Category Archives: Top Ten

March 28, 2013 · 4:08 pm

My Top Penn List: Engagement and the Campaign

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

We raised $4,302,890,707 in our Making History Campaign. Wow, that’s a lot of money.  If you haven’t yet visited the final report website, you should in order to see how much of an impact the legacy of this campaign will have on the University.

The “Number”

The “Number”

Yet our campaign was crafted to be different; we emphasized engagement goals for ourselves that focused on increasing every alumnus’s access and interaction with the University whether it was on campus and out in the world.  We took these objectives seriously and created or retooled over 25 programs during the life of the campaign that increased alumni engagement.

I wanted to highlight 10 of my favorite engagement programs that have come about due to the campaign.

10. Trustees’ Council of Penn Women (TCPW) Summer Networking Receptions: Over the summer, TCPW, whose charge is to support, foster and promote the advancement of women’s issues within the University, hosts Summer Networking Receptions for Penn alumnae and current Penn students to make social and business contentions. Bringing Penn alumnae together and spotlighting a female executive from the region as the keynote speaker for the reception, TCPW provided exclusive opportunities for networking.

TCPW Summer Networking Reception – Chicago (2012).

TCPW Summer Networking Reception – Chicago (2012).

9. Social Media: Social Media has been around since 1994 started by now defunct brands like TheGlobe, GeoCities and SixDegrees. Sites like My Space and Friendster, which started in 2002-2003, were the watershed portals of the Social Media trends that made way for Facebook in 2004 and Twitter in 2006. Facebook and Twitter burst onto the scene and soon became the ubiquitous means of staying in touch with over 500 million Twitter users and over one billion Facebook users. It was obvious that having a presence online would be valuable. While an ever-changing social landscape, this nexus of online communities and outlets will evolve and Penn will plan to stay in the forefront of new media.

Since the start of the campaign, seven years ago, Penn has since joined Twitter (with 4,244 followers) and Facebook (with 51,276 likes) in 2009. Also, that year, Penn started to manage its presence on LinkedIn with 26,728 members. As of summer and fall 2012, Penn has joined the ranks of Instagram and Pinterest.

8. Quaker Yellow Pages: The Quaker Yellow Pages were launched to help our alumni support businesses of Penn alumni. Alumni can find the products and services advertised by fellow alumni. Individuals are encouraged to post a listing to promote your own product or service for free. Simply select one of the choices below. Penn Dental was inspired to create their own Quaker resource, the Find a Penn Dentist tool, which will give you the names of Penn Dental alumni who practice in your area.

7. Penn To You: Penn To You: More than a School Night embraces Penn’s unofficial motto: Never stop learning. In the classroom, in the community, and in the wider world, Penn people bring an intense intellectual curiosity to everything they do. Penn to You is designed to bring Penn alumni, parents, and friends together for an evening of intellectual and social engagement. Each event will feature one of Penn’s 12 schools and will include conversation, presentations and panel discussions with select faculty—many of whom were recruited through the Making History Campaign.

: Penn To You – Chicago featuring Ezekiel Emanuel and Barbara E. Kahn (2012).

Penn To You – Chicago featuring Ezekiel Emanuel and Barbara E. Kahn (2012).

6. Penn Spectrum: In 2010, University held its first-ever weekend-long alumni conference devoted entirely to celebrating diversity, Penn Spectrum. After three years of taking the event on the road, Penn Spectrum returns to campus, capping the momentum of our diverse alumni. All alumni are welcome. More information will be available on the Penn Spectrum page.

Penn Spectrum on the Road – Washington, DC (2011).

Penn Spectrum on the Road – Washington, DC (2011).

5. Frankly Penn: Frankly Penn, the Penn Alumni Blog, was established in March 2011 to represent life at the University of Pennsylvania. The team of bloggers consists of alumni, students, staff and faculty from around Penn –both on campus and beyond. This mixture of voices illustrates the dynamic and robust spirit of the University to all who read it. Led by the communications team at Penn Alumni, the blog has had 89,992 views and 564 posts, plus the blog has been continuously updated, Monday through Friday, since its launch.

4. Family Programs: Penn Alumni Families provides Penn Alumni family-specific events for our Philadelphia area alumni with children ages 12 years and under. This new series provides an opportunity for alumni to enjoy Penn events with an emphasis on programming for their children. With the success of Family Day at Mask & Wig and 40 Winks with the Sphinx, look for more events in Philadelphia and in the regions.

40 Winks with the Sphinx (2011).

40 Winks with the Sphinx (2011).

3. Penn Quotient: The Penn Quotient was developed at our Winter Board Retreat as an easy way to determine how you can best show your loyalty and support for your alma mater. It’s a simple checklist to identify those things you are already doing and to explore those you have yet to try.

Complete the checklist once a year to achieve a perfect score:

  • Attend Alumni Weekend in May
  • Explore arts and culture at Homecoming
  • Join or attend events with your local club
  • Visit QuakerNet and update your profile
  • Promote Penn to prospective students
  • Participate in an Alumni Education program
  • Donate to one of Penn’s many annual funds
  • Read The Pennsylvania Gazette
    The real reason for reunions, Alumni Weekend (2011).

