Class of 2029

Penn’s 286th academic year formally began at Convocation, where President J. Larry Jameson drew lessons from nature by invoking fireflies—recognizing students’ brilliance, prescribing them to ‘“embrace the unexpected,” and reminding them, “Fireflies do not glow alone.”

New and returning undergraduates arrived on campus last week, attending welcome events and receptions, including an introduction to the Libraries, the Class Photo on Franklin Field, and an evening at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

President J. Larry Jameson offered a message of encouragement, comparing the scaffolding on Fisher Fine Arts Library to the support Penn will provide the Class of 2029, and Provost John L. Jackson Jr. told students they will be challenged both with new ideas and to embrace differences.

Carol Muller, faculty director of Riepe College House, discusses what makes a first-year house special and how to create community.

Thousands of new and returning students move into campus housing this week.

As part of New Student Orientation and Academic Initiatives, a group of nine undergraduates have been working since June to help shape the design, development, and planning of the New Student Orientation experience for the incoming Class of 2029.

Penn Today offers a practical guide to undergraduates moving into College Houses Aug. 18 and 24 and participating in orientation between Aug. 20 and 25.