Category Archives: Locust Walk Talk

August 15, 2014 · 2:05 pm

Locust Walk Talk: Renewing the dreams of past glories

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Many of you may remember my blog entry over a year ago where I shared with you the story of my rugby team, Philadelphia Gryphons, working on going to Australia, (Locust Walk Talk: What Penn’s Taught Me After Graduation). The anniversary party was only the beginning of this trek. We were able to reinvigorate our alumni and our current players to work together to create that important network of support to bolster the team and to implement new programs.

Good Game

The club has implemented seasonal boot camps for new and interested players to learn some basic rugby skills in order to introduce them to a scrimmage with the veteran players at the end of the two hour camp. The board has institutionalized our first Saturday socials, which typically are social gatherings at our sponsor bars to increase the team’s visibility among the community and city; we supplement bar nights with outings to rugby tournaments, marching in Philadelphia’s Pride Parade, and hosting viewing parties for European matches to flesh out our calendar for the year. The fall season will be the Gryphons’ inaugural season for our new recruit/veteran mentorship program. We have initiated Alumni Days, for the first match of the season, to increase attendance at our games. Finally, the Gryphons are working to establish both a day to give back to urban youth and to regularize a Founder’s Day celebration to commemorate the team’s anniversary.

Gryphons at the Anniversary: Joe, GEd’14; Tony, Gr’13; and Marc.

Due to this diligent work, we were successful in getting ourselves off to Sydney – raising over $15,000 to help defray some of the costs of the trip. Starting yesterday, twenty-one Gryphons, supporters, partners and spouses will start making their way down to Australia for the Bingham Cup. With Anthony Chieco, Gr’17; Joe Ciesielski, GEd’14; Phil Cochetti, C’06; Joe Cruz, C’97, CGS’04, GEX’12; Chris Hatfield, CGS’02; Ted Panczyszyn, Penn staff; Dan Stringer, NU’13, GNU’16; and myself, over a quarter of the team and support staff going to the tournament has a Penn connection. In short, very little of the Gryphons’ success would have been possible without the team’s collective Penn experience.

More Gryphons at the Anniversary: Phil, C’06, and Ken signing the team ball for the raffle

Personally, the Gryphons have been a huge labor of love for me – helping me maintain the work/life balance that we strive for. The team has taught me leadership, patience and perseverance. Most importantly, it’s been the source of several amazing friends over the years – especially during the times in life when it’s typically more difficult to make new ones.

Marching in Philadelphia Pride

And speaking of new, you also may know that I am leaving Penn. I’m graduating from my tenure at Penn to go over to University of the Sciences, about 9 blocks southwest of Sweeten House, as Director of Alumni Relations. Founded in 1821, University of the Sciences is a leading science and top pharmacy college in Philadelphia. In fact, it is America’s first pharmacy school. While I’m leaving Penn, I won’t be too far and, as an added bonus, USciences’ president is a proud Penn alumna, Helen Giles-Gee, CW’72, GEd’73, Gr’83. In addition, another teammate of mine, Greg Wallace, PCP’14, is USciences alumnus and I’ve already been cultivating him to return to reunion weekend this year.

Bingham Cup Sydney 2014 rules social media. Anthony, Gr’17, was the 1000th person to LIKE Bingham Cup Sydney 2014. From the Facebook page, “From the looks of it Anthony plays hard! An official Bingham Cup ”Play Hard” T-shirt is coming your way mate!”

It’s been a pleasure sharing my Penn experiences with you as a staffer over the last two and half years. I have already promised to work on my reunion as my 20th comes up in 2015 and I will be joining the Penn Club of Philadelphia. When I settle into my role at USciences, I will approach the interview program about helping out. Lastly, I have promised our communications staff that I will post quarterly on the blog as an alumnus.

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#tbt, Sydney 2005

In the meantime, feel free to check up on my trek through Australia – Perth to Syndey – via stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok at https://tagboard.com/CJinOZ/183930#featured.

