Heather Davis

Situated on a bustling block in Old City, around the corner from the American Philosophical Society, sits a place dedicated to serious scholarship and quiet contemplation.

It was Jonah Berger’s grandmother who first introduced him to Malcolm Gladwell. While he was a student at Stanford, Berger’s grandmother sent him a review of Gladwell’s book, "The Tipping Point.” Berger was intrigued, read the book, and loved it, but says he was nagged by questions about human behavior that drove outcomes.

For 29 days last spring, students in Justin McDaniel’s religious studies course observed a code of silence, eschewed all electronic communications, and spent no more than $50 per week. They practiced celibacy, ate only raw vegetables or meat cooked without oil, and performed a daily act of kindness, preferably for a stranger.

In 2007, Penn kicked off the public phase of the Making History Campaign, the largest fundraising effort in University history, and one of the largest ever launched by a U.S. college or university. From the beginning, the Campaign wasn’t just about reaching the numerical goal of $3.5 billion.

MORE THAN A HOME: During their time at Penn, nearly all Penn undergraduates will call a College House home. The mission of the College Houses is to provide a supportive environment where students can thrive and learn outside of the classroom.

When US Airways captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III made a successful emergency landing of his plane on the Hudson River in 2009, it wasn’t because he got lucky. In fact, Sullenberger, like other pilots before and after him, relied on a kind of finely honed muscle memory, having been prepared in flight simulators for emergencies, freak occurrences, and the unthinkable.

Amy Sadao doesn’t mind if crowds at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) are a little bit raucous. And she definitely doesn’t mind if people want to spend a quiet contemplative afternoon in the galleries. In her mind, the ICA is big and rich enough for both experiences.

First-year student Remy Manzi remembers every detail of his journey from Rwanda to Philadelphia. He remembers the enormous width of the airplane that took him from South Africa to the United States. He remembers the poster featuring Mayor Michael Nutter that welcomes visitors to the Philly airport when they step off the plane.

Lawmakers faced with decisions about the economic recovery and the fiscal cliff showdown, rising health care costs and the housing market, could probably benefit from a little bit of unbiased expert advice.