Category Archives: Alumni Weekend

May 23, 2011 · 2:42 pm

Author: Amanda M. D’Amico, The Penn Fund

Ten days ago, the campus was alive – soon-to-be graduates marched down Locust Walk, parents and alumni watched with pride and Denzel Washington and President Amy Gutmann spoke to an exuberant crowd.

Commencement 2011

Since last Monday, the population on campus has drastically decreased – only staff, faculty members, and a fraction of the student population have stayed behind for the summer.

While some of our neighbors in West Philadelphia might be pleased that there aren’t hordes of students clogging up the sidewalks and slowing down the line at Fresh Grocer, without the students, the campus has lost a lot of what makes Penn Penn. The University’s  academic prowess is unchallenged – it is a world-class institution with outstanding faculty members and researchers. Every day, Penn makes strides towards new discoveries and inventions and towards building a better world. But what makes Penn truly a great place to be is the feeling on campus, and the students provide that.

Penn just isn’t the same without students lounging on College Green, rushing in and out of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, and throwing a Frisbee around outside of their college house. Penn students make the campus more than offices and a business – they make Penn a home.

The Button

We’ll have to wait until Convocation for Penn to have that feeling again (and take advantage of the shorter lines at the food trucks in the mean time). I know that at least one staff member will be counting down the days until September 4, and I’d bet that most of the other staff members will be too.

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May 18, 2011 · 1:48 pm

And Then They Were Gone…

Author: Lisa Vaccarelli, C’02

The Tuesday following Alumni Weekend and Commencement is always an eerie day on campus. For an entire year, those of us in Alumni Relations – as well as students, faculty and staff across the University – work towards the second weekend in May when thousands of alumni, family and friends converge on Penn’s campus for a weekend full of reunion parties, parades and picnics. All of this culminates in Commencement, Penn’s extraordinary university-wide graduation ceremony which draws 25,000 to Franklin Field. The energy level on campus throughout the weekend is contagious – enough to keep even those of us working 72 hours straight smiling. And then, it’s all over.

Commencement Parade Down Locust Walk

Don’t get me wrong – there is a general sense of relief upon returning to the office on Tuesday. The deadlines have all been met, the programs executed and well-received. And now, finally, there is a chance to catch my breath and start working my way through my momentarily neglected email inbox. Yet while I marvel at how quickly the Starbucks line now moves, or the lack of traffic at the Houston Hall salad bar, I do feel as though something is missing.

Lucky for me, that something will be back come September. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy not having to fight for an outdoor table at lunch.

Congratulations to the Class of 2011! I look forward to seeing you back on campus for Alumni Weekend next year.

A Moment of Celebration

More photos from Alumni Weekend 2011 coming soon here. Photos from Commencement 2011 can be seen here.

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Weekend, Alumnni Education, Commencement, Lisa V.

May 17, 2011 · 3:35 pm

Locust Walk Talk: Fall Forward

For our newly minted alumni, yesterday marks the high point of Alumni Weekend and Commencement at Penn, and the ceremony on Franklin Field is the crown jewel. In their last footfalls as students, they process from Hamilton Village (aka Superblock), over the 38th Street Bridge and onto Locust Walk. Penn Staff and West Philadelphia neighbors await the procession and congratulate the marchers along their way.

Graduates Processing down Locust Walk for Commencement as Alumni representatives greet them

Starting at 36th Street, Penn Alumni, ranging from our most venerable to most recent, line Locust Walk to represent the over 270,000 living graduates of the University in welcoming the class of 2011 into this great network with “all the rights, privileges and responsibilities which pertain to [their] degrees.” The class continues to the stadium cheered on by their professors who laud them for their years of diligent work that brought them to this day. Finally, they enter Franklin Field and are greeted by the warm loving roar of applause from their parents, spouses, partners, family and friends. Each one is a rock star, walking on the stage for the thrill of their lives.

Steeped with history and tradition, the ceremony starts solemnly with convocation and the singing of the National Anthem. Dr. Gutmann delivers her Commencement Address, giving a top ten list of lessons learned from the movies (don’t be surprised if I make this an upcoming Top Penn list post), and the Provost announces the recipients of various teaching awards and student honors. Between the conferral of degrees honoris causa and the degrees from the 12 schools of the University, Denzel Washington, HON’11, PAR’13, delivers a very poignant Commencement speech full of charm, modesty, humor, sincerity and sage advice.

