Category Archives: Multicultural Outreach

October 16, 2012 · 4:59 pm

My Top Penn List: Looking forward to Homecoming 2012

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

We only have a few more days to register for Homecoming, and here is a list of the top 10 things I’m looking forward to, whether or not I actually have the time to get to all of them.  (I’ll be at the last three in my list with bells on! And I have a personal plug for my event that I’m organizing too.)

10. Regional Club Member Meet Up: Saturday 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Class of 1953 Lounge
E. Craig Sweeten Alumni House
3533 Locust Walk

The Global Alumni Network staff invites alumni club presidents, leaders, members, Second School Committee Chairs, and volunteers to stop in to meet each other before the great festivities during the weekend. At the meet up, we will celebrate the Alumni Club Award of Merit winner, Penn Club of San Antonio, and achievement winner, the Penn Club of San Diego. For questions, please e-mail Casey Ryan, C’95, at cjryan@upenn.edu.

9.  California Impressionism: Masters of Light: Friday 10 AM – 5 PM & Saturday 12 PM – 5 PM

Arthur Ross Gallery
Fisher Fine Arts Library
220 South 34th Street

California Impressionism: Masters of Light presents thirty-five paintings that illuminate the exceptional natural beauty of California and its rugged coastline. While some of these late 19th and early 20th century artists are renowned, other California artists remain unknown east of the Mississippi.

In 1874, when the First Impressionist exhibition was held in Paris, French critics derided it as radical art. By 1886 an exhibition of 300 French Impressionist paintings was held at the Durand-Ruel Gallery in New York. American audiences were enthralled and embraced the artists’ use of light, color and optics. Many American artists subsequently traveled to Paris to study the style and work “en plein air”, taking their easels outside, working directly after nature.

On loan from the Irvine Museum, works by Franz Bischoff, Colin Campbell Cooper, Anna Hills, Granville Redmond, and Guy Rose are included in the exhibition among others. A series of related programs and events is planned.

8. Student Film Shorts, Presented by the Penn Alumni Film Festival: Friday 5 PM – 6 PM

Claudia Cohen Hall, Terrace Room
249 South 36th Street

Whether you believe life imitates art or vice versa, there may be no better insight into the Penn experience of today than through these selected film shorts, each written, directed and produced by current Penn students. Join fellow alumni and students for a screening of five short films, ranging in genre from drama and documentary to animation and experimental. Space is limited; advance registration is encouraged.

7.  Du Bois College House Celebrates 40 Years: Saturday 4 PM – 6 PM

Du Bois College House
3900 Walnut Street

Please join us for a kick-off reception in recognition of the 40th Anniversary of the W.E.B. Du Bois College House. This gathering, co-sponsored with the Black Alumni Society, is the place to be immediately after the game if you lived in, attended events in, or visited friends in Du Bois during your time at Penn. Live music , refreshments, memories, and conversation are all on the agenda.  Award winning poet, spoken word artist, actor, and Penn alumnus Carlos Andres Gomez, C’04 will open the event. Please share photos from your time in Du Bois for an anniversary slideshow by e-mailing them to pcw2@upenn.edu.

6. Classes without Quizzes: Frank Furness and the Evolution of the Modern Library: Saturday 9:30 AM – 11 AM

Reading Room
Anne & Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library
220 South 34th Street

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to spend 90 minutes in the Reading Room of the Frank Furness designed Anne & Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library with three architectural historians and one practicing architect, all closely associated with Furness’s work. The discussion will focus on the ways that Furness’s design for the Fine Arts Library profoundly influenced modern library design. Participants include Dr. James F. O’Gorman, a leading architectural historian and author of The Architecture of Frank Furness; George E. Thomas, Gr’75, noted cultural historian and author of Building America’s First University: An Historical and Architectural Guide to the University of Pennsylvania; Henry Myerberg, C’76, founder of HMA2 architects with a specialty in library design; and William Whitaker, GAr’96, curator of the University of Pennsylvania’s Architectural Archives and the Kroiz Gallery. A continental breakfast will be provided starting at 9:00 AM and an optional tour of the Library will be available following the program. Space is limited; advance registration is encouraged.

