On Monday, May 17, the University of Pennsylvania honors the Class of 2021 with a hybrid 265th Commencement celebration. This includes a limited in-person ceremony on Franklin Field for undergraduates paired with a live online celebration for graduate and professional students, family, faculty, and staff.
Penn’s live webcast begins at 9 a.m. with celebratory videos submitted by friends and family being aired. The official ceremony kicks off at 10 a.m. As students, family members, and friends celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2021, how many are graduating? How many seniors earned Academic All-Ivy? And how many graduate students were honored with Graduate Leadership Awards? Here are those numbers and more.
5,720
Approximate number of undergrad and graduate students eligible to graduate on May 17, 2021.
6,222
As of May 4, the number of diplomas being awarded for the May 2021 graduation. This includes 2,449 traditional undergraduate degrees. The number of degrees exceeds the number of graduates due to students who are awarded dual degrees or sub-matriculated in multiple programs.
1757
The year of Penn’s first graduation. Of the 12 students admitted to the Class of 1757, six graduated in 1757 and two more earned their undergraduate degrees at a later date. Penn has issued honorary degrees since its first graduation.
52
Different types of undergraduate and graduate degrees Penn will confer on May 17. Penn has offered and conferred more than 100 different degrees since 1757.
109
Number of countries represented by the members of the traditional undergraduate Class of 2021. There are also graduates from all 50 states, based on the fall 2020 census of traditional undergraduate students at Penn.
4
Number of bagpipers who will play at the limited live Commencement ceremony.
20
The number of graduating seniors who will sing the “Red & Blue” at the 265th Commencement ceremony. They represent a variety of Penn’s performing arts groups.
2021 Graduate Leadership Awards conferred. The Graduate Leadership Awards honor graduating students for service and lasting contributions to graduate student life at Penn.
24
Seniors who earned Academic All-Ivy.
215
Video clips submitted by parents and families for the ceremony.
2
Seniors Camille Dickson and Uchechi Nwogwugwu competed in and helped the Penn women win all five Ivy Heptagonal Track & Field Championships contested during their career (3 indoor/2 outdoor).
9
Goals scored by Adam Goldner in his final game for Penn’s men’s lacrosse team, breaking a single-game scoring record that had stood since 1954.
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.