Denzel Washington listens to his introduction at Penn's 255th Commencement ceremony

Mr. Washington admits that he is nervous to be in front of a crowd of thousands of people. He is used to knowing that millions of people watch him all the time – in movies – but when thousands of people can watch him as he can see them as well; he admits that he’s afraid of making a fool of himself. This launches him into lesson of his address is: Fall Forward. In order to succeed, each of us needs to embrace our failures. Since if we don’t fail, we’re not trying. Therefore, if you are going to fall, fall forward to see where you are going and find a way to continue in that direction after you fall.

Denzel Washington delivering Penn's Commencement address

Mr. Washington shares with the crowd his personal experience with failure before his success with an amusing and charismatic story of his first audition for a Broadway musical. Not being a singer and unable to navigate the larger-than-life styling of musical acting, he is not called back. Yet, Mr. Washington muses, “if you hang around a barber shop long enough, sooner or later, you’re going to get a haircut.” This practical pearl of wisdom emphasized both the secret to his success as well as the advice for our alumni: failure is inevitable, but success is not. Even Edison failed a thousand times before his 1001st experiment gave the world the light bulb.

From MSNBC / Getty Images

As with all things Penn, the ceremony ends with the singing of the Red and Blue, and true to the etymology of the word, commencement, it becomes the first Proud Penn activity that the graduates start as the new class of amazing Penn Alumni.

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May 16, 2011 · 9:11 am

Class of 1961 Celebrates in Style

Author: Aimee LaBrie

This past Alumni Weekend, we welcomed back members of the Class of 1961 as they returned to campus to celebrate their 50th reunion. With a Friday night dinner and dance at the Franklin Institute, a Saturday morning special Women’s Breakfast hosted by co-chairs Joy Hockman and Bobbi Jaffe at the Inn at Penn, and a Sunday AM champagne and pancake breakfast in Houston Hall, the members of the Class of 1961 celebrated in style…Just like they did back in the day when they were students.

Fashion in 1961

Hill House Dorm

Classroom

Dietrich Hall

Horn and Hardart

Congratulations to the members of the Class of 1961 and thank you to everyone who returned back to Penn to celebrate this past weekend!

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May 13, 2011 · 8:47 am

Putting Some English on It

Author: Nicole C. Maloy, W ’95

A few months ago, I received an e-mail from the Free Library of Philadelphia  seeking volunteers to train to become English language conversation group facilitators. The timing on this was uncanny, as I had just begun looking for such an opportunity; I frequent a local French language conversation group, and the presence of native speakers is always a great help to the rest of us. We marvel at their generosity and patience as we stumble through the linguistic minefields of subjunctive tense and the gender of inanimate objects. Yet the French nationals in the circle gently guide us in the right direction and, most importantly, never point and laugh at us despite our frequent mistakes. I appreciate it so much that I wondered whether I could somehow do the same for people in Philadelphia who wanted to practice their English.

La Tour Eiffel! Was able to pop up North to Paris for a couple of days. Gotta love the “Train of high speed.”

Because I spent a semester abroad during the fall of my junior year, I know how intimidating it is to be surrounded by people who may as well be speaking a dialect of Charlie Brown Teacher-ese (i.e. “Mwah-mwah mwah mwah-mwah”). I know how unnerving it is to utter sentences to strangers not knowing how I will be received, or whether I will even understand the reply. And my trip was only four months long. Nothing was at stake but my semester grades.

Fall 1993 semester abroad in Lyon, France with 16 fellow Quakers and our advisor

I liked the idea of doing something to help people with much more at stake, who have made a longer-term commitment to conquering a language, and who are willing to put in the time to make it work. How pleasant it was to learn that library branches all over the city had begun to offer regular occasions for international adults to practice their English. I am so proud of Philadelphia for making these available for free! These are not English as a Second Language courses, but rather – just as important, in my opinion – casual conversation sessions where people can gain confidence putting to use what they have already learned, or are currently learning.

So far, I have met adults from their early twenties to their late sixties, hailing from Morocco, Ukraine, Spain, and more, all converging here in Philadelphia, all seeking to improve their ability to engage in the most essential of human social endeavors: to understand, and to be understood. I am honored to pay forward some time as an investment in the future of this great city of brotherly love. How happy am I to be a part of the effort? This happy:

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May 12, 2011 · 6:51 pm

Spinning My Wheels? Yes and No!

