Latest

A Sounding Board for First- and Second-Years

The College’s pre-major advising program has been around since the 1990s. The 130 or so faculty and staff who participate act as a support system and academic guide for undergrads learning to navigate the experiences and spaces of Penn.

Children of Freedom

Historian Sarah Gronningsater’s new book, about efforts toward slavery’s abolition and equal rights in New York from the Revolution through Reconstruction, shows how Black people found ways to advocate for their freedom—and helped mold a new nation.

A Champion for the Liberal Arts

Peter Struck, Vartan Gregorian Professor of the Humanities, shares his journey as an academic, an educator, and now, Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

60-Second Lectures | Fall 2024 Roundup (Video)

Topics ranged from social learning and the importance of reproductive health to the Civil Rights movement, the city of Philadelphia, and whether dance can exist without music.

Small Seminars Foster Sense of Belonging for New College Students

Sixty first-year seminars offer complex subjects in a comfortable group setting, as well as close connections to professors and peers. This year, 10 are also taking part in a pilot program focused on teaching students how to have respectful dialogue around difficult topics.

Omnia Podcast: Deep Listening and The Sound of Philadelphia (Audio)

In a graduate seminar taught by Professor of Music Carol Muller, students re-examined ethnographic research methods and worked on field projects aimed at documenting Philadelphia’s Black music history.

How a Flipped Classroom Stokes the Collaborative Spirit of Physics

Bill Ashmanskas is using the Structured Active In-Class Learning format to help his students grasp high-level physics concepts.

Pain Management

Jessica Wojick, doctoral candidate in the Department of Biology, examines the inner workings of chronic pain, and how to mitigate the suffering of those who are afflicted.

Memories and Manifestos

Ala Stanford is a surgeon, a national leader in health equity, and Professor of Practice at Penn. In a new book, she chronicles the ups and downs of her path from North Philly, how she served thousands during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her work to end health disparities.

From College Community to Career Path

Joyce Kim, an advanced doctoral student in sociology and education, wants to know what motivates undergraduates—especially those who are the first in their families to attend college—to choose the career trajectories that they do.

A Proud American

In his new book The Ballad of Roy Benavidez, historian William Sturkey explores the life of this Hispanic war hero, his fight to maintain veteran disability benefits, and the ways in which Hispanic Americans have long shaped U.S. history with scant acknowledgement.

Using Animation to Spread Strength and Hope

Ejun Hong, C’25, has been making animated films since high school. The prizewinning Echoing, It Doesn’t Stop is her fourth, inspired by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Living the Olympic Dream

The Paris Games will mark the second for Regina Salmons, C’18, who will represent the U.S. in women’s eight boat. She reflects on her experience and what it means to push yourself “to the absolute limits of human ability.”

Peter Struck Named Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of College of Arts & Sciences

Struck, a distinguished classicist, award-winning teacher, and innovative program leader, starts the new appointment on Aug. 1, 2024.

Numbers on the Brain

In trying to learn more about how our understanding of quantity and numbers develops, Francesca Luzzi, C’24, has been studying how children experience a perceptual illusion involving dots and lines. The results have been surprising.