Heather A. Davis

Director, News Publications

From Rwanda to Penn: a journey fueled by hope

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.

Heather A. Davis

Q&A with Ira Harkavy

After Ira Harkavy had just finished his Ph.D. at Penn, his mentor in the history department, Lee Benson, delivered an address that called for practitioners in communities to work together with academics.

Heather A. Davis

PennDesign works to preserve forgotten work by architect Frank Furness

Zip along Kelly Drive too quickly, and you’ll likely miss it—a brownstone arch that sits right at the highway’s edge, flanked by steps that lead up the hill. It’s not difficult to see why people just pass by. The arch is tagged with graffiti. There’s no sidewalk to encourage pedestrians to walk under the stone structure. Vines and trees partially obscure the ornate arch from view.

Heather A. Davis

WXPN presents new strains of classic blues

The Mississippi blues have landed in Philly. The Mississippi Blues Project (MBP) is bringing musicians to town to showcase the breadth and depth of a music style that has received relatively limited exposure in this region.

Heather A. Davis

Staff Q&A with Mark Bendas

Mark Bendas says it takes a certain type of person to do event planning and management. You must be unflappable, flexible, and detail-oriented. It helps if you thrive on short timelines and under pressure. And you have to be OK with being behind-the-scenes.

Heather A. Davis

Penn’s South Bank: 23 acres of pure potential

  In 1863, the Harrison Brothers chemical company purchased land at the corner of 34th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue. By the early 1900s, the plant was mixing paints and producing sulfuric acid, and employed hundreds of people in South Philadelphia.

Heather A. Davis