    The real reason for reunions, Alumni Weekend (2011).

    2. Penn Alumni Office Hours: As a student at Penn, you could take part in the opportunity to ask in-depth questions and to explore points of interest with your professor outside of class during his or her office hours. Penn Alumni Office Hours provide this same opportunity to alumni by hosting a virtual Office Hours webinar presentation featuring one of Penn’s dynamic faculty members, who will focus on a topic or issue of their choice.

    From the ease of your computer, you can attend these free webinars and submit questions and comments both in advance of and during the program.  If you are unable to visit the Office Hours live, all Office Hour webinars will be recorded and made available through the Penn Alumni Relations site.

    1. Penn Alumni Interview Program: The Penn Alumni Interview Program involves the largest number of Penn Alumni who volunteer for a single project. During Making History, we were able to transition seamlessly the program from the Admissions to Alumni Relations. Capitalizing on the synergies that exist in the Alumni Relations office as well as the leadership of our dedicated staff, the Interview Program was able to steward our Interview Program chairs and interviewers to conduct 21,750 interviews which represents 68% of the total candidates that applied to Penn.

    Penn alumni interviewers help high school students learn more about Penn, and they help the Admissions Office learn more about applicants to the university.  As the Interview Program has the goal of being able to offer an interview to every student who applies as a prospective undergraduate, the Interview Program team will be traveling out to our alumni to help provide training and the information our alumni interviewers will need to help Penn see its goal come true.

    Look at all this Penn Pride. (Homecoming, 2011).

    Look at all this Penn Pride. (Homecoming, 2011).

    Author’s note: I am currently out of the office on a business trip. At the time I submitted this entry, all statistics sited in this blog were accurate.

     

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Weekend, Campaign, Casey R., Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Interview Program, Making History, Top Ten, Uncategorized

February 14, 2013 · 9:09 am

My Top Penn List: I <3 Penn

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

It’s St. Valentine’s Day and I thought there could be no better use of my Top Penn List blog entry for today then an open love letter to the University.

PennLove

Things that I Love about Penn:

10. Art. There is treasure trove of public art on campus as well as in numerous galleries (read more herein When the Students Aren’t Here).  Places like ICA and the Arthur Ross allow staff, students, and visitors to take in some art during the work day.

A temporary exhibit at the ICA.

9. Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. As a current student or a staff member, one can take advantage of the impressive collection of novels ranging from current best sellers to the classics. However, there are some additional treats in Van Pelt, like movies, foreign language materials and very comfortable lounge chairs. Plus, you can even find places to get food and drink in the building.

8. Classes. There are so many classes on Penn’s campus that it’s difficult to choose.  I’ve mused about the courses I would take if I had the chance again in my “Do Over” list.

 7. Architecture. We work, go to school and live in the very large and dynamic University of Pennsylvania Campus Historic District, a district that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of our beloved buildings are noted on this list. My own office building, E. Craig Sweeten Alumni House (aka Delta Tau Delta) from 1914, makes the grade.

Furness Building, interior .

6. Intellectual Access. We try to capitalize on the educational opportunities here on campus.  Why, just this very year, Sweeten staff members have started a book club. In fact, our first reading assignment came from the one featured by the Penn Reading Project for 2012-2013, John Patrick Shanleys’ Pulitzer Prize winning play, Doubt. The club has continued throughout the year featuring a variety of short stories selections and this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia selection, The Buddha in the Attic.

5. Sports. Penn’s NCAA and club sports make for great athletic viewing here in our corner of West Philadelphia.  From Franklin Field to the Palestra (both also on the National Registry), from Dunning-Cohen Champions Field to Hamlin Tennis Center of Penn Park and beyond, there are many opportunities to watch Penn take on their collegiate foes in the battle for the bragging rights of being the best.

One of the very first iterations of the vision that is now Penn Park.

4. Ben Franklin. Speaking of bragging rights, we have Ben Franklin; Boston’s native son came to Philadelphia and he ended up adopting us. A printer by trade, a scientist by fame and a founding father, he gives 100 dollar bills their nickname and gave life to our great institution.

Our founder in front of College Hall (P.S. College Hall is on the National Registry).

Our founder in front of College Hall (P.S. College Hall is on the National Registry).

3. Co-workers. I am really excited to have a cadre of colleagues who help make work not seem like so much work.  You have read some of the stories from Kristina, Lisa Marie, Liz Pinnie, Aimee, and former staffers like Leigh Ann and Elizabeth. Their insight and funny stories can give you a little glimpse of how they make Sweeten seem like a home.

2. The Penn Museum. One of our biggest treasures on campus is the Penn Museum; I always find an reason to visit from the Crystal Ball to the temporary exhibits.  The Arts and Crafts and Eclectic style building (which – surprise, surprise – lands it on the National Registry) houses our internationally renowned educational and research institution dedicated to the understanding of cultural diversity and the exploration of the history of humankind.