This event is co-sponsored by Penn Alumni, PennDesign and Penn Libraries

5. The Philadelphia Film Festival presents FLIGHT, presented in collaboration with the Penn Alumni Film Festival: Saturday 7 PM – 10 PM

Zellerbach Theater
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
3680 Walnut Street

Join fellow Penn alumni and the Philadelphia film community for a sneak preview of the film FLIGHT, starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman, and Don Cheadle. Presented on the closing night of the 21st Philadelphia Film Festival, this pre-release screening will be attended by the film’s director, Robert Zemeckis, the Academy Award-winning director of Forrest Gump and Cast Away. For more information about FLIGHT, visit http://www.paramount.com/flight. An additional $15 fee applies to this event. Advance registration is required.

4. The Blutt Band Slam: Saturday 4 PM – 6 PM

College Green
(Please note: in the case of inclement weather, this event will be cancelled.)

Following the football game, make your way back to College Green to cheer on Penn student and alumni musicians as they compete for cash prizes in the Blutt Band Slam. Channel your inner rockstar with kid-friendly activities while you enjoy performances by members of the Penn community. This event is made possible by the generosity of Mitchell Blutt, C’78, M’82, WG’87. For more information about the competition, visit www.alumni.upenn.edu/bluttbandslam.

3. 78th Annual Alumni Award of Merit Gala: Friday 6 PM – 10 PM

Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
3680 Walnut Street

Join fellow alumni, friends and guests for the 78th Annual Alumni Award of Merit Gala, honoring alumni who have demonstrated a deep commitment and undying passion to make Penn a leader in the academic community. Hosted by Penn Alumni President, Lee Spelman Doty, W’76, the event will recognize the outstanding achievements of the chosen alumni honorees, as well as the class and club award recipients. Board of Trustees Chair, David L. Cohen, L’81 and President Amy Gutmann invite all alumni to participate in this splendid occasion.

Alumni Award of Merit
Dale B. Bell, MT’81
Harve D. Hnatiuk, EE’74
Paul K. Kelly, C’62, WG’64
James J. Kim, W’59, G’61, Gr’63

Young Alumni Award
Brett E. Weinheimer, W’00
Melissa Wu, C’98

Creative Spirit Award
Jennifer C. Egan, C’85

Class Award of Merit
Class of 1992

David N. Tyre Award for Excellence in Class Communication
Class of 1967

Club Award of Merit
Penn Alumni Club of San Antonio

Additional Fee: $75 General Admission, $55 Young Alumni (2002-2012)

2. Penn Football: Homecoming Game vs. Brown: Saturday 1 PM

Franklin Field
235 South 33rd Street

Cheer on the Penn Quakers as they challenge the Brown Bears in this Homecoming match-up on Franklin Field! General admission tickets are $15, or free with the purchase of a Blue Quaker Pass. Alumni in the class of 1962 and earlier will receive chairback tickets; all other seats are general admission.

1. QuakerFest:  Saturday 11 AM – 1 PM

College Green

Join fellow alumni to raise a toast to dear old Penn during this pre-game tailgate picnic. Enjoy kid-friendly activities and entertainment. Get Pennergized with performances by the band and other student groups!

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Programming, Alumnni Education, Athletics, Casey R., Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Multicultural Outreach, The Arts at Penn

March 15, 2012 · 12:11 pm

The Secret Lives of Sweeten Staff, Part I

Author: Liz Pinnie

In my short time here at Sweeten, I have come to see the skill and passion with which my colleagues do their jobs.  However, one of my favorite aspects of said colleagues (beyond the fact that they bring in chocolate for everyone to share) is learning about the many fascinating things they do when they leave our doors.  As I began research for this article I realized that there was too much information for just one blog post, so today we’ll focus on half of our impressive third floor in Part One of… The Secret Lives of Sweeten Staff.

First off, we have our multi-talented Director of Multi-Cultural Outreach, Nicole Maloy.  A few years ago, she happened to walk by a Shotokan Karate Dojo, went inside, and discovered a new passion.  Nicole says that Karate has increased her awareness and has taught her how “to relax and focus completely- both mentally and physically- on one thing at one moment in time.”  Today, Nicole is a black belt in Karate, and though she knows she can crush any opponent, Nicole appreciates that Shotokan teaches one to end a conflict rather than start one.  Beyond her Shotokan black belt, Nicole is also a fantastic high jumper and a champion salsa dancer- but more on that later!

