4/22
Outreach
More chairs, new presence expand dental care access
A growing presence in community care centers has given Penn Dental Medicine more opportunities to serve Philadelphians and to train its students.
Companionship that spans generations and reduces isolation for seniors
With the pandemic, Penn Memory Center’s social interaction and companionship program for seniors moved online.
Penn Med students create unexpected community outreach
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Medical School Government used its annual funding that usually goes to events in non-pandemic times to help the West Philadelphia community.
Mamta Motwani Accapadi ‘uplifts the student experience’
As vice provost for university life, Mamta Motwani Accapadi is dedicated to giving students the support they need to thrive.
A patient-powered registry boosts the study of a rare disease
A registry for Castleman disease lets patients initiate enrollment, increasing enrollment rates as well as the amount of clinical data and samples available to researchers.
$5M gift to fund endowed professorship, support establishment of Center for Integrative Global Oral Health
The gift from Penn Dental Medicine alumnus Garry Rayant and his wife, Kathy Fields, will create a new endowed professorship at the School and provide foundational support to establish the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health.
Public psychiatry’s mission: Providing mental health care to those who need it the most
Rachel Talley on public psychiatry, the impact of COVID-19 on community mental health, and how she went from an internship at the White House to championing public health at Penn’s department of Psychiatry.
Christopher Woods appointed director of Penn Museum
Woods, an award-winning scholar of Near East civilizations, will begin his position on April 1, carrying on the Museum’s missions of research, teaching, and public outreach.
Penn Libraries prepares for a new semester
The Libraries’ goals for the spring semester remains the same as before the pandemic—to get materials into the hands of library users, either literally or virtually.
Engaging in the election
In a collaborative English course taught by Lorene Cary in the fall, students shared their experiences with civic engagement by writing for publication, partnering with nonprofits like Vote That Jawn to share non-partisan information with other young first-time voters.
In the News
Homeward bound: When a Penn Medicine nurse was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she turned to the service dogs she helped to train
A profile highlights Maria Wright of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, from her volunteer work connecting people with service dogs to her cancer diagnosis and her own journey applying for a service dog.
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Wharton created a free series for entrepreneurs to learn about gen AI
A free virtual discussion series from the Wharton School offers a space for the business community to learn about developments with generative AI, featuring remarks from Mary Purk.
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Here’s what these youth advocates have to say about Philly’s truancy problem, and how they would fix it
The Netter Center for Community Partnerships has more than 30 years of investment in connecting resources that address truancy, such as establishing after-school programming.
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Student organization at Penn giving free swim lessons to children with special needs
Penn students are providing free on-campus swim lessons to children with special needs through national nonprofit SNUGS.
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Penn alums changing grocery game for Philadelphians in food deserts with Community Grocer program
Penn alums Alex Imbot and Eli Moraru have co-founded the Community Grocer to supply grab-and-go meal kits and hot, fresh meals for Philadelphia residents.
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Philadelphia lawyer connects at risk youth to at risk animals, together they help each other
Penny Ellison of Penn Carey Law leads Hand2Paw, a Philadelphia nonprofit founded by Penn alum Rachel Cohen that connects youth experiencing homeless or in foster care to animals in need.
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