This tournament is getting major media attention in Australia. Here are two South Sydney Rabbitohs, brothers Sam and Tom Burgess, who have backed the Bingham Cup and have called for an end to homophobia in sport in Australia. The Rabbitohs are partially owned by Russell Crowe.

Truly Red and Blue,
Casey

Me and Lex Ruby Howe, C’07, WEV’09, WEV’10, GEd’12, my favorite Aussie at Penn. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Casey R., Leaving Penn, Lex. H., Locust Walk Talk, Penn Club of Philadelphia

May 20, 2014 · 9:00 am

Congratulations to the Class of 2014

Author: Janell Wiseley

Comm-3

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Filed under Academics, Alumni Programming, Alumni Weekend, Alumnni Education, Campus Life, Commencement, Janell W., Leaving Penn, Locust Walk Talk, Memories of Penn, Reunions, Sweeten Alumni House, Traditions, Uncategorized, View from Sweeten

March 5, 2014 · 1:58 pm

Locust Walk Talk: Road Tripping with Craig Carnaroli, W’85 (preview)

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Twenty years ago, I went on an epic road trip to New Orleans, where I happened to turn 21. It was a 26 hour drive from Philadelphia through the South, including Atlanta which was two years away from the Centennial Olympic Games. The week was full of discovery, highways and laughter.

Oh yea, between Austin and San Antonio there’s a stretch of highway where the legal limit is 85 mi/hr

This year, to engage our alumni in Texas, we are visiting the Lone Star State to bring a Penn update to our outstanding alumni there. Yes, Craig Carnaroli,W’85, the Executive Vice President; Tara Davies, Director of Regional Clubs and I are driving through the great state of Texas!

The Highway in Austin

This epic trek starts on Sunday, March 9 and runs until Thursday, March 13, hitting Houston, San Antonio, Penn Austin and Dallas. During our trip, Craig Carnaroli will meet with our proud Penn family to discuss the University’s position in the current environment of higher education as well as new and exciting ventures happening on campus.

I’m taking requests for souvenirs

If you are in the area, please join us at one of our stops in Texas:

Houston – March 9, 5:30 – 7:30 pm hosted by Kathleen Kopp, CW’74, PAR’16, and Alfredo Perez, PAR’16
San Antonio – March 10, 7:00 pm at Paesanos Lincoln Heights
Austin – March 11, 7:00 pm hosted by Jay Srinivasan, WG’96, and Jakes Srinivasan, WG’94
Dallas – March 12, 6:00 – 8:00 pm This event is at capacity.

San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site Monument in La Porte (Houston,) TX

I look forward to the stories from the road in later entries.

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Filed under Casey R., Locust Walk Talk, Penn Clubs, Travel

February 5, 2014 · 11:42 am

Locust Walk Talk: Instagramming a Warmer Day

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

So Philadelphia’s been looking like the Planet Hoth lately with the constant battering of these storms lately.

So I thought that I would brighten up our day with a few Penn pics from warmer Instagram days.

Just remember we’re halfway through Winter and Spring comes next month.

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January 24, 2014 · 1:58 pm

Snow!

Author: Noelle McManus, C’17

Being from Philadelphia, you could say I’m used to the snow. I’ve been around snow my entire life. I would look forward to snow days every year. Playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, plus no school! But after I finished high school I assumed that all the fun filled snow days were far behind me. So, you can imagine my surprise when on Tuesday we got so much snow in such little time that the university closed early! At 9 am on Tuesday morning I was walking to class and there wasn’t a snow flake in sight. By the time my class finished at 10:30 There was already snow on the ground. And it didn’t stop. By 1 o’clock there was enough snow to cancel classes for the rest of the day. It was one of the best feelings in the world. Being snowed in with my lovely roommates, watching TV, and drinking hot chocolate! It felt just like I was little again. And then, to my surprise, that night the univeristy actually cancelled classes for Wednesday too! It was such a treat and I hope I see one again sometime soon!