Love our Twitter feed? Use our website?  If so, you have Sweeten’s own Internet guru, Lisa Marie Patzer, to thank.  As Assistant Director of Communications at Sweeten, Lisa Marie is constantly keeping us up-to-date with the ever changing technology of the web and social media.  This interest continues and expands once she leaves work.  As a new media artist, Lisa Marie spends time and her artistic talents looking at the effects of new media in our world and how it relates to the human experience.  In this capacity, she enjoys “exploring the political, social and interpersonal implications of new media technologies.”  Lisa Marie’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and can next be seen in the collaborative piece she is creating for her MFA from Temple in Film and Media Arts, where she “investigates the performance of identity in online and off-line social communities.”

Another treasure tucked away on the third floor is the quiet and unassuming Jason Strohl.  By day, Jason is our Assistant Director of Communications, and my personal food truck knowledge source.  By night, he takes to the stage as bassist of Wigwam’s, one of Philly’s favorite post-punk bands.  If you go to check out his band at one of the local venues you might not recognize Sweeten’s very own Clark Kent; Jason is far too active onstage to wear his glasses.  When Jason’s not performing or working, you can find him in the back bays of New Jersey, where he likes to sit for hours drinking soda and fishing for bass.  In fact, he typically arranges an annual Fishing Derby (which sounds like just about the best way to spend a spring Sunday).  If you’re in the fishing mood, make sure you pick up a bag of Sea Life Gummies for your trip (a Strohl good luck charm) and if you’re in the mood for post punk, check out Wigwam’s at Johnny Brenda’s on April 6.

Impressed?  You should be!  And guess what- I’m not even half way through our staff.  Among others, we’ve still got a hidden DJ, two published authors, a marathoner, two bridal show models, a civil engineer, and a cheerleader to go!  Can you guess who’s who?!   Stay tuned for next month’s Part Two of…..The Secret Lives of Sweeten Staff [insert dramatic music here].

2 Comments

Filed under Jason S., Lisa Marie Patzer, Liz P., Multicultural Outreach, Nicole M., Notable Alumni, The Sweeten Life

December 21, 2011 · 11:55 am

Penn Year in Review

Top 11 Moments for Diversity at PENN in 2011

-Cecilia Ramirez C’05 SPP ’10

This has been a big year for diversity and multiculturalism at Penn. In honor of the New Year that is upon us, I decided to do a little “Year in Review ” of my own.

Here are eleven of my preferred moments of 2011 at Penn:

#11.  La Casa Latina Receives Biggest Donation- La Casa Latina: The Center for Hispanic Excellence receives a $20,000 donation. This was a big deal this year because this became the center’s largest donation in history. The generous contribution was made my alumna, Ruth Colp-Haber, C’81, WG’85, and will help strengthen student programming, and hopefully provide more events featuring delicious Latin food!  🙂

Denzel Washington at Penn's Commencement 2011

#10.  Denzel Washington Comes to Penn- So maybe this didn’t do anything for multiculturalism at Penn per se, but I sure was excited to see one of my favorite actors be selected as Penn’s Commencement speaker- Denzel Washington- a talented, inspirational, and accomplished actor and philanthropist, who happens to be a black man- bonus!

UPAAN Celebrates a Decade

#9.  Asian Alumni Network Celebrates a Decade- The University of Pennsylvania Asian Alumni Network (UPAAN) celebrated its tenth anniversary this past Homecoming. The celebration featured their 7th annual mentoring exchange and a delicious luncheon that welcomed student, alumni, staff, and faculty from across the years.


#8.  Makuu (Also) Celebrates a Decade – Makuu Black Cultural Center, one of my favorite places on campus, also celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011. Their elegant evening celebration featured speakers, performances, and remarks from Dr. Amy Gutmann.


#7.  The ARCH Receives $15M- The Arts, Research and Culture House (ARCH), home to the Asian, Black, and Latino cultural resource centers on campus, received its largest donation in history as well- 15 million buckaroos! The donation will be used to renovate the entire building, providing the cultural resource centers with state-of-the-art offices and upgraded meeting space- and an elevator! Yup, an elevator 🙂 Renovations begin in the summer of 2012.


#6.  LGBT Colors Project Launches- The first issue of LGBT Colors Project, Penn’s first student publication targeting queer students of color, was launched at Penn in December. The ground-breaking magazine publishes articles, essays, poems, fiction, and interviews to provide visibility and support to the diverse and talented queer student community at Penn. Awesome!