1. A Piano in the Office. Sweeten has a lot going for it – it’s located in the center of campus, it’s a converted fraternity house, it’s on aforementioned National Registry – but to me, the most noteworthy aspect of Sweeten is the piano in the main room.  While it is a pretty discussion piece, any member of the Penn community can stop by to tickle the ivories during the 9-5 business day. Many times, I have come downstairs for a cup of coffee to find someone playing and brightening up the day with a Chopin étude, a Mozart minute or a good old-fashion song about Pennsylvania.

The inviting piano in Sweeten.

The inviting piano in Sweeten.

What are the top ten things you love about Penn?  I send my best wishes to everyone out there for a very happy St. Valentine’s Day.

1 Comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Ben Franklin, Campus Life, Casey R., Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Sweeten Alumni House, The Sweeten Life, Top Ten

January 10, 2013 · 3:20 pm

My Top Penn List: Looking Forward to 2013

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

While we are hopeful for the year and are committing to affirm our resolutions, I wanted to share with you my top Penn list of the Penn events I’m looking forward to in 2013.

10.          Ben’s Birthday Bash (January)

“Life’s Tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

Our founder, Benjamin Franklin, is celebrating his 307th birthday this year on January 17. In his honor, many of our Penn Alumni Regional Clubs will be hosting get-togethers during the month of January all throughout the world. Visit the Regional Club’s Ben’s Birthday Bash page to join Penn alumni in a city near you for this year’s festivities!

9.            The Interview Program Training (year-round)

Each year, thousands of Penn alumni volunteers interact with tens of thousands of prospective Penn students around the world.  This volunteers interviewers help high school students learn more about Penn, and they help the Admissions Office learn more about applicants to the university.  As the Interview Program moves forward with the goal of being able to offer an interview to every student who applies as a prospective undergraduate, the Interview Program team will be traveling out to our alumni to help provide training and the information our alumni interviewers will need to help Penn see its goal come true. More information will be available on the Penn Alumni Interview Program page.

8.            Penn Spectrum 2013 (Philadelphia: September 20 -22, 2013)

Panel discussion: Penn and the Importance of Community Involvement

In 2010, Penn Spectrum was the University’s first-ever weekend-long alumni conference devoted entirely to celebrating diversity. After three years of taking the event on the road, Penn Spectrum returns to campus, capping the momentum of our diverse alumni. All alumni are welcome. More information will be available on the Penn Spectrum page.

7.            Alumni Weekend (Philadelphia: May 10-13, 2013)

Alumni Weekend is one of Penn’s two hallmark weekends which invite all alumni back to their intellectual home away from home. This year, our alumni classes – ending is threes and eights – will return for their quinquennial reunions as campus opens up its doors for all alumni to celebrate, engage and reminisce.

6.            Healthy Cities: Healthy Women (Washington, DC & London, UK: October)

In 2009, Penn Nursing, The Trustee’s Council of Penn Women and Penn Alumni jointly launched a series of global Healthy Cities: Healthy Women events focused on women’s health in urban areas and the pivotal role that women play in developing and sustaining healthy lives, families and communities around the world.  Other Healthy Cities: Healthy Women events in Miami, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles have brought together local, national and international experts coupled with leading faculty from a variety of the University of Pennsylvania’s schools and centers to focus on challenges and multi-disciplinary solutions related to urban women’s health.  This year Nursing’s flagship event will be traveling to Washington, DC and London, UK.

5.            Penn Alumni Volunteer Appreciation Event (Philadelphia: March 2, 2013)

Our Penn Alumni volunteers work hard year round, so once each year we throw them a party!  This year’s Volunteer Appreciation Event will be held in Houston Hall.  All 10,000+ Penn volunteers—including Penn parents and friends—are invited to Dr. Gutmann will attend as well to thank those present for sharing their time and talents. The reception is followed by the Penn vs. Harvard basketball game.

A full Hutchingson gym.

A full Hutchinson gym for last year’s Appreciation Event

4.            Homecoming Weekend Featuring Arrts and Culture (November 8-9, 2013)

Homecoming is Penn’s other hallmark weekend.  The enthusiasm of watching our Quakers take on the Tigers of Princeton spreads throughout campus as alumni return and join students in a festive weekend in West Philadelphia. Now toted as Homecoming featuring Arts and Culture as Penn, this event highlights many of the rich talents of our fellow Pennsylvanians, from their athletic prowess, their craft in film and their detail in art for all alumni to reveal in.

3.            Hey Day/Final Toast (April 24, 2013)

Following a tradition that reaches back to 1916, Penn juniors celebrated Hey Day by donning red shirts, strutting along Locust Walk carrying canes and biting into straw hats. A celebration that is unique to Penn, Hey Day marks the “moving up” of juniors to the senior class. This year’s event began with a class picnic, followed by the boisterous class procession.

Penn President Amy Gutmann met the students at College Hall, where, before officially declaring the current junior class seniors, she gave them “one final test.” After the students roared out their answers, Gutmann said, “You’ve passed. Now, by the power vested in me by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, I hereby declare you, seniors. Congratulations.”

In the meantime, the soon-to-be-graduating class celebrates the arrival of the juniors on College Green at the Final Toast. This event, sponsored by the Penn Traditions program, brings together the senior class to welcome juniors into the alumni community with great food, live music, and a toast as the class of 2013 “moves up” into their senior year on Hey Day.

