Who, What, Why: Serene Safvi on strengthening dialogue

Serene Safvi became interested in politics riding in the car as her mother played NPR on the radio. “That really informed me of the possibilities of politics and the chance that it can provide,” she says.

Today, Safvi is aiming for a career in politics. “I’m kind of dipping my foot in the water,” she says, outlining options such as think tanks and political campaigns. The third-year from Chicago is a philosophy, politics and economics major, minoring in fine arts and French and Francophone studies. 

She is also a fellow in the SNF Paideia Program, designed to span differences with dialogue and community building. Safvi says the best part of that program has been the 8:30 a.m. proseminars—“You have to be very committed to going to them”—and the sense of fellowship, conversation, and learning with the other students in her cohort.

“The best thing that I’ve been able to take away is the community and connection you can find,” she says.

Among Safvi’s activities to lay a political groundwork was a Penn-funded summer internship through the Summer Humanities Internship Program (SHIP) with the National Constitution Center, located in Old City Philadelphia.

“I knew Philadelphia was such a historic site, but, being able to be really independent and learn, I feel like a better Philadelphian,” Safvi says.

On campus, she worked as an ambassador with Free the Facts, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization helping educate young Americans about policies and problems. Safvi wrote articles on issues and helped spread the word at Penn about the content available. “Education is such a fundamental tool,” she says. “There’s such a vast array of sources someone could look to; it’s hard to find one that’s really beneficial.”

Her experiences in and out of the classroom have influenced her journey and eventual direction. For her senior capstone, she is considering blending her PPE major and fine arts minor to explore the aesthetics of political propaganda, drawing on an international art movement founded in Paris in the 1970s.

But it’s the Paideia fellowship that she says has changed her trajectory the most and influenced her experience at Penn. The focus on dialogue and forming connections has strengthened her desire to sidestep polarization and create change, she says. “I never realized the importance of thoughtful conversation,” Safvi says. “The only way to make sure of your ideas and feel confident is through talking through your ideas with other people.”