#5.  Two Students of Color Win Marshall Scholarships- Kristin Hall W’ 11 C’11 and G.J. Melendez-Torres NU’11 W’11 were each awarded the prestigious scholarship to study at the world-renown University of Oxford in the UK. What a fantastic accomplishment!


#4.  Penn Spectrum hits the road! In 2010, Penn hosted its first alumni conference focusing on the Asian, Black, Latino, LGBT and Native alumni populations—Penn Spectrum. This successful conference took to the road last spring, starting in the Big Apple, then DC, and Atlanta; next stops include Miami, LA and Puerto Rico! Hundreds of diverse alumni from across the nation are coming out in support of this traveling series. Looks like the Spectrum Conference of 2013 at Penn will be even bigger!


#3.  Penn Unites Against Racism- More than 200 students and faculty, including Amy Gutmann, united against racism in a silent circle outside of College Hall this spring. The “We Belong” protest was in response to a DP article written about one man’s experiences with racism on campus. The sobering accounts called anti-racism allies to action and led to a victorious display of solidarity and advocacy at Penn.


#2.  Homecoming Toasts to 40Years of Black History- The Center for Africana Studies (CFAS) – originally Afro-American Studies and the University’s first program dedicated to studies of the African diaspora- celebrated its 40th anniversary during Homecoming! CFAS had a jam-packed day of events that honored this milestone in Black History at Penn and attracted hundreds of alumni to join the celebration. Cheers!


#1.  Faculty Diversity Plan Unveiled- Penn released a $100-million Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence this summer to diversify the university’s faculty. A few weeks ago, this historic plan also received $2M for the Presidential Term Professorships, an integral part of the plan that will support up to ten professorships.  This was a huge step for diversity at Penn and definitely my #1 moment at Penn in 2011!

What do you think of the top 11 moments? What was your favorite moment of 2011?

Can’t wait to see what 2012 holds for Penn.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, QUAKERS!

Leave a comment

Filed under Cecilia R., Commencement, Events, Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Memories of Penn, Multicultural Outreach, Review, Uncategorized

October 28, 2011 · 2:06 pm

Renovation! Du Bois College House

Author: Nicole Maloy, W’95

Did you know that the Du Bois College House has undergone an amazing renovation? It’s been a little while now, but some people still haven’t seen the changes to the residence where I stayed overnight when I first visited Penn, where I rehearsed with The Inspiration, where I watched The Cosby Show and A Different World on Thursdays (Cosby Night!), and where I stayed up all night playing spades. I was a “lifer” in this House (4 years!), and proudly served on the House Council. After countless programs, discussions, and celebrations, there is just no way to separate my experience at Penn from this more-than-a-dorm which offered academic and social resources in-house, and served as the model for the University’s entire College House system.

Du Bois College House was founded in 1972 for students interested in African-American scholarship and culture. What’s not in the official description is how the House has served as a home away from home for generations of students since then. With residential programs like Consciousness in Black Film and Theatre and Politics & Cultural Pluralism/American Indian Cultures, and a Du Bois Fit program to encourage healthy living, the House has more to offer to students today than ever before.

Let’s take a little stroll through the House in its newly renovated state, shall we? Special thanks to Ms. Trish for showing me around and letting me take these pictures.

At the entrance with Du Bois College House Dean Ms. Patricia Williams, aka “Ms. Trish.” She oversaw the entire renovation project.

Check out these beautiful new windows in the Multi-Purpose Room! Amazing the difference more natural light can make.

These student lounges are now on every floor. With these, plus the library, plus Seminar Rooms A & B, plus the computer lab, there is no shortage of space to work on that group project or get all that homework done.

These signs are over the trashcans. Penn is doing an impressive job with going “green,” and Du Bois is no exception.

Can you believe this? Gameroom. This is what the basement looks like now. Well, one side of the basement…

…the other side looks like this! And this isn’t including the weight room and cardio facilities down there now. I tell ya, back in my day, the basement was scary, and we didn’t have air conditioning in our rooms! These kids don’t know how good they have it! (waving cane)

Check out more photos of the renovated Du Bois College House on the official page. Enjoy, and try not to lament that all this happened after we graduated.

2 Comments

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Multicultural Outreach, Nicole M.

