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West Philadelphia
Bringing healthy smiles to Philadelphia communities
In health care facilities embedded around Philadelphia, students and faculty from the School of Dental Medicine are ramping up the care they provide to underserved populations.
PennPraxis launches toolkit for neighborhood preservation
In the past decade, Philadelphia’s building boom has been accompanied by a string of demolitions touching almost every corner of the city, and resulting in the loss of everything from iconic churches to vernacular row houses. But even as a growing number of Philadelphians lament these losses, advocates for historic preservation have sometimes struggled to make a case for keeping Philadelphia’s built fabric intact.
Five events to watch for in March
Happening around campus this March: the world premiere of ‘Vessels’ at the Annenberg Center, a lecture on trees from China, and a visit to Kelly Writers House from reporter Emily Jane Fox.
From urban renewal to today, tracking the struggles of America’s cities
Equipped with SEPTA Key cards, Brent Cebul’s students are taking a deep dive into Philadelphia’s history, looking into the past and present challenges facing cities.
A tour of the ancient world—in Mandarin
The Penn Museum offers tours of its exhibits in Mandarin, increasing cross-cultural access to its invaluable assemblage of objects on display, the only known museum in Philadelphia with regularly scheduled tours in the language.
Campus running club benefits the body and the brain
Three times a week runners gather in Annenberg Plaza to work their bodies and stretch their minds. Through regular runs and monthly running and walking lectures, the group fosters community and health while promoting intellectual exchange.
Pint-size philosophers
By engaging with Philadelphia elementary students and high school teachers, Penn professor Karen Detlefsen is opening young minds to a new kind of philosophical thinking.
Testing finds signs of African-American burial ground beneath Chestnut Street property
Portions of the cemetery, dating to the 19th century, may still lie beneath land owned by Penn. University officials are working with the community to decide what’s next.
How gospel music gave birth to rock and soul
Capping a 16-month project funded by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, WXPN will debut a four-part radio documentary on Feb. 4, sharing the stories of the early beginnings and influence of gospel music.
Penn community honors Martin Luther King Jr.
President Amy Gutmann joined the University community Monday in the national Day of Service.
In the News
NextCity.org
Can Fighting Blight Prevent Gun Violence?
John MacDonald of the School of Arts and Sciences was cited for his research on the impact that cleaning vacant lots can have on reducing violence in urban environments.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Renter Beware: Philly’s Deadly Housing Problem
Robert Fairbanks of the School of Arts and Sciences explained how unmet demands for affordable housing contribute to the proliferation of unregulated, and often unsafe, rooming houses in Philadelphia.
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