2.            Graduation (May 13, 2013)

The University of Pennsylvania’s 257th Commencement will be held on Monday, May 13, 2013 in Franklin Field, located at 33rd and South Streets.  That morning the Class of 2013 will parade into our revered football stadium and will exit as the newest members of the Penn Alumni Network after Dr. Gutmann  has “freely granted all rights, honors and privileges pertaining” their degrees to our most recent alumni.

Updated information will be provided during the year, on the Office of the University Secretary’s Commencement page, including information on the ceremony, travel and lodging, students and faculty/administration for Commencement 2013, as well as historical information on Penn’s previous commencement ceremonies.

1.            Campaign Celebration (Philadelphia: April 19, 2013 and other locations this year and beyond)

The Making History Campaign ended December 31, 2012. While we don’t have final numbers yet, we are looking forward to share the outcome with the Penn community with our Campaign Celebrations.

As you know, Penn makes history by shaping the future. We started with the revolutionary ideas, passionate people, and practical pursuits that have always defined Penn and added our 18 amazing schools and centers on one compact campus, a university-wide culture of collaboration, and a genuine desire to do good, and the result is a university singularly prepared to bring new vision and fresh solutions to the most important issues of our day.

Making History Kick-off, October 2007.

Making History Kick-off, October 2007

The University will be kicking off the Campaign Celebrations in Philadelphia in April and around the world for the next year and half.  We look forward to seeing you at one of our parties soon.

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Weekend, Campus Life, Casey R., Commencement, Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture, Philadelphia, Reunions, Top Ten

December 27, 2012 · 10:36 am

My Top Penn: Star of Wonder – A Year of Penn Research.

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Since it is that time of year – a time of wonder and joy, a time of hope and miracles – I wanted to highlight some of the wonderful research and symposia that the University of Pennsylvania has shared with the world this year.

During this time, I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season and fantastic 2013.

 10.          Penn Study: Anti-Tau Drug Improves Cognition, Decreases Tau Tangles in Alzheimer’s Disease Models

 Penn Medicine research that was presented at the 2012 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) shows that an anti-tau treatment called epithilone D (EpoD) was effective in preventing and intervening the progress of Alzheimer’s disease in animal models, improving neuron function and cognition, as well as decreasing tau pathology.

 For more information, please read the Penn News press release.

9.            Nursing, Veterans, and PTSD: First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden with Penn Nursing

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden visited Penn Nursing this April for “Nursing, Veterans, and PTSD,” part of a national program charging nurses to identify, treat, and conduct research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They announced a major initiative by more than 150 of America’s leading nursing organizations and more than 450 nursing schools to ensure our nation’s nurses are prepared to help meet the unique health needs of service members, veterans, and their families.

Attention to PTSD is a significant component of Joining Forces, the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s project created to champion wellness, education, and employment among military service members and their families. PTSD is a serious and widespread anxiety disorder affecting veterans, and the symptoms can be terrifying.

For more information about  the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s visit, see “Nursing, Veterans, and PTSD.”

8.            Penn Researchers Show Relationship with Working Dogs Protect Handlers from PTSD

Melissa Hunt, the associate director of the clinical training program in the School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, has long been interested in this dynamic as it relates to people and their pets. But a chance encounter propelled her to study it in an extreme case: search-and-rescue dogs and their handlers.  “Search-and-rescue dogs are not just pets; they’re partners,” Hunt said, meaning this dynamic is even stronger — and the stakes even higher — for people who work with animals.

For more information about Melissa Hunt’s research, please read the Penn News press release.

7.            Penn Study: For Cardiac Stenting Procedures, Wrist Access Offers Cost Saving Benefits over Groin Access

Research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Washington Medical Center, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, indicates that radial radial artery catheterization may offer a significant cost savings benefit to hospitals. The findings are published online first in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

An example of a stent (image courtesy of Wikipedia).

“Radial artery access is the primary mode of access for catheterization procedures in Europe, Canada, and Japan, but has not gained widespread acceptance in the United States, possibly stemming from concerns about increases in procedure time, radiation exposure, and access failure in patients,” said Matthew D. Mitchell, PhD, senior research analyst in the Center for Evidence-based Practice at Penn Medicine. “This study suggests that the adoption of radial catheterization could be a more viable option for many hospitals and health systems, lowering costs and reducing complications for patients.”

For more information about the findings, visit Penn Medicine’s press release.

6.            The Perelman School of Medicine received the largest capital gift during the Making History Campaign to name the Smilow Center for Translational Research

A father and son team, Joel and William Smilow, gave the Perelman School of Medicine the largest capital gift during the Making History campaign to allow doctors to take the findings of medical investigations and put that into practice quickly and effectively.  President Amy Gutmann recognizes that “the Smilow Center for Translational Research provides a state-of-the-art environment where eminent physicians, researchers and scientists at Penn Medicine will work side-by-side to advance medical science.”