Tagged as

August 24, 2011 · 6:50 pm

Anniversary Spotlight: Penn’s Asian Alumni Network Turns Ten

Author: Cecilia Ramirez, C’05, SP2’10

The University of Pennsylvania’s Asian Alumni Network (UPAAN) will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this upcoming school year. Founded in 2001, UPAAN was created to develop and maintain an international network of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) alumni, support the academic and career development of API students and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information between API alumni and API students at Penn.

Commemoration of this anniversary will begin this Homecoming Weekend, and will feature an exciting lineup of events including UPAAN’s Seventh Annual Mentoring Exchange, a special networking happy hour, a presentation  from the winner of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Wee,k and a 10th Anniversary reception all on Saturday, November 5, 2011.

Laura Lin (ENG’02), Vice President of UPAAN, said, “UPAAN is pleased to honor this special anniversary with a celebration of the strength of our API alumni community over the last 10 years. We are looking forward to developing an even stronger community and network for over the next ten years!”

Another reason this Homecoming Weekend will be extra special for UPAAN is because Calvin Chen (C’97, W’97) President of UPAAN, will be presented with the distinguished Young Alumni Award at the77th Annual Alumni Award of Merit Gala on Friday night, November 4, 2011. Calvin, who has been involved with UPAAN since the beginning, expressed his enthusiasm for the events, “I am honored to be the recipient of the Young Alumni Award, especially during a weekend that is so special to UPAAN. I hope that all alumni will come out to celebrate.”

Be sure to register for Homecoming Weekend featuring arts & culture, Nov. 4-6, and join us to honor a decade of excellence from the Asian Alumni Network. It will be a great opportunity to connect with other alumni, mentor current students while celebrating this wonderful milestone!

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Cecilia R., Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Multicultural Outreach

Tagged as

July 20, 2011 · 7:15 pm

La Casa Latina Receives Largest Donation in History

Author: Cecilia Ramirez, C’05, SP2’10

If you graduated before 1998, you may not be familiar with La Casa Latina: The Center for Hispanic Excellence, the University of Pennsylvania’s only cultural resource center focused on Latino students and interests. To many Latino Penn alumni, however, we remember La Casa Latina fondly; a source of food, a group of shoulders to cry on, a great spot for naps, a team of life coaches, a designated homework (and procrastination) hub and, of course, a home away from home while at Penn. Being one of these former (and current) residents of this special casita, I was especially delighted to hear that an alumna recognized the vital importance of this center and made a generous donation. The Association of Latino Alumni will be featuring this story in its upcoming newsletter but I wanted to give you a sneak peak at the big news here:

Johnny Irizarry, Director of La Casa Latina

This past spring, The Center for Hispanic Excellence received a gift commitment of $20,000, its largest donation in history! Ruth Colp-Haber C’81, WG’85 (pictured below) is the generous donor and decided to contribute because of her strong connection to the Latino community and after an inspiring visit to La Casa.  Ruth explains her motivation:

I feel forever indebted to Penn for many reasons but perhaps the most important was mastering Spanish after studying abroad in Seville, Spain during my junior year.  These language skills enabled my husband and I to go to Colombia, South America to adopt our daughter, Carly.  Everyone in Colombia was impressed with my Spanish banter and my desire to raise a bilingual daughter.  Both Carly and I are now fluent Spanish speakers.

Ruth Colp-Haber, C’81, WG’85 and her family

I love the Spanish language, culture and people and wanted to do something to help promote these causes at Penn while also assisting deserving students.  Thus, a gift to La Casa Latina seemed very worthwhile.  Now that my daughter is 14 years old, I look forward with excitement to the possibility of her attending Penn and spending time with the wonderful students at La Casa Latina.

Johnny Irizarry, the Director of La Casa Latina expresses his excitement over this announcement, “The students, staff and advisory board members of La Casa Latina are extremely honored by the generous investment made by Ms. Ruth Colp-Haber in support of our programs and services. It is inspiring to receive such a donation from a Penn Alumna. It affirms the value of our role in furthering the University’s commitment to diversity.”

This is truly a historic donation and it cannot stop there! I hope Ruth’s generosity will inspire even more people to give towards such a remarkable place like La Casa.

Congratulations, La Casa Latina!

