Author: Lisa Marie Patzer
After talking with the great staff at the Urban Nutrition Initiative, I decided to check out one of their gardens. The University City High School Urban Garden located at 36th and Filbert is a short walk from Penn’s campus. Below are a few pictures I took on my visit.
Filed under Lisa Marie Patzer, Philadelphia, Photos, Uncategorized
Author: Lisa Marie Patzer
As a new employee at the University, it is a daily experience for me to discover something new on campus. Last week was no different. While walking through the Franklin Building Annex where I was attending new employee training, I smelled the most wonderful scent of fresh apples. The aroma was coming from the other side of a door. I poked my head in and met Brian Cassidy, a Nutrition Education Coordinator for the Urban Nutrition Initiative (UNI). He was busy sorting apples into large grocery bags for a school program. I asked him if I could come back for an interview to find out more about the organization. He agreed and on October 7th I met with Brian and Neena Pathak, also a Nutrition Education Coordinator for the UNI.
UNI is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships and The School District of Philadelphia’s EAT.RIGHT.NOW. Nutrition Education Program. Their primary mission is to facilitate nutrition education programs in public schools to address issues of poor nutrition and physical fitness in West Philadelphia. UNI organizes school day, after school and summer learning opportunities for more than 10,000 students and their families at 20 public schools in Philadelphia. Their programs include after school cooking clubs, community gardens and giving students the opportunity to share the food they grow at farmers market in the local neighborhood.
I asked Neena and Brian how they became involved with UNI. Turns out, they are both proud Penn alumni. Neena (GED’10) taught English in the public school system while working on her Master’s degree in education at Penn. She is passionate about urban education and food justice. Working for UNI provided an outlet to pursue these interests.
Brian (GED’10) taught high school in Camden NJ for two years while he attended the Graduate School of Education at Penn. His first introduction to UNI was through the University City High School garden located at 36thand Filbert. Brian wanted to find a way to engage with youth about nutrition and food justice. He soon found himself working full time for the organization.
In addition to their standard school programs, Brian and Neena are actively developing new ways of engaging youth. One of the programs Brian is managing partners University of Pennsylvania student volunteers with students from Parkway West High School. Using nutrition curriculum developed by Drexel University, the high school students are creating music videos about comfort foods and developing a healthy emotional relationship to food.
Neena is working with the University City High School on a cooking enrichment class that teaches students the basics of nutrition and healthy cooking. At the end of the class, they will have a Top Chef style competition that will emphasize the importance of their Think A.H.E.A.D. strategy. This involves preparing food that is Accessible, Healthy, Easy, Affordable, and Delicious.
Are you interested in nutrition, food justice, community gardening and empowering youth? Find out how you can volunteer for UNI by contacting Jarrett Stein, volunteer coordinator, at stein.jarrett@gmail.com.
Author: Leigh Ann P.
I have been receiving birthday cards for nearly 30 years now, and I have been receiving “Wow, you’re old” birthday cards since I turned 22. Twenty-two! You know the ones I’m talking about. “You’re old. You sag. You forget everything. Getting old equals bad.” I get it! Thanks for the card! Anyone who knows me knows I would hate giving these as much as I hate receiving them, which is why I become so frustrated at a certain drug store whose card selection features only those of the “Jeez, you have gray hair and wrinkles now. Because it’s your birthday and you’re old. Amazing.” – variety.
I have exhausted every lovable cartoon character I can find in order not to offend those close to me, because those cards are generally pretty innocuous and readily available. Snoopy. Scooby. Sleepy, Happy, Dopey. Mickey. Buzz Lightyear. But when you find yourself searching for a card for your mother-in-law’s birthday and you’re stuck between a pink, glittery Princess Jasmine card and one about an overabundance of ear hair, you may be treading on dangerous ground.
This is why I love the Penn Bookstore! (I’m not working for them, even though I keep plugging them!). Funny, yet inoffensive cards! Thoughtful, but not gag-inducing! Glamorous and grown-up! Thank you, Penn Bookstore, for never letting this Penn employee (or her mother-in-law) down.
A very pretty, very simple birthday card for a Mom in your life.
Filed under Campus Life, Leigh Ann P., Uncategorized
Author: Elizabeth Kimmelman Schwartz, C’04
A confession: I wasn’t that cool in high school. (I know you are shocked by this given that I’ve divulged my love for the X Files on here). But wait – I wasn’t a nerd either – I was in that in between category, mainly reserved for people who cared too much about school to ever be cool. I had a lot of friends and a fun social life but I was in the smart classes and didn’t party. In any case, I really did like high school. I still have great friends from that time in my life and wonderful memories. However, I knew when I got to college, things would be different.
