City of Philadelphia

Person in black suit and blue tie speaks at podium with red banner, gesturing with left hand

Philadelphia looks to evidence-based insights to inform policy

A conference bringing academics and policy makers together looks at how behavioral science can benefit local government.

gse student mentoring at a table with college pennants behind

‘Possibility mentoring’ helps Philadelphia middle schoolers plan for their futures

Now in two Philadelphia public schools, master’s students at the Graduate School of Education are focused on helping the young teens imagine and take steps to realize their futures, while gaining real-world experience in education.

students gathered around a table looking at armor

A day in shining armor

Grad students get a close-up view of artwork and materials from museum collections—including a 500-year-old painting and two sets of armor from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Brendan Taliaferro outside of College Hall leaning against wall

Homeward Initiative takes on the challenge of supporting homeless LGBTQ youth

With his President’s Engagement Prize, May graduate Brendan Taliaferro is creating a nonprofit to provide housing and assistance for homeless LGBTQ youth in Philadelphia.

sphinx in the archway of the museum entrance

Penn Museum’s transformation revealed

The main level reopens after a historic renovation featuring the relocated sphinx and completely reimagined Africa and Mexico/Central America galleries.

Three students stand next to a poster entitled "Cleaning Up Philly's Streets" which describes their project

Helping Philadelphia tackle trash with technology

Last fall, a team of undergraduates developed a high-tech solution to help the city target one of its persistent problems: the illegal dumping of construction and trash debris.

Four adults and three high school students posed with social media frames

Closing the wealth gap in West Philadelphia

The City of Philadelphia and Actions Not Words have selected Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships to develop and implement a new entrepreneurial program, Project Elevate, offering financial literacy education at public high schools.

A sculpture of a female figure and the feet of another sculpture of two figures as they are being lowered onto a pipe while one construction worker holds a rope and another reaches up.

Two monumental sculptures arrive on campus

On loan for 99 years, one sculpture is between Franklin Field and The Palestra, the other next to the main library.

Six people standing in a parking lot looking at a colorful mural on the wall of a building.

Art history on foot: A class tour of public works of art

A summer course in history of art took students to the streets of Philadelphia to view and discuss murals, sculptures, and other public artworks.

Philly as lab, classroom, and collaborator

Philadelphia’s rich history and forward momentum make it ripe for scientific inquiry for a number of Penn schools and departments, from urban and population studies to medicine and anthropology.

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