In addition to the Smilow Center, the Smilow’s gift also establishes the William Smilow Professorship in the field of cardiovascular medicine and the William Smilow Award for Innovation in Clinical Excellence. The exact amount remains undisclosed.

For more information, click here to view the full release.

5.            New Medication Shows Promise as Lipid-Lowering Therapy for Rare Cholesterol Disorder, Penn Study Finds

Penn researchers reported in The Lancet that lomitapide, a first-in-class microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor, substantially and stably reduced LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) in patients with the orphan disease homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).  Lomitapide works by inhibiting MTP, which is required for the production of VLDL — the precursor to LDL.

A rendering of a Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (image courtesy of Wikipedia).

For more on homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and lomitapide, visit the full press release.

4.            The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships 20th Anniversary

The Netter Centercelebrated its anniversary in November by hosting an international two-day conference examining perspectives on higher education, community development and community health partnerships.

The conference theme was “The Role of Higher Education-Community-School Partnerships in Creating Democratic Communities Locally, Nationally and Globally.”  It featured various thematic panels on such topics as education, poverty, health promotion, community engagement and university assisted community schools presented by university presidents, educators, administrators and professionals from across the country.

The event capped off its first night with keynote speaker Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers and former president of the United Federation of Teachers. Remarks throughout the conference were given by Dr. Rebecca Bushnell, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences; Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President; and Jeffrey Cooper, Vice President, Office of Government and Community Affairs.

To read more about Penn’s Netter Center, see the article in The Daily Pennsylvanian: Netter Center celebrates 20 years,

3.            Penn Medicine Receives NIH Grant to Help Local Residents Move Forward After Asbestos Exposure

The communities of West and South Ambler are working to recover from the ramifications of their town’s long-closed asbestos factory. Residents in these communities remain at risk of environmental exposure and a potentially increased risk of developing mesothelioma, a rare cancer which is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.  Researchers at the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, have been awarded a $1.2 million grant to develop an educational program using the communities’ history of asbestos products manufacturing and resulting asbestos exposure. Funding for the program is provided by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), which is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For more on the asbestos cleanup, read the Penn News press release.

2.            Two Penn Perelman Medical Center Leukemia Patients Remain in Remission after Receiving Genetically Engineered T-Cells

The clinical trial participants, all of whom had advanced cancers, included 10 adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and two children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Two of the first three patients treated with the protocol at HUP – whose cases were detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine in August 2011 – remain healthy and in full remissions more than two years after their treatment, with the engineered cells still circulating in their bodies. The findings reveal the first successful and sustained demonstration of the use of gene transfer therapy to turn the body’s own immune cells into weapons aimed at cancerous tumors.

A bone marrow smear from a patient with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (image courtesy of Wikipedia).

“Our results show that chimeric antigen receptor modified T cells have great promise to improve the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma,” says the trial’s leader, Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Director of Translational Research in Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center. According to Dr. June, “It is possible that in the future, this approach may reduce or replace the need for bone marrow transplantation.”

For more details, please visit the following link.

1.            Penn Medicine Physicians Complete Their 1,000th Heart Transplant at HUP

The 1,000th patient received the transplant on Sunday, December 2, 2012 and is doing well. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the Penn Medicine heart transplant program, part of the Penn Transplant Institute’s multi-organ transplant center at HUP, has been at the forefront of medical care and clinical advances in the area of heart failure and heart transplantation, including offering multiple organ transplantation – such as heart-lung and heart-liver transplants.

The program performs more adult heart transplants per year than all other Philadelphia area hospitals combined, making it one of the top three heart transplantation programs in the nation.

For more information about this remarkable milestone, please see Penn Medicine’s full press release.

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Casey R., Top Ten

November 29, 2012 · 7:29 pm

My Top Ten Penn List: Bookstore Gifts for the Holidays 2012 Update

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

While online starting to fill orders on my own holiday “nice” or “naughty” list, I was listening to NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center. The show opened with Maria Carey singing her 1994 hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The song came out the November of my senior year at Penn; I got all nostalgic for those wintery college breaks long ago with my family; knowing that those visits would become less frequent and oh too precious once I graduated and was off on my own.

Now that the 2012 holiday season is in full swing, it’s again time to share memories with loved ones and friends and to shop for presents.  As a poor college student, I could go to Steve and Barry’s and find some incredible Penn items to give as gifts. In our connected world of today, as I posted about last year, we have the Penn Bookstore to assist us in doing the shopping.

Here is my updated list of “Penn Stuff” that make great holiday gifts.

10. Penn College Vineyard Vines Tie for $65.00

While ties tend to be a traditionally male gift, for the men and women with panache, this one, dotted with the Penn shield and Dolphin makes an excellent gift.

9. Penn Pet Bandana for $7.98

Who says that Penn Pride should be limited to people? Make your cat or dog a Proud Penn Pet for the holidays.

8. Penn Metal Water Bottle for $17.98

Last year, I promoted the Penn Hydro Nalgene Bottle to be green and health-conscience. Now you can chose either a metallic blue or metallic red water bottle to hike with Penn Pride.