Author: Elise Betz

Warming Up for Class

Ready to Go

 

Imagine thirty stationary exercise bikes lined up inside a health club studio. “Riders” are on each bike, spinning the pedals as fast as they can. The lights are turned down, loud, pumping music fills the air and an instructor with a headset sits atop a lead bike, and is barking  out commands.

The Spinning Room

“Climb out of the saddle,” she barks at the class. “Big hill coming! This is a big, steep climb – about 7 ½ minutes.  Grind it out!” The riders rise as one, pedals spinning harder as we grimace with exertion, sweat dripping off our bodies to the deep, bass beats of the Beatles “Come Together.”  A fifteen second recovery is next as we all gulp down liquids from the water bottle we are required to have on our bikes.  We then get back into the saddle for a 4 minute sprint to The Jackson Five’s “Dancing Machine.”

Ready to Spin

What I am describing to you is a spinning class.  What does this have to do with my role as Executive Director of Alumni Relations at Penn?  Everything!  While I am spinning my wheels, my mind is just as active spinning with thoughts.  I get some of my best work done on that bike!

On the Bike

Sitting on that spin bike, I have thought through the process of launching our new Shared Interest Group initiative – groups of  alumni who share common interests arising from their Penn co-curricular activities or professional career experience and desire to affiliate with each other as a subgroup of Penn Alumni. Look for it in the fall!  

Made it Through

I have imagined and executed in my mind new events for students as part of our “Penn Traditions: Building Our Community” program designed to keep our students connected to Penn for their lifetime.  Last night, I spent my 60 spin minutes willing it to be 74 degrees and sunny from Alumni Weekend Friday through Monday’s Commencement ceremony.  Alumni Weekend 2011 is going to be the best ever!  You see – I am doing very important things on that bike.  So, you will have me to (at least partially) thank for the glorious next few days just ahead!  One final thought. . .

Ben Franklin Quote

Ben Franklin couldn’t have said it better.

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May 11, 2011 · 9:02 pm

Penn’s Multicultural Greek Alumni Weekend

Author: Cecilia D. Ramirez, C’05, SPP’10

Penn Relays 2011 Yardfest Crowd

Before I ever even knew what life at Penn was like, I knew what Relays Weekend was all about.  One of my first weekend visits to Penn as a high school senior occurred during Penn Relays, one of the biggest track meets in the country, and it ranks among the greatest weekends of my college career! It wasn’t just the thousands of people who literally come from around the world- displaying patriotic and collegiate pride- to watch the races that made this event so anticipated. Rather, for hundreds of people, this weekend was and remains highly- anticipated because of the Multicultural Greek events that take place.

Multicultural Alumni

Each year,  Penn’s Black Alumni Society (BAS) capitalizes on Relays weekend and the return of hundreds of Black alumni with their annual “Pass the Baton” Brunch. This year, BAS joined forces with the Association of Latino Alumni (ALA), and together, they held the first collaborative alumni event during Relays weekend. With nearly 100 people in attendance, attendees enjoyed a delicious buffet featuring salmon cakes, eggs, cheese grits, sausage, bacon, and vegetable quiche (yum!) and ALA & BAS successfully ushered in the homecoming of many Multicultural Greeks and Alumni.

Alumni Across the Years

 The Greek Side of Relays Weekend

For over twenty years, members of historically-Black, Latino, and Multicultural Greek organizations have been associated with Penn Relays weekend. Every Saturday of Relays Weekend, Penn’s Multicultural Greek Council (MGC- back in the day, known as the Big-C) hosts a “Yardfest” in the Wynn Commons area where Greeks from across generations and states lead chants, synchronized choreographed musical “party walks” or “strolls,” setup display tables, and sometimes even sell food or drinks.

Members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Strolling Photo Taken by: Joanna Plazas

One of the biggest events of the weekend, however, has to be the Annual Step Show, a long tradition in the Greek world where representatives of historically-Black and, since the mid-70’s, historically-Latino, as well as multicultural fraternities and sororities, get together in teams to  compete against each other.  Finally, the jam-packed weekend is also known for some of the best parties of the year.