Here’s one of the unspoken, great things about Penn. Probably 80% of the people at this school were not cool in high school. But then we come to Penn, a place where it is okay to study and work hard, a place where it’s okay have a conversation about nerdy things and where there are so many people and groups that you don’t have to worry as hard about fitting in. There is no cool clique or popular crowd because there are just too many people for that to make sense. Additionally, most of the students here were like me in high school – “nerdy” by default but social and fun. So, what did I decide to do with this newfound sense of belonging and “coolness?” I rushed a sorority.
I am sure most of my high school friends were taken aback by the thought of me in a sorority. Girls who watch The X Files and take Calculus for fun are not the type of girls who are supposed to join sororities. I didn’t care. I wanted to try it out – I wanted to be part of a world that seemed completely inaccessible to me when I was a high school freshman, singing second soprano in choir and performing in the shows (yup, I’m dropping nerd alerts along the way as you keep reading). So, I signed up for rush and was on my way!
Let me tell you – for an extrovert like me, rush was amazing. We recently learned in a seminar at work that the difference between extroverts and introverts is that extroverts derive energy from interacting with large groups of people, whereas introverts are drained by it. Sorority rush, to me, was like drinking five cups of coffee, and I don’t drink caffeine. I put my black pants on and met new person after new person, after new person. It didn’t stop at the girls in the sororities! I met the girls who stood near me in line, the girls in my rush group, the girls who were preffing (a word for the last round of rush) the same houses – so many new people! It was awesome…until I got rejected from a couple sororities I liked. But, I bounced back, kept going, and found my home at Chi Omega.
With some of my Chi Omega sisters at our 5th Reunion
Of course there were parts of the process that weirded me out. At some rounds, when the sisters talked about how much they loved their house, they would cry. I didn’t like that. One of the sororities dressed up as hippies for the first round. As someone who shopped solely at the Gap and maybe Arden B when I was feeling “wild,” I cut them immediately. But those experiences were few and far between.
I know that rush might sound silly. Parading around campus in black pants meeting lots of girls and having nothing more than superficial conversations does not seem particularly productive on the surface. But, sorority rush taught me a lot about life. It taught me how to have a conversation with almost anyone, something that comes in very handy in my job in Alumni Relations. It taught me to be polite (you never wore a watch during rush because if you glanced at it while talking to someone it would be rude). It taught me, when I was on the other side of rush, how to work as a team. (Just ask me, I still remember our dance to “Funky Cold Medina” which became “Funky Chi Omega.”) And, it taught me how to face rejection, keep my head up, and how to have faith that in the end things work out.
Sorority rush also led to one of the most defining experiences in my Penn life – serving as Panhellenic Council President. But, I’ll save that for another day! Now, I’m off to a work meeting where I will no doubt have a great conversation with someone and not glance at my watch.
Filed under Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Elizabeth K., Uncategorized
Author: Leigh Ann P.
You know you’ve been there. You see a notable piece of fashion – be it adorable or abomination – and you long to capture it on film, but do you dare? Before the unsuspecting fashion plate in question walks too far ahead of you, do you have time to root around in your over-sized tote looking for your cell phone that somehow always manages to find its way to the very bottom; past old, crumpled up Wawa receipts, empty water bottles and your glasses case containing the eyewear you never bother to fish out – otherwise you wouldn’t have taken the 12 bus instead of the 21 today? And even if you do manage to grab it in time, will you be inconspicuous enough? Or are you a klutz who can’t keep a secret?
Maybe you’re smooth and you think you can just walk up to someone and tell her, “Hey, we’d like to photograph you for the Penn Alumni blog’s back-to-school fashion post I’m working on.” Newsflash: this is awkward and no one will believe that you work for that illustrious online publication – that Daily Intel-Slate-NY Times-Perez Hiltonesque amalgam of the Penn Alumni community.
Which is why we are bringing you Frankly Penn’s first-ever Back To Penn Fashion post illustrated entirely in paintbrush!