7. Penn Under Armour Celciis Full Zip Jacket (for men) for $109.98 or Under Armour Women’s Capture Half Zip for $64.98

These Penn performance apparel pieces will be great for the gym-goer or the soon to be gym-goer (New Year’s Eve and its resolutions will be here before we know it.)

6. Penn Quakers Legacy Adjustable Hat for $19.98

It seems that everyone loves a baseball cap! Always good for showing off your Penn pride at football games, basketball games or even family reunions with other Ivy graduates in attendance.

5. Penn All Acrylic Mug with Handle for $11.98

Some commutes are worse than others. However, armed with coffee or tea in your Penn travel mug, you have more reason to focus on Quaker and less one Fighting when stuck in traffic or on the train.

4. Penn Varisty BackSack for $35.98

Wouldn’t this be the perfect accessory, paired with either the Penn Under Armour Celciis Full Zip Jacket or the Under Armour Women’s Capture Half Zip?

3. Penn Adidas Knit Hat With Tassels for $17.98

All I have to say is: “OMG, this is too cute not to have!”

2. Penn Under Armour Impact Colorblock Polo (for men) for $64.98 or Penn Polo Ralph Lauren Women’s Big Pony Polo for $98.00

Though June is six-months away, help your favorite Penn alumnus or alumna to be fashionable for when casual Fridays are back in vogue this summer.

1. Penn Topsox Cozy Sock for $9.98

No matter what your budget, these fun Penn socks are great year round.

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Casey R., Top Ten

September 25, 2012 · 2:38 pm

Philly Arts & Culture Fair

Author:  Lisa Marie Patzer

This Friday is the annual Philly Arts & Culture Fair at Penn.  The line up of art vendors from around Philadelphia is impressive.  Here are my personal top 10 from the list of over 40 participating organizations:

Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Arthur Ross Gallery

Arthur Ross Gallery

ICA

ICA

In Liquid Art and Design

In Liquid Art and Design

International House

International House Philadelphia

Kelly Writers House

Kelly Writers House

Live Arts Fringe

Live Arts Festival

Morris Arboretum

Morris Arboretum

Painted Bride Art Center

Painted Bride Arts Center

Philadelphia Orchestra

Philadelphia Orchestra

If you are on Penn’s campus this Friday between 11 AM and 1 PM, stop by the Wynn Commons to learn more about Philadelphia Arts Organizations.

Leave a comment

Filed under Lisa Marie Patzer, Philadelphia, The Arts, Top Ten, Uncategorized

August 30, 2012 · 2:32 pm

My Top Penn List: Student Perspectives of Penn

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Today is the Penn Traditions Move-In Lunch behind Sweeten.  Parents, proud of their kids, are spending the last possible moments together before they return for home.  They are bidding their freshman children adieu until Fall Break, Parents Weekend, Thanksgiving, or,  for some, the end of the semester. In the meantime, the students will return to their dorm room to negotiate who will take which bed, to discuss their studying habits and to learn more about this stranger cum friend whom they’ve been paired.

With the start of the academic year upon us, this inspired me to share with you my favorite student perspective blog entries from the last year, written by our Sweeten House student workers.

10. CBI? – Jonathan Cousins, Eng’14

I was amused that to this day students mock Penn’s affinity for acronyms, however in the daily life of students, one can be stumped by the appearance of a new one.  CBI is the College Basketball Invitational, a postseason tournament in which Penn competed last year.

9. My Life as a (Pretend) Wharton Student – Kayleigh Smoot, C’13

One of our work study students, majoring in psychology, made a commitment to take Wharton classes during her time on campus.

8. Top 4 Things I’m Looking Forward to Next Semester – Jonathan Cousins, Eng’14

I enjoyed this anticipatory look at the then upcoming Spring 2012 semester, full of sports, social activities and Fling!

7. State of the (Union?) School – Dan Bernick, C‘14

The first of three of Dan’s blog entries on the list, this blog focuses on student government at Penn and the State of the School in which the six branches of Penn Student Government to discuss their accomplishments and plans for the year ahead.

6. Midwestern charm meets the Ben Franklin Bridge: A Chicago Girl in Philly – Mari Meyer, GEd’12

I was charmed (pun intended) by our graduate intern’s take on her time in Philadelphia and how she drew comfortable parallels with her beloved Chicago.

5. Penn vs. Yale – The Trials of a Quaker Fan – Dan Bernick, C’14

Outside of coursework and learning, the drama of our Penn sports team provide some of the need escape from the stresses on campus.  Though we all know how this game ended, it’s still the hope of a fan that his or her team will succeed and that’s what keeps him or her coming back.

4. Fall at Penn – Sabrina Shyn, C’13

Sabrina’s photo blog entries are always poignant moments of Penn still life, and just in time for fall, I wanted to share this photo entries on my list.

3. September at Penn – Dan Bernick, SAS ’14

To balance out Jonathan’s wishful blog for the future, I wanted to share Dan’s happy reminiscent blog about a charming first month at Penn.

2. Eine schöne Sprache – John Mosley, C’14

As a linguistics major, I am always proud of students who absolutely love learning a language here at Penn, especially where there are so many different ones available to study!