This past Saturday night was no different with the “ice cold” brothers, as they are commonly known, of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosting the official step show after party, The Ice Age. Some, eh… more seasoned Greeks also attended one of the many Relays-themed parties around the city including the Heineken-sponsored Green Room party at the exclusive Vault Ultra Lounge. While I couldn’t partake in nighttime activities since I was heading to bed early for the Broad Street Run the following morning, it was great to see so many alumni and other guests dressed to the nines on their way to the Greek side of Relays’ activities.

Members of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. Photo Taken By: Joanna Plazas

Stepping

Stepping is a percussive performance in which the entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of claps, stomps, and chants. Like several aspects of Multicultural Greek culture, stepping is typically done with precise synchronized movement and in formations that resemble a military assemblage.

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Stepping

These multifaceted pieces are usually intermixed with references to historical Greek facts, traditional chants and songs, and humorous skits sometimes alluding to fun rivals between groups; usually all following a theme. This year, for example, members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. presented an impressive piece following the classic Dr. Seuss story, Cat in the Hat, which they creatively renamed, Kappa in the Hat. In this performance, each of the team members sported a red “Thing” t-shirt with different numbers staying true to the original storyline. They even coupled their step with a pre-recorded humorous video of “the Kappa in the Hat” instructing their movements.

Multicultural Greek Show Crowd

May 13-16: Alumni Weekend, Round II

As I gear up for yet another weekend dedicated to alumni, I am motivated in knowing that last weekend was such a smash. The Black and Latino Alumni Associations will not be taking a break as they, along with the Asian, LGBT, and Native Alumni Associations have big plans to capitalize on even more multicultural alumni that return for Penn’s official Alumni Weekend, chock-full of great events celebrating diversity. Even though it can get pretty hectic, this spring, I especially love being a Penn alumna, Alumni Relations staff member, and multicultural Greek! I hope to see you all there…

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May 10, 2011 · 2:43 pm

Skimmers off to the Old Guard!

Author: Jason Strohl

Cane March, Lower Quad, 1941

Next week, thousands of expectant seniors will graduate from Penn, marking a milestone in every Quaker’s life as they begin new lives as citizens of the “real” world. Fifty years from now, in 2061, many of these same young people will return to Philadelphia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Penn, and in doing so, become inducted into one of the University’s most-lauded alumni groups, the Old Guard. This year, will see the return of hundreds of Old Guard alumni for Alumni Weekend, including a group celebrating their 75th reunion (that’s a graduation date of May 1936 for those of you keeping track).  Let’s take a look at what was transpiring at Penn and throughout the world when these dedicated Pennsylvanians experienced their own graduation.

Class of 1936 (75th Reunion)

Penn Women's Basketball team, 1936

In 1936…

  • Burt Reynolds, Mary Tyler Moore, and Robert Redford are born.
  • The first building covered completely in glass is completed in Toledo, Ohio.
  • The first helicopter makes it’s maiden flight.
  • The Summer Olympics opens in Berlin and marks the first time  live television is used to broadcast a sporting event.
  • Construction on the Hoover Dam is finished.

Class of 1941 (70th Reunion)

Penn Field Hockey players, 1941

In 1941…

  • Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Faye Dunaway are born.
  • The average price for an automobile is 925 dollars.
  • The United States declares war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
  • The breakfast cereal Cheerios makes its first appearance as “CheeriOats.”
  • Citizen Kane makes its premiere in New York City.

Class of 1946 (65th Reunion)

In 1946…

  • Sylvester Stallone, Candice Bergen (who briefly attended Penn), and Andrea Mitchell (Penn Grad, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent) are born.
  • ENIAC is unveiled at Penn (see newsreel above.)
  • Gasoline is priced at 21 cents per gallon.
  • The first meeting of the United Nations is held in London.
  • Bikinis make their debut in Paris.

Class of 1951 (60th Reunion)

Penn varsity basketball team, 1951

In 1951…

  • Kurt Russel, Gordon Brown, and Bonnie Tyler are born.
  • I Love Lucy premieres on television.
  • The average annual salary in $4,200.
  • The Catcher in the Rye is first published by J.D. Salinger.
  • The world’s first nuclear power plant opens in Utah.

