New school journal

Those who care about urban education have a new online resource, “Perspectives on Urban Education.” Created by the Graduate School of Education, the electronic journal carries feature-length articles, reports of studies in progress, reviews and commentaries on issues affecting today’s urban school districts. The journal also gives readers the chance to respond directly to authors via email. The inaugural issue, now available at www.urbanedjournal.org, focuses on the uses and misuses of educational research in reform policies.

Up close & personal

What started out as a class project will now enable thousands of students to personalize their commencement experience. A collaboration between Penn seniors David Badler, Tyler Mullins and Matt Uffalussy, MarchingOrder is a software program, piloted in 2001, that allows students to post their names, hometowns and personal messages on a giant screen during graduation. Funded by Penn’s business-incubator program, P2B, and Business Services, the software will also be used at this year’s Engineering School’s awards ceremony and at the University of New Mexico. More info at www.marchingorder.upenn.edu.

Art for youth

Penn adds a creative element to its summer curriculum for high schools students with Summer Arts Studio, a four-week residential program that focuses on the arts. Beginning June 30, high school juniors and seniors from across the nation and world will get the chance to take day-long classes in drawing, painting, photography, digital video and animation. For more info, contact the Office of Summer Sessions at 215-746-6901 or visit www.upenn.edu/summer and click on the “high school programs” link.