First up: Last week, we saw a Penn student sitting on a bench near Locust Walk, and she was wearing a pair of clunky-heeled Mary Janes. Mary Janes and clunky heels had a good run in the ’90s, and frankly, we welcome them back with open arms. So long, stilettos! You won’t find yourself interlocked with a sidewalk grate in these puppies! Added bonus: clunky heels will change the proportion of the line of your leg, and instantly remove most traces of cankles. This student was also wearing socks, so we are pretty sure she was going for a full-on Anthropologie look (one of our fave stores – the flagship mansion is at 18th & Walnut, if you’re interested).
Our next Back to School fashion trend we’ve noticed this September is one that has, in fact, been a perennial favorite around college campuses all across this country for at least the last half-century. Does that make it a trend? Probably yes, in the great scheme of things. We call it “I Don’t Care Chic,” and we can be sure it will be around as long as all-nighter cramming sessions exist. The psychology behind this look is one of extraordinary complication and one never knows the true impetus. Do you really not care? Or do you just want to look like you don’t care? Is “not caring” an activity that requires actual effort, and isn’t it ironic when you do put effort into “not caring” because isn’t “not caring” caring? Or perhaps it’s a comfort thing. Personally, we would love to come to work in sweat pants! We are glad these students are enjoying this dress code-free time in their lives. 
We couldn’t write a blog post about early-fall fashion and leave out cargo shorts. Mostly we wanted to see if we could successfully draw cargo shorts using paintbrush. Lex Ruby Howe C’07 thinks the pockets look like little people. We think they’re awesome. What do you think?
The fashion trend making the biggest statement this season – and every season – on this campus are the Penn gear staples. You can’t strut a brick on Locust Walk without spotting packs of students wearing their pride on their sleeves in their Penn sweatshirts, t-shirts, belts, ties, tote bags, hats, gym clothes, flip-flops, and more! 
Join the Penn fashion movement! You can purchase all the Penn gear your red-and-blue-bleeding heart desires on the Penn Bookstore website. Go Quakers!
Filed under Campus Fashion, Leigh Ann P., Uncategorized
Author: Lisa Marie Patzer
I recently attended the Philadelphia premiere of Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles at the International House. I knew very little about the film but was curious to learn more about the odd tiles I had seen scattered throughout the streets of Philadelphia. Here is one located at 43rd and Chester:
Resurrect Dead, a documentary film directed by Jon Foy, follows Justin Duerr a Philadelphia-based artist, on his journey to find the source of the Toynbee Tiles. Hundreds of these cryptic messages have been found embedded in the streets of major cities across the U.S. and South American and Justin has taken a photo of nearly every one. The tiles contain some variation on the following inscription:
TOYNBEE IDEA
IN KUBRICK’S 2001
RESURRECT DEAD
ON PLANET JUPITER
I would classify the film is a hybrid doc-fiction that attempts to de-code the meaning behind the tiles as well as uncover the identity of the creator. I will resist including any “spoilers” here, but I will say I was impressed by the film and the audience support. The attendance at the International House was so overwhelming they added a 5th screening to the program.
Kendall Whitehouse with the Wharton School at UPenn has a great photo album of a Q&A session with Jon Foy.
In order to promote the film, the producers of Resurrect Dead gave the audience stickers that look like the Toynbee Tiles. I have seen several pasted in public places throughout the city.
This Philadelphia based film is receiving a lot of buzz, both locally and nationally. It has moved on to Chicago, but I am sure it will be back. For more information, see the official website.
Filed under Campus Life, Film, Lisa Marie Patzer, Philadelphia, The Arts, The Arts at Penn, Uncategorized
Blanche Levy Park, also known as College Green, has evolved enormously over the years. New buildings have been erected, old ones demolished, and Woodland Walk’s trolley is now buried beneath the campus rather than running through it. Despite these changes, Penn, perched directly across the Schuylkill river from Center City, has always remained as a doorway of sorts to West Philadelphia. Below you will see eight entryways to buildings around the green. How many can you identify? Click the link at the bottom of the page to see how many you got correct!
Doorway #1
Doorway #2
Doorway #3
Filed under Uncategorized
Guest blogger: Umi Howard, Wharton
Are you interested in social enterprise or philanthropy? If the answer is yes, you should find out more about the Lipman Family Prize. This is the first year of this exciting new initiative at Penn and we need two things – 1) students that want to be a part of our Student Selection Committee, and 2) great organizations around the globe to apply for the prize.
The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize, administered by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, recognizes and amplifies the work of organizations creating sustainable solutions to significant social and economic challenges
– with an emphasis on transferability and impact of practices. This is an annual, global prize that will award $100,000 to the winner and a non-monetary award package that includes educational opportunities and other supports.
