On Monday, May 18, the University of Pennsylvania honors the Class of 2020 with a virtual live online celebration at 11 a.m. (EDT), the first Commencement celebration for the Class of 2020. Viewers may join the live event by logging on to the University Commencement webpage.
As students, family members, and friends celebrate and post to social media about the unique achievements of the Class of 2020, how many are graduating? How many seniors ranked All-Ivy? And how many graduate students were honored with University leadership awards? Here are those numbers and more.
7,564
Approximate number of undergrad and graduate students eligible to graduate May 18, 2020.
8,100
As of April, the number of diplomas being awarded for May 2020 graduation. This includes nearly 2,757 undergraduate degrees. The number of degrees exceeds the number of graduates due to students who are awarded dual degrees or sub matriculate in multiple programs.
116
The members of the undergraduate Class of 2020 represent 116 foreign countries and all 50 states. (Based on the fall 2019 census of traditional undergraduate students at Penn.)
Different types of undergraduate and graduate degrees Penn will confer on May 18, 2020. Penn has offered and conferred more than 100 different degrees since 1757.
21
All-Americans among the athletes in this year’s senior class. There are 181 (anticipated) graduating seniors who play on Penn Athletics teams.
818
Seniors who participated in one or more global programs. 438 seniors (exclusive of those who did multiple programs) participated in one semester/year study abroad program, 95 seniors participated in one Penn Global Seminar, 94 seniors participated in one Penn Summer Abroad program, 71 seniors participated in one Global Research and Internship Program, and 120 seniors participated in one or more of these programs.
45
Seniors in ACK (A Cappella Council). Seniors in other performing arts groups include 65 members of the DAC (Dance Arts Council), 105 members of SMAC (Singers, Musicians, Comedians, and Spoken Word Council), and 28 members of TAC-e (Theatre Arts Council). These numbers are self-reported by the PAC (Performing Arts Council) groups.
Seniors named Thouron Award winners. Other senior fellowship winners this year include one Rhodes, nine Fulbright, one Churchill, one Schwarzman and one Marshall; and many more. Read about each fellowship winner on Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowship website.
1,832
Career points scored by graduating senior A.J. Brodeur (men’s basketball). It broke the program’s all-time scoring record which had been held by Ernie Beck since 1953. Among NCAA Division 1 schools, it was the longest-standing scoring record before Brodeur broke it.
Understanding order to disorder at the atomic scale opens possibilities for next-generation electronic devices
A Penn team has developed insight into the chemical and geometric mechanisms underlying the synthesis of new 2D materials, paving the way for next-gen devices, biomedical applications, and cleaner, quicker energy conversion and storage.
Exposure to air pollution worsens Alzheimer’s disease
New research from Penn Medicine finds living in areas with high concentration of air pollution is associated with increased buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, accelerating cognitive decline.
Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability
Three recent building projects at the University of Pennsylvania have earned LEED Platinum, Gold, and Silver certifications, underscoring Penn’s ongoing commitment to sustainable design and construction.
What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis
A Penn Engineering team has targeted the lung’s extracellular matrix to better understand early fibrosis by triggering the formation of special chemical bonds that increase tissue stiffness in specific locations, mimicking the first physical changes that may lead to lung fibrosis.