1. To Sleep or Not to Sleep? – Christine Uyemera, C ’13

“To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub.” In this Hamlet allusion titled entry, Christine tackled the question student asked themselves universally in a humorous take on how the sleep deprived cope.

Leave a comment

Filed under Academics, Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Casey R., Top Ten, Traditions

July 25, 2012 · 9:37 am

My Top Penn List: Ten to Penn Redux

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

Last year, I wrote an entry of My Top Penn List about my daily commute to Penn in ten pictures in celebration of Penn Park.  This year, I have moved and I live in University City now, specifically Spruce Hill. I’m living 1½ blocks from where I ended my undergraduate experience and things have certainly changed in 17 years.

Most of my daily commute to work now includes US 13, a north–south highway established in 1926 that runs for 517 miles between Fayetteville, NC and Morrisville, PA. You may know the route on campus as Baltimore Avenue or for the engineering marvel, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which carries the road between the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Hampton Roads.

10.

Just a few steps out from my door is the wonderful organic market, Milk and Honey. As you can see, they serve La Colombe coffee – which is a godsend in the morning.

9.

The neighborhood is verdant. Look at this impressive tree and the hydrangea.

8.

Welcome to Historic Clark Park. This place is a site of many outdoor plays, farmers markets, ultimate Frisbee games, and home to one of only two statues of Charles Dickens in the world.

7.

The Green Line Café, another eatery along the way to work. They serve hot and cold fair trade coffee to the uncaffeinated. (See Baltimore Avenue signed as US 13.)

6.

The #34 trolley runs up and down Baltimore Avenue, and when the trolleys divert from the 40th Street portal they turn up 42nd Street. This really hasn’t changed much over the years.

5.

The Philadelphia Veterans Comfort House provides services for veterans while they undergo treatment for serious health issues at the VA hospital – like the Ronald McDonald House in our neighborhood, but for those who served our country.

4.

The 40th Street Portal, where all but one of the subway-surface trolleys come up from underground. Beyond is the Woodlands Cemetery, where notable people like artist Thomas Eakins, Joseph A. Campbell – founder of Campbell Soup and many members of the Drexel family are buried.

3.

Across the way from the 40th Street Portal, Harrison College House (a.k.a. High Rise South) pops into view.

2.

At 40th Street, you can behold the meeting of three impressive heath care institutions: the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center (VA Hospital).

1.

The first Penn sign on my walk to work – along a stretch of Woodland Walk, announcing the Southwestern pedestrian entrance to campus. The School of Veterinary Medicine stands ahead of me. As before, I’m ready to start the workday and I check in on foursquare to see if I remain the Mayor of the University of Pennsylvania.

1 Comment

Filed under Casey R., To Penn in Ten, Top Ten

June 6, 2012 · 9:00 am

My Top Penn List: How I Will Spend My Summer Vacation.

Author: Casey Ryan, C’95

I can’t believe that we’ve celebrated another Alumni Weekend and we’ve enjoyed a well-earned Memorial Day vacation. It is now summertime in Philadelphia. Though school may be the furthest thing from your mind, here are some interesting Penn and West Philadelphia events that can still keep you engaged all summer long.  For the up-to-date calendar of events, please visit the Penn Current’s Featured Events Calendar.

1. Relieve Stress in the Beauty of the Arboretum

June 7: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

In the “Relieving Stress for Health and Well-Being” class, learn easy and effective bodywork and other healing tricks to relieve day-to-day stress and strain, from headaches to heartburn. Members: $40, non-members: $50.

Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.

Info: 215-247-5777 or www.morrisarboretum.org.

2. Hike the Delaware Water Gap

June 16: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Join Penn Rec for a Pinnacle Day Hike. Climb up the Tammany Ridge through a lush forest of rock Oak, eastern red cedar, rhododendrons, and blueberries until you reach the famous Appalachian Trail. An hour or two of active hiking is rewarded with rest or further exploration by a beautiful high mountain lake, Sunfish Pond, with expansive views of the Delaware National Recreation Area. Once on top of the ridge, the rest is mostly downhill, but full of beautiful scenery and the chance to spot some thrilling wildlife. Register in the Membership Office or online. Info: 215-898-6100 or www.upenn.edu/recreation/. Members $35; non-members $45.

3. Meet a Debuting Author

June 21: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Christopher Beha discusses his debut novel, “What Happened to Sophie Wilder?” which explores faith, love, friendship, and the redemptive power of storytelling.

Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut St. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.

4. Discover More About Your Pet’s Health

June 28: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Charles Vite, an assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Penn Vet, discusses “Canine Epilepsy” for the Animal Lovers Lecture Series.
New Bolton Center, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pa. Info: 215-898-1480 or www.vet.upenn.edu.

Pre-registration is requested.

5. Take in a Film

July 7: 5:00 PM

International House presents :Directors in Focus: Nicholas Ray,” a filmmaker whose works include Johnny Guitar and Rebel Without A Cause. This bill features restored prints of We Can’t Go Home Again, Ray’s experimental masterpiece made with his students at SUNY-Binghamton, and Bigger than Life, which stars James Mason as a friendly, successful suburban father who is prescribed cortisone for a painful, possibly fatal affliction, and grows dangerously addicted to the experimental drug.