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Cecilia R., Multicultural Outreach

Tagged as , ,

June 15, 2011 · 6:40 pm

Homecoming 2011: Penn to Celebrate 40 Years of Black History at Penn

Author: Cecilia Ramirez, C’05, Sp2’10

John Wideman, C’63, Hon’86, first director of the Afro-American Studies Program. October 24, 1968

In 1971, the University of Pennsylvania welcomed its first academic program focused on studies of the African diaspora, the Afro-American Studies program. The program was led by its first director, John Wideman (C’63 Hon’86), a member in the English Department and the second black tenured faculty member in Penn’s history. Dr. Wideman, tasked with a difficult challenge, laid the foundation to successfully develop a much-needed academic program without any trained faculty members and few available courses.

Forty years later, the program, now known as the Center for Africana Studies (CFAS- through a merger with the Center for the Study of Black Literature and Culture), has flourished tremendously and now boasts over 50 affiliated faculty members and over 80 courses offerings for undergraduate and graduate students. CFAS also sponsors several co-curricular programs including: the Artist- and Scholar-in-Residence Programs, The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture in Social Justice, The Africana Media Project, The Honorable A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Memorial Lecture, The annual Race and Sports program, and Brave Testimony: A Celebration of Poetry of the African Diaspora.

Africana Studies Summer Institute for Pre-Freshmen, 1994

Dr. Camille Z. Charles is the current Director of The Center for Africana Studies, the Chair of Penn’s Faculty Senate, Professor of Sociology and Education and the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor in Social Sciences. When speaking of this historic milestone, Dr. Charles explains, “These anniversaries are truly milestones in Penn’s history. I am proud to help ensure that a once overlooked field of study has remained an integral part of the academy for forty years and continues to shape the educational experiences of all Penn students.”

This fall, the University will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Afro-American Studies at Penn and the 25th anniversary of the Center for Africana Studies Summer Institute for Pre-Freshmen, the first and, to date, only summer program of its kind and in the Ivy League.

On November 5, 2011 (Save the Date!) during Homecoming Weekend , the Black Alumni Society will join the Center for Africana Studies in a day-long series of programs and events in celebration of this milestone and in honor of Black History at Penn. The program series will include a brunch featuring the Black Alumni Society’s annual Honoring Leaving Legends program, a faculty and alumni panel, a reunion for past Summer Institute alumni and Afro-American or Africana Studies majors and minors as well as other exciting events and special guests. All alumni are invited to attend any of these historic events. For details, to RSVP, and to get involved please visit: The Center for Africana Studies Homepage or contact Michelle Houston at: mhoust@sas.upenn.edu.

Happy birthday, Africana Studies!

Leave a comment

Filed under Academics, Alumni Perspective, Alumni Programming, Cecilia R., Historical, Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Multicultural Outreach

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…

2 Comments

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Programming, Alumni Weekend, Campus Life, Cecilia R., Memories of Penn, Multicultural Outreach

Tagged as , , , ,

April 12, 2011 · 9:02 am

The Many Paths from a Penn Education

Author: Stephanie Yee, C’08

Have you ever heard someone talk about their job or career, and think, “Wow, that’s so interesting. I wish I could do that.” I get that feeling every time I attend a Penn Alumni speaker series event. I hear Penn’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jerome Allen (W’09) speak and I think, “I should have played more sports.” I hear Kristin Haskins Simms (C’93), a contestant on Project Runway’s Season 8, speak and I think, “I should really learn how to sew, or at least finish my knitting project.” The great thing about meeting Penn alumni is you realize a Penn education can lead to a successful career in any field – let it be athletics or fashion design.

Waiting for Superman movie poster

A few weeks ago,  I attended “No More Waiting: Remaking Urban Education Today, a conversation with Charles B. Adams, W’91.” The event was hosted by Penn’s Multicultural Outreach in conjunction with the Center for Africana Studies. Charles B. Adams is Head of The SEED School of Washington, D.C., and he is featured in the award-winning documentary, Waiting for Superman. He spoke about his experiences at Penn, where he studied marketing, his short-lived law career (he went to law school but never practiced law), and how he got into teaching. When the event ended, I asked Mr. Adams how Penn alumni can get involved in education to make an impact in their communities. He suggested tutoring students and providing meeting space where students can practice giving presentations in professional settings.

Penn alumni are incredibly inspiring, and it is always so nice to hear them talk about why they came to Penn and how their experiences at Penn paved the way for their successful career. They give great advice to current students and alumni who are interested in their field, and they remind us all why it is so special to be a member of the Penn community. Keep an eye out for future speaker series events. You will most likely see me there.

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Programming, Events, Multicultural Outreach, Stephanie Y.