News Archives

Staff Q&A: John Shea

When John Shea (Gr’84) came to Penn to pursue a doctorate in English, he fully intended to pursue a career in academe, researching and teaching English literature. He ended up with a career in academe, and one involving English literature to boot. But the literature in question has turned out to be magazine and newspaper articles for Penn publications—first for The Pennsylvania Gazette, then for this newspaper’s predecessor, The Compass, and now for Penn Medicine and other periodicals produced by the Health System’s Office of Public Affairs.

Two decades, one work

BodyVox, the modern dance ensemble formed by Pilobolus and Momix alumni Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton, has been around long enough for the founders to step back and look at how far they’ve come over the years. “Reverie,” which gets its first Philadelphia performance at a Penn Presents/Dance Celebration concert Feb. 25, is a distillation of two decades’ worth of BodyVox compositions. The eclectic, athletic works are set to music ranging from Puccini to Miles Davis to the Bulgarian Women’s Chorus, and include visually stunning costumes. —S.S.

Judge Rendell: To lead, get inside their heads

Judge Marjorie Rendell (CW’69) was on campus Feb. 4 to talk about leadership to a standing-room only crowd of College students who packed 3615 Locust Walk. She was the second speaker this semester in the ongoing series “Lessons in Leadership,” designed by the Fox Leadership Program to bring outstanding College alumni back to campus to discuss life, their career and what they’ve learned about leadership.

So it is written...

“Who Wrote (Down) the Qur’an?” is the question that five Islamic scholars will attempt to answer at a conference Friday, Feb. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Penn Humanities Forum, 3619 Locust Walk. Panelists from Canada, France and the United States will consider the physical process of collecting, writing and canonizing the earliest versions of the Qur’an, considered by Muslims to be the revealed word of God. Free, preregistration required: humanities@sas.upenn.edu or 215-898-8220.

News briefs

Bite out of crime Crime in University City took a dive in 2002, plummeting 19 percent, according to an announcement by the University City District. The figures obtained from the Philadelphia Police Department reflect a four-year downward trend in the area bounded by 50th Street, Spring Garden Street, the Schuylkill River and Woodland Avenue. Crime categories that experienced the most dramatic drop include homicide, down 50 percent; residential burglary, down 62 percent; and auto theft, down 7 percent.

Expectant dad can take time off

Illustration by Bo Brown Dear Benny, My wife is expecting a child soon, and I would like to take time off to be with her and our new arrival. How much paid leave may I take, and how is it allocated? Do I use paid time off first, then sick leave, or do I use sick leave first? Am I eligible for unpaid leave after I’ve used up my paid leave?—Expectant Dad

Really local weather

Young Children "Fall In Love with Goodness" When They Help Guide Their Own Instruction

PHILADELPHIA -- Joan Goodman wants young children to fall in love with goodness. She believes all children have an inherent generosity, and she has written a book to teach others how to develop children's potential morality. Goodman found that children learn lessons of morality best when they are involved and participating in their own instruction rather than having the lessons handed down from an authority figure.

Penn Creates Center for Contemporary Writing

PHILADELPHIA – – The University of Pennsylvania's Writing Program, the Creative Writing Program and the Kelly Writers House will merge resources to create an umbrella organization, the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing. The center will officially open July 1.Alan Filreis, professor of English, will head the new center with the directors of the three programs reporting to him. All of the programs will retain their individual functions.

MEDIA ADVISORY: University of Pennsylvania Law School Students' Auction Helps Fund Public Interest Law Projects

WHO: University of Pennsylvania Law School students' Equal Justice Foundation