this, I decided to test out a (slightly) new free platform called Prezi.

Prezi provides users a blank slate with which to create a presentation that is aimed at capturing the attention of its viewers with its outside-of-the-box options.  For a great example, check out this awesome resume from Prezi all-star Pascal.  Outside the box, right!?  I must admit that ours is a bit more stayed than Pascal’s, but I think (and hope!) it gets out point across.

The Interview Program hopes to offer an interview to each and every one of Penn’s undergraduate applicants by 2015.  Why?  You’ll just have to watch our Prezi to see.

And!  If you find yourself inspired, excited, willing to join, or just plain curious, let me know!  Sign up to interview on our member registration page, or email us.

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Filed under Alumni Programming, Interview Program, Liz P.

January 9, 2014 · 8:45 am

Penn Alumni Travel Photo Contest

Author: Emilie C. K. LaRosa

Penn Alumni Travel is hosting our 4th annual photo contest. If you’ve traveled with us in the past, you are eligible to enter a travel photo by FEBRUARY 28, 2014. Winners receive an Amazon Kindle or $300 trip credit.

Photos are judged in four categories: People, Places, Culture, and Nature. To learn more about the contest or to submit a picture, click here.

Our winners from 2013 were:

Grand Prize Winner and First Place, Places Category: “Reed House-Uros Islands,” by Amy Converse

Grand Prize Winner and First Place, Places Category: “Reed House-Uros Islands,” by Amy Converse

First Place People Category: “Father at Monastery of St. John,” by Robin Love

First Place People Category: “Father at Monastery of St. John,” by Robin Love

First Place Culture Category: “Street Musician-Havana,” by Arthur Brown

First Place Culture Category: “Street Musician-Havana,” by Arthur Brown

First Place Nature Category: “Orchids of Machu Picchu,” by Alex Converse

First Place Nature Category: “Orchids of Machu Picchu,” by Alex Converse

And this isn’t the first time we’ve posted about the photo contest. Check out our other photo contest blogs below!

Announcing the 3rd annual photo contest winners.

Announcing the 2nd annual photo contest winners.

The FIRST annual photo contest entries.

 

 

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Filed under Emilie, Penn Alumni Travel, Travel

January 8, 2014 · 9:25 am

Open Learning Initiative at Penn: what are we doing and where are we going?

Author: Lauren Owens, Program Coordinator, Open Learning Initiative and C’ 08

OpenLearningImage

Over the past year and a half, Penn has produced 24 courses for 1.8 million students, online, for free. Why?

“Penn’s mission, as a great research university, is to create and disseminate knowledge,” says Director for Open Course Initiatives and Senior Advisor to the President and Provost Edward Rock. “The internet is a place of learning and, as part of our core mission, a place where we need to be. That the internet allows us to share our teaching resources with the whole world, at a reasonable cost, is an opportunity that our faculty has enthusiastically embraced.”

Penn took a leap of faith as one of the four founding partners in the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform Coursera.  There are now over one hundred partner schools from all over the world participating. From Modern and Contemporary American Poetry, to Experimental Genome Science, to Introduction to Financial Accounting, Penn’s variety of courses has great appeal to a vast audience. As an SAS alumna, it’s incredible to read forum posts and survey reports expressing gratitude just for the opportunity to learn from a Penn professor. Bear in mind these courses are not for credit.

Participation standards and passing grades are set by the Professor and teaching assistants, and the remarkable community of students usually solves their own quandaries before one of us has a chance to notice. The global community of students, driven to take a Penn course because it’s a Penn course, or because of the subject matter, or just for fun, is what creates the learning environment. And that’s pretty remarkable.

The on-campus impact is also remarkable. Edward Rock: “Our partnership with Coursera is a piece of a much larger initiative for innovation in teaching here on campus. The internet changes everything it touches, and we are only beginning to understand how it changes how we educate students.” We are creating content for online consumption. But what happens when professors give the content to students before their on-campus classes, and spend class time on interactive activities? Researchers at Penn are working on exactly that.

In future blog posts I will discuss that research, interview faculty members teaching open courses on Coursera, and provide more updates and insights as this landscape continues to rapidly change.

For more information on the Open Learning Initiative at Penn, please see our website and follow us on twitter!

 

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Filed under Alumni Benefits, Alumni Perspective, Alumnni Education, Lauren O

January 7, 2014 · 8:08 am

The holidays in Las Vegas…

Author: Edna Gonzalez-Serrano

After a very exhausting semester, which I call Semester 1.0. I flew out Dec. 21st to Las Vegas where the median temperature has been 50+ degrees! Goodbye winter coat, hello hoodies! I immediately had to prepare for family flying in from Mexico, adjusting to a new puppy, Barnaby, at home and finishing some last minute rewrites for my History of American Higher Education course. While everyone did last minute shopping and the radio played count downs of the top 2013 songs….I forced my to work on finishing the semester so I could enjoy Christmas! Pandora kept the Christmas spirit alive and well for me.

My motto was: Ready. Set. GOOO!!!

By tradition, Mexican families celebrate Christmas Eve dinner with family and friends. There after we attend midnight mass. This year all the yummy food had most of us passed out on the couch while we pretended to watch midnight mass broadcasted from the Vatican in Rome. Here are a few pictures of the many food selections we had:

Ponche: A traditional drink made out of guava, prunes, tamarind, raisins, sugar cane, and tejocote. Served warm and sometimes with a bit of rum in it. Usually drunk during Posadas or during Christmas Eve dinner.

Ponche: A traditional drink made out of guava, prunes, tamarind, raisins, sugar cane, and tejocote. Served warm and sometimes with a bit of rum in it. Usually drunk during Posadas or during Christmas Eve dinner.

Tamales: A variety of spicy tamales with various meats, cheese, or sweet tamales served as a side dish.

Tamales: A variety of spicy tamales with various meats, cheese, or sweet tamales served as a side dish.

Mexican rum cake

Mexican rum cake

And some Christmas cupcakes for those who wanted something more American and traditional 

And some Christmas cupcakes for those who wanted something more American and traditional 

Last but not least, I present to you our 7month old rescue: Barnaby Socks, Barnaby for short. :-)

Last but not least, I present to you our 7month old rescue: Barnaby Socks, Barnaby for short. 🙂

Happy New Years from Las Vegas!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Edna G, Student Perspective