As the new academic year begins, Penn Arts & Sciences welcomes seven alums to the Advisory Board of the Professional Women’s Alliance and the Arts & Sciences Ambassador Council. The members of these groups plan virtual and in-person events for alumni to connect with students and continue learning from faculty and each other.
Professional Women’s Alliance
Janine Jjingo, C’02
Penn memories: To be honest, the favorite Penn memory is a really difficult question for me to answer. When I think about my Penn experience, it is not really defined by a single moment. It's really this collection of rich experiences—from a world class education that opened my mind to so much to lifelong friendships formed with such fun memories—that define those years for me.
Rebecca Scott, C’06
Penn memories: Hey Day stands out as such a memorable day at Penn. By that point, you know so many of your classmates and get to let loose together. Plus I love the theme and tradition.
Arts & Sciences Ambassador Council
Jason Post, C’01
Penn memories: My favorite Penn memory was taking a political science seminar with Prof. Will Harris and the constraints he put around our writing to sharpen our thinking and ensure that every word counted.
Michael Gordon, C’87
Penn memories: My closest friends are my Penn friends, and we made a lot of great memories together, particularly senior year. We see them reasonably regularly and consider them like family. I also was involved in student government for three years and in my senior year wrote a DP column and had fun with both!
Kwabena Asiedu, C’08
Penn memories: One of the most distinct is Penn Relays week. As a person of Jamaican heritage, I'm a fan of track and field. So having one of the premier sporting events on Penn's campus was exciting, but also a distraction, since they were always held during finals. Organizations that had an impact: Caribbean American Students Association (CASA), DZine2Show (Penn Fashion Society), and Sphinx. My favorite spot on campus was the rooftop space of Rodin College House: It had one of the most amazing views of campus and Philadelphia.
Khari Austin-Rawls, C’16
Penn memories: For three years, I served as the Arboretum's Student Programs and Marketing Manager, which gave me the opportunity to both plan and facilitate special trips to the Morris Arboretum for hundreds of students who had never visited before and start the first Morris Arboretum Student Advisory Board. It was always so fulfilling to hear students say the Arboretum's beauty and calming energy helped them relax, relieve stress, and recharge in a way they never could on campus.
Edward Fentin, C’95
Penn memories: So many great memories of my time at Penn, but the one that stands out the most was my very first week of orientation, my freshman year. From the 'Wild Video Dance Party' and the Ice Cream Social in the Quad; to the Phillies game where we went to the outfield stands and spelled out UPenn '95; to meeting friends the first few days of school that are my dear friends to this day (and throwing a party in our dorm in the Quad, which was a big no-no!)—it was an incredible introduction to my new school that makes me smile to this day.