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Filed under Campus Life, Locust Walk Talk, Philadelphia, Student Perspective, Uncategorized

January 17, 2014 · 3:52 pm

Locust Walk Talk: I Remember When it was the Palladium

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Happy New Year, folks.

While I’m working on my resolutions to be more productive, to be more efficient, to response to phone calls and e-mail more timely, to manage my time better, to invest in more career development activities and to drink 64 ounces of water daily, I wanted to share with you some photos of the newly-revealed Arts, Research and Culture House (ARCH) from its 18-month renovation. Locust Walk and 36th Street had been shrouded in fencing until this week.

I remember when the building housed the Palladium and the Christian Association. Now, after its renovations, it will be able to serve more of our students.

The Corner of Locust Walk and 36.

The Entrance to the Cultural Centers

Trying to sneak a peak in

Awww…. Palladium

A nice job on the windows

Come back from Alumni Weekend and you see the improvements for yourself.

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Filed under Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Casey R., Locust Walk Talk

December 5, 2013 · 3:46 pm

Locust Walk Talk: About 20 Hours in Paris

Auteur: Casey Ryan, C’95

If you pay very close attention to my biweekly blogging, you would have anticipated a Top Penn List for this week. However, I like to switch things up. I wanted to share with you a wonderful story about the Penn Club of France.

Happy Hour in Paris

Last month, the University took Time to Shine tour to its final stop – London. The event was a huge success and our British and expat-American alumni were excited. During my time abroad, I took the Eurostar over to Paris to meet with our Penn Club of France.

Church of Saint Ferdinand des Ternes

In the middle of our planning Time to Shine in London, the Penn Club of France was preparing for their next event, a happy hour cocktail organized in partnership with the Columbia University Club of France. The alumni groups were scheduling a meet up to share a good evening and some great wine at Wine by One: Montaigne. The event was slated to start at 7:30 pm on Thursday, November 14th. The timing couldn’t have been better, Time to Shine: London was the 13th and I could head over the next morning.

What Wine By One is

Of personal note, November 14th is my mother’s birthday. Being a proud Penn Parent and an alumna herself, she understood that duty called. Meanwhile, I colluded with my father to make sure that her present from me was at the breakfast table. I also called her once from each country, naming it her “Tale of Two Cities birthday calls.”

Board members: Sarah Lynch, GCP’08 & Laurent Bonnet, C’07

Back to Paris, Wine by One is unique wine-bar founded by a Penn alumnus, Stéphane Girard, WG’06! The concept is modern and simple: purchase a rechargeable cash card, grab a glass and begin browsing. There are 100 wines “on tap,” grouped by region and flavor profile. Once you have made your selection, insert your card into the slot, select the size of your glass (a taste, a half-glass or a full glass) and fill it up! The cost is deducted from your card.

An example of a wine “on tap”

It’s a clever way to experiment with wines and to find one to enjoy. You can relax and sample many different wines. You can stick to a wine that you like and drink a glass of it. You can take a bottle home if you discover one that you love by purchasing it there. One of the biggest draws about this place is Girard’s selection of non-French wine. There was a chardonnay from Long Island (I believe it was from Bedell Cellars) which was superb. Don’t worry, I did try a handful of French wine and I reached out to taste others from Slovakia, South Africa and Spain.

Penn and Columbia Alumni enjoying some wine

After a wonderful evening chatting with many Penn alumni as well as a few of the Columbia alumni, I thanked the president of the Penn Club of France, Laurent Bonnet, C’07, for allowing me the privilege of joining the club’s event. We chatted a bit as he walked to the Metro, then we bid à bientôt. Having only a few scant hours left in Paris, I walked back to my hotel, enchanted by the City of Lights.

The site, en route to the hotel, The Arc de Triomphe and the Tour Eiffel

Currently there are two locations: Wine by One: Montaigne located 27 rue de Marignan and Wine by One: Place Vendôme located 9 Rue des Capucines.

