News Archives

At Work with...Sondra Siegel

Soros blasts how Bush fights terror

The event was billed as a conversation on globalization with financier-philanthropist George Soros. But Soros managed to add American foreign policy to the agenda at the Granoff Forum on International Development and the Global Economy April 8. In his opening remarks, Soros, now known as much for his efforts to promote open, democratic societies worldwide as for the billions he made in the capital markets, departed from a talk on the virtues and defects of globalization to deliver sharp criticism of the Bush administration’s approach to fighting terrorism.

Faculty Feature: MANNA feeds the soul

Food is more than sustenance. For Kenwyn Smith and his fellow First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia parishioners, it turned out to be the means to revive the faith of a troubled congregation and the vehicle by which he—and many others—learned some priceless lessons. “If I think of all the books that I’ve read and all of the courses I’ve taken, I’d trade them all for the lessons I’ve learned from people with AIDS,” he said.

Honorary degree recipients announced

In addition to journalist Jim Lehrer receiving an honorary degree as the speaker at this year’s 246th Commencement, four others will receive honorary degrees for their influential life’s work, the Office of the Secretary announced. Lehrer (Current, Feb. 7) is the world-renowned host of “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and the recipient of more than 30 awards for journalistic excellence. The others to receive honorary degrees at the May 13 ceremony are:

That's a rap

Editor's Pick: Chimp champ

The chimpanzee—man’s closest living relative—is under assault, thanks to poaching and habitat destruction. For 19 years, activist Sheila Siddle and her husband David have made rescuing orphaned and wounded chimps their life’s work through the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage they established on their farm in central Zambia.

More notes on camps

In addition to the summer sports camps listed in our special report on recreation (Current, April 11), the following camps will also be offered this summer. Details on the baseball and lacrosse camps are available on-line at www.pennathletics.com; for information on the tennis camp, call Hal Mackin at 215-898-4741.

New chief at Wistar

The Wistar Institute will have a new director and CEO come June 10. Russel E. Kaufman of Duke University succeeds Interim Director Clayton Buck at Wistar, an independent nonprofit biomedical research center located on campus, after a nearly two-year search.

Campus Buzz

Brighten up: If you’re still in the dark about making your University City home brighter and more attractive, there’s help. UC Brite, the University City District program that assists homeowners who purchase exterior lighting for their properties, is now accepting applications for lighting projects this spring. Property owners interested in installing outside lighting have until May 17 to submit participation agreements to the UCD. For more information about UC Brite, call D-L Wormley at the UCD, 215-243-0555, ext. 229.

No quick buck

No matter how smart you are, you’re not guaranteed a quick buck, Perry Golkin (W’74, WG’74, L’78) told a roomful of Penn law and business students. This coming from an individual with three degrees, all from Penn. At an April 9 talk, “Smart People Making and Losing Money: Some Recent Examples,” sponsored by the Institute for Law and Economics, Golkin, who works for a New York investment firm, doled out straightforward advice.