To find out more about the prize,visit the website and be sure to watch the video! You can also view the prize guidelines here and find out how to apply.
Filed under Uncategorized
Author: Nicole C. Maloy, W’95
The first time I heard someone speak of “going down the shore,” I imagined a map of a shoreline on a wall, with an animated stick figure starting at one point on the shore and traveling downward. Going down the shore sounded like a process. I would eventually learn that it is a destination; the word “to” is implied. To non-natives of this area, “down the shore” translates as “to the beach.” It sounds like “downa shore.” No relation to Dinah Shore. She’s from Tennessee.
I never once explored the Jersey Shore when I was a Penn student. To be fair, my spring semester weekends were spent at track meets, and my summers were generally spent in Ohio. Still, what a shame not to take advantage of Philadelphia’s relative proximity to the ocean! It’s only an hour to Ocean City, where I took my first surfing lesson a few years ago.
Yes, surfing. Who knew there was surfing anywhere around here? Not I. And, let’s face it, it’s not Hawaii, by any stretch. But for a total beginner like me, Jersey-sized waves were just fine; the Hawaii Five-0 theme song would be in my head either way. And Jersey’s a heck of a lot closer to home. And I bet they don’t serve funnel cake at the Banzai Pipeline in Oahu. Sign me up for a trip to the Jersey Shore! Ahem – downa shore.
With the legendary Matt, who teaches at 7th Street Surf Shop in Ocean City, NJ. He is hilarious.
Turns out I’m a “goofy foot” surfer. Somehow this seemed fitting. This actually means I lead with my right foot, where most lead with their left (those boring souls would be “regular foot”). My high jump takeoff foot was my right when most others used their left, so at least I’m consistent.
Paddling out for the first time, before I even tried to pop up on my first wave – right foot forward – I knew I would return. I have always loved the water, and frolicking in the waves on a sunny day is standard-issue fun, but this was different. Going past the waves, getting away from the crowds, anticipating the ride back in and, most of all, just being out in the water felt pretty amazing. Didn’t taste so amazing, but that’s part of the deal.
It intrigues me that you have to fight the waves to get away from land for the express purpose of collaborating with them to get you back. There’s a life lesson in there somewhere. For the record, there are real waves, and real surfers, at the Jersey Shore. If your timing is right, you’ll get to see some pretty impressive moves. And you know what? The view is even better from the water, on a board. If you can stand, if you can swim, if you can get downa shore, then you can take a surfing lesson. So…do it!
You pass this on the way to the water. Duly noted.
The sign said I had to “share my stoke,” so I have since organized several trips for others who want to learn to surf. Here, Matt is teaching the sequence of movements these people are about to try out in the water.
And they’re off!
Heading out on a different morning with friends and rented boards.
By the time this photo was taken whatever I was riding was nothing but foam. But I was still on the board, baby! Woo!
After a somewhat less successful attempt, yet still smiling. If this is life downa shore, sign me up!
On a beautiful day like this, even *waiting* for a wave is fun. Life is good when you’re floating on a surfboard, hanging out with friends. You gotta try this sometime.
Filed under Alumni Perspective, Nicole M., Uncategorized
Author: Aimee LaBrie
In my next life, I believe I will be moving to Ithaca. My colleagues in Alumni Relations and I were just there for several days last week to attend Ivy+, a conference where alumni relation staff working from all the Ivies get together to share best practices (the “+” universities are MIT and Stanford). This year, Cornell University sponsored the conference and they did an excellent job making us feel welcome. So, for three days, I got to be around a bunch of very smart and very nice people who do a lot of the same things we do–plan reunions, work on getting alumni back for Homecoming or to join their local club, find new and improved ways to use social media to engage alumni. And, on our off time, we were served delicious meals. Example:
A clock tower filled with white chocolate mousse. Sinful.
We had no trouble devouring it. Here is Lisbeth before she destroyed and devoured the tower.
Lisbeth and tower
On the last night, they hosted an outdoor BBQ with a tour of the gorges.
Penn people and our tour guide
And a short video capturing the beauty of the falls combined with the beauty of Marge, our GAN (Global Alumni Network) team member. Thanks, Cornell, for an awesome (and awe-inspiring) conference.
Filed under Aimee L., Ivy+, Uncategorized
Frankly Penn 