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Filed under Casey R., Clubs, Events, Locust Walk Talk, Penn Clubs

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.
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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

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

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

September 5, 2013 · 10:21 am

Locust Walk Talk: Healthy Cities, Healthy Women

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Penn Nursing is in the middle of executing their biggest symposium tour, around a topic that Dean Afaf I Meleis, PhD, DrPS(hon), is extremely passionate – urban women’s health. Urban women’s health is the intersection of women’s health, the practice of public health and the related effects of living in an urban environment. While much is known about these topics individually, the junction of these topics needs more inspection. The Healthy Cities: Healthy Women conference series aims to promote discussions about re-envisioning our communities to make them universally safer, healthier and more livable.

Penn Nursing in Botswana

Since its launch in 2009, Penn Nursing has taken their symposia to Miami (November 20, 2009), New York City, (May 5, 2011) and Los Angeles (November 18, 2012). Starting with a city-centric focus, the events featured local experts like Dr. Divina Grossman, Dean, Florida International University College of Nursing & Health Sciences, in Miami, Nicholas D. Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer Prize columnist for The New York Times in New York and Paula Daniels, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Mayor Villaraigosa in Los Angeles. Yet their messages were global: discussing what the future of Health Care Reform holds for women, combating a “pervasive human rights violation, the oppression of women and girls in the developing world,” and the shedding light on the world-wide issues of domestic violence, poverty and human trafficking. For a taste of the discussion so far, Penn Nursing has created a Healthy Cities, Healthy Women youtube page.

Honorary Committee Member and Former U.S. Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Dr. Shirley Sears Chater with Dean Meleis and Dean Courtney Lyder of the UCLA School of Nursing

The next stop for Healthy Cities, Healthy Women is London on September 17. Penn Nursing has partnered with The Lancet and King’s College London to bring this discussion to Europe. Endorsed by the Mayor of London, Healthy Cities, Healthy Women will spotlight the issues of preventing violence against women, providing increased access to services, improving health through improving the built environment and identifying ways to build and sustain a healthy life cycle within a healthier urban community. The message that “women are the pillars of society, playing important and multiple roles as mothers, leaders, students, decision-makers, scholars, lawmakers, business executives, voters, and workers” will be a critical theme to the day’s discussion, as mentioned in Dean Meleis’ recent blog entry for The Lancet. Registration is open for this incredible event.

Invisible Walls: Women, Violence and Safety Panel featuring Dr. Sommers, Dr. Adey Nyamathi, Ms. Kay Buck, and Dr. Anne Teitelman

On the heels of London, the tour returns to the States in Washington, DC – the center of health policy. Focused on the unique challenges and key roles that women play in maintaining good health practices in an increasingly urban world, Healthy Cities, Healthy Women Washington will provide an opportunity to discuss the need to improve the urban environment to strength the health of women, their families and the communities in which they contribute as well as creating practical solutions to improve health through improving the built environment. The conference aims to address the impact of cities on the health of women and their families. Registration is open for this event as well.

Nick Kristof sharing heartbreaking and inspiring stories at Healthy Cities: Healthy Women.

The last stop of the symposia tour will be in Philadelphia on May 15, 2014 with Health Cities, Health Women: The Global Future. The details will be forthcoming; please bookmark and return to Penn Nursing’s Healthy Cities, Healthy Women site for information in the near future.

Please note, all of the photos in this entry are available on Penn Urban Women’s Health Facebook page.

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Filed under Alumni Programming, Alumnni Education, Casey R., Locust Walk Talk, Penn Nursing

July 11, 2013 · 6:47 pm

Locust Walk Talk: Better Late than Never – Class of 1995 in San Francisco

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

I called out of work today due to a headache. I was able to sleep it off and I’m feeling better now. However, I forgot that it was my day for a blog entry.

So really short, I’m going to share with you some of my pictures from San Francisco. I went to the City for the Fourth of July to celebrate the 40th birthday year of the Class of 1995. Our trip, called San Fran 73-13, was put together by Susan Webner, W’95 and Sara Golomb, C’95.

Look forward to a more detailed write up soon.