We Can’t Go Home Again screens at 5 PMN and Bigger Than Life screens at 7 PM at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org. $9, $7 students and seniors, free for members.

5. Tour Our Indigenous Trees

July 8: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Take a tour of the native trees at the Morris Arboretum and learn the many ways they can support increased biodiversity when planted in a variety of non-forest settings.

Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave. Info: 215-247-5777 or www.morrisarboretum.org.

7. Dine Out in West Philly

July 12 through July 26

From big-name chefs such as Jose Garces to hidden gems like Elena’s Soul Lounge, University City has some of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. Dining Days is a two-week discount dinner pre-fixe special taking place at approximately 30 restaurants in the University City area. Participating eateries offer a three-course set menu for three set prices: $15, $25, or $30. For more information on Dining Days, including a complete list of participating restaurants, visit www.universitycity.org.

8. Listen to Singer-Songwriters

July 17: 8:00 PM

Eleni Mandell’s critically-acclaimed solo albums are characterized by her sultry, airy vocals, languid L.A. Noir persona, and sophisticated songwriting and arrangements. Her latest album is I Can See the Future.

World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $10, $12.

9. Enjoy a Classic

July 22: 7:00 PM

In its eighth year of bringing free theater to the Greater Philadelphia area, Commonwealth Classics Theatre Company presents Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Set in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, “Our Town” uses minimal props and sets to tell the story of a small New England town between the years of 1901 and 1913. 7 PM at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org. Free admission. Presented in the courtyard; please bring chairs or blankets. Rain or shine.

10. Explore the Neighborhood

August 16: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM

If you like browsing outdoors, check out the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Strolls. Every summer, more than a dozen participating University City businesses set up shop on their stoops and also offer $1 dining specials as part of Strolls. More than 2,000 people walk the streets, enjoying live music, street performances, and vendors. For more information on the Dollar Strolls, visit www.universitycity.org.

I hope to get to check off a few of these amazing events off my summer fun to do list and I hope you do, too.

1 Comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Alumni Programming, Alumni Weekend, Casey R., Top Ten

March 26, 2012 · 6:24 pm

My Top Penn List: Favorite Pictures from Visits to My Penn Club Cities

I fancy myself to be a very amateur photographer. My tool is the iPhone. So, armed only with a willingness to contort and a gigs of memory, I go out and snap a few photos while I have a free moment in my Penn Club cities.  Here are my 10 favorite pictures that I have taking along my travels in the last year (since the start of this blog.)

10. Washington, DC

Something about the black marble of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the foreground and the line of sight being drawn up through the Washington Monument under the dusky sky made me pause and wanted this picture. For club information, visit the Penn Club of Washington, DC’s webpage.

9. Austin.

Here is a vista of the neighborhood of East Austin. For more information about alumni activities in the area, please contact our alumni representative for Austin.

8. Hampton Roads

The unusual juxtaposition of a church from New England, deep in the Tidewater city of Norfolk, VA was a curiosity. For more information about alumni activities in the area, please contact our alumni representative for Hampton Roads.

7. Boston

This is view of Beantown from Cambridge is so quintessentially Boston. For club information, visit the Penn Club of Boston’s webpage.

6. Denver

On the steps leading to the entrance of the State Capitol, one is marked as a mile above sea level. While I don’t think that the iPhone is best for night pictures, I found this to be a fun image to take.For club information, visit the Penn Club of Denver’s webpage.

5. Dallas

While for most Americans Dealey Plaza is known as the backdrop to JFK’s assassination, I found it to be a charming tribute to the pioneer spirit that forged Dallas.For more information about alumni activities in the area, please contact our alumni representative for Dallas and Fort Worth.

4. Baltimore

Usually, I think of Camden Yards or the Bromo Seltzer Tower as typical Baltimore building. So the drama of lines of the building drawing you up to the American flag at the top was a favorite of mine to photograph. For club information, visit the Penn Club of Baltimore’s webpage.

3. Richmond

The beauty in the massive brickwork in this theatre couldn’t go unnoticed and it caught my attention. For more information about alumni activities in the area, please contact our alumni representative for Richmond.

2. San Antonio

I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking about James Bowie, Davey Crockett, William Travis, and the like as well as remembering the Alamo when someone mentions San Antonio. However, did you know that San Antone has stunning Japanese Tea Garden? This charming foot bridge looks inspired by other gardens’ moon bridges and immediately provides me with a sense of calm. For club information, visit the Penn Club of San Antonio’s webpage.

1. Houston

Twenty miles outside the traffic of Space City stands this monument commemorating Texas’ Independence from Mexico in 1836.  Almost 12 feet taller than the Washington Monument, the San Jacinto Monument is this world’s tallest monumental column. It stands at the site of the Battle of San Jacinto and today, commends a grand command over the state park. For club information, visit the Penn Club of Houston’s webpage.

For alumni club activities and more information for our other 110 clubs, please visit the Global Alumni Network main page.

Leave a comment

Filed under Alumni Perspective, Casey R., Clubs, GAN, Top Ten

Tagged as , ,