Class of 1956 (55th Reunion)

Skimmer Day, 1956

In 1956…

  • Paula Zahn, Teena Marie, and Joe Montana are born.
  • The Woodland Avenue Trolley on Penn’s campus was buried in order to create Woodland Walk.
  • Elvis Presley appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.
  • Minimum wage is one dollar an hour.
  • Trans-Atlantic telephone cable service begins.

Please join us in congratulating the Old Guard as they return once more to Penn in 2011!

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May 9, 2011 · 7:41 pm

I Remember…1986

Author: Leigh Ann P.

1986 was a very special year, and not simply because it was when this blogger celebrated her 5th year of being alive (the most noteworthy occasion of an otherwise fabulous year for yours truly, of course).  A wonderful class of 1986 Penn graduates emerged from Commencement as Penn Alumni, and this weekend they will celebrate their 25th reunion during Alumni Weekend May 13-16 with nearly 600 in attendance.

I considered doing a reflection of world events in 1986 for this post, but who really wants to read about Chernobyl or the Challenger?  Not you, and certainly not me.  Let’s talk about pop culture!

When the Class of 1986 graduated, the box office rankings looked like this.  I am tickled that Steve Guttenberg makes multiple appearances on this list, but the fact that any Police Academy film ever outranked Pretty in Pink is just criminal.

  1. Short Circuit
  2. Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling
  3. Fire with Fire
  4. Blue City
  5. The Money Pit
  6. Dangerously Close
  7. Legend
  8. Wise Guys
  9. Critters
  10. Gung Ho
  11. Police Academy 3: Back in Training
  12. Pretty in Pink

Now, if there’s anything I love more than the early ‘90s pop musical oeuvre, it’s the mid-‘80s.  Dare say you, what could possibly be more audibly enjoyable than Color Me Badd?  I know.  I know.  I give you: Whitney Houston times two with a splash of “Walk Like an Egyptian.”  Let’s take a look back at the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 1986!

1. “That’s What Friends Are For”…..Dionne & Friends

2. “Walk Like An Egyptian”…..Bangles

3. “On My Own”…..Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald

4. “The Way It Is”…..Bruce Hornsby & The Range

5. “You Give Love A Bad Name”…..Bon Jovi

6. “Greatest Love Of All”…..Whitney Houston

7. “There’ll Be Sad Songs”…..Billy Ocean

8. “How Will I Know”…..Whitney Houston

9. “Kyrie”…..Mr. Mister

10. “Kiss”…..Prince & The Revolution

And lastly, who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986?  Hellooooo, Mark Harmon!!!

Congratulations to the Class of 1986 and to all of the Penn alumni celebrating their reunions this weekend!

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Filed under Alumni Weekend, Leigh Ann P., Memories of Penn, The Sweeten Life

May 6, 2011 · 2:18 pm

Proud Penn Voices

Author:  Kelly Graf

Alumni Weekend 2011 is just a week away and the buzz on campus is both hectic and exciting. Tents are starting to pop up on Hill Field; golf carts are whizzing around delivering supplies; and the meetings, oh the meetings!

With four Alumni Weekends under my belt, I often find myself simply ‘going through the motions’ and not really thinking about what this day means to Penn and its proud Penn alumni. Until Saturday. Every year, as I step onto campus the Saturday morning of Alumni Weekend, I am immediately filled with a sense of pride and anticipation. I man The Penn Fund booth at Penn Fair on College Green and I ask any alumni passing to share their stories with me.

This is Proud Penn Voices – a video project using Flip cameras and curious staff members (including yours truly) to document the memories of our Penn alumni. The results are always either hilarious, touching, meaningful or all of the above. I have heard stories from our Old Guard alumni about lighting trolley tracks on fire (yes, there was once upon a time a trolley that rode right through campus). I have listened to couples reminisce about going on their first date to Smoke’s or a fraternity dance. I have even heard young alumni refer to faculty members who motivated them and inspired them to be greater than they thought possible.

These are the moments when I realize how special Penn truly is. These people share their stories with me out of the kindness of their hearts and their love for Penn (ok, we give them a free t-shirt too). And the stories they tell – whether meant to be funny or sincere – are never less than inspiring and are always full of Penn Pride.

To check out some of The Penn Fund’s Proud Penn Voices videos, visit here.

Want your own free Proud Penn Voices t-shirt? Visit The Penn Fund booth on College Green during Alumni Weekend and share the love!

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