1.23
Campus & Community
New ACME at 40th and Walnut streets opens
Partnering with Penn, the grocery store has invested in a University City market with a fresh concept based on research and neighborhood trends. ACME will also contribute $50,000 to local hunger relief programs, including the Netter Center.
An update on COVID-19’s impact on the University
At the October University Council meeting, key milestones in Penn’s reopening process were discussed, as well as the role of testing, contact tracing, and compliance with the Campus Compact in Penn’s COVID-19 mitigation strategy.
Pew Center for Arts & Heritage awards 2020 grants to Penn projects
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage announced 41 grants totaling $10.5 million in support of the Institute for Contemporary Art and Stuart Weitzman School of Design, and a Girard College project involving theater director Brooke O’Harra and music composer Tyshawn Sorey.
Amy Gutmann and Michael Doyle create Gutmann Leadership Scholars Program at Penn Nursing with $2M gift
As as part of the University’s Power of Penn Campaign, the newly endowed program will select and fund 10 scholars annually across undergraduate and graduate degree-levels, creating new cohorts of leaders at Penn.
Contact tracing: A piece of a multilayered campus public health strategy
With the goal of mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and supporting the community with health guidance and information, contact tracing is part of Penn’s systemic approach to keeping the campus healthy during the pandemic.
After more than 40 years, Almanac’s dedicated leader to retire
Marguerite Miller reflects on her long tenure at Penn, reminiscing on a time of running the publication before voicemail messages, before computers, and before the internet existed.
Indigenous views of Christopher Columbus
Members of Penn’s Indigenous community discuss their views of Christopher Columbus and how Indigenous people have suffered from Columbus-style colonialism.
Fostering kittens, plus more side gigs for good
Around nearly any corner, the Penn community’s selflessness shines through, despite months apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Panelists ‘lay out the stakes’ of civil discourse
At the 2020 Silfen Forum, hosted by President Amy Gutmann, students, faculty, staff, and alumni tuned in to hear from a group of distinguished experts—Ashley Parker, Julián Castro, Donna Brazile, Peggy Noonan, and Jeb Bush, with Michael Delli Carpini of the Paideia Program serving as the event’s moderator.
Quakers of all ages
Every year since 2013, the Penn track and field teams have joined forces with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships in a program called Young Quakers Community Athletics (YQCA).
In the News
Testing, testing, and more testing on college campuses this spring as coronavirus concerns remain
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé said Penn has budgeted $20 million for COVID-related safety measures, including testing. The University plans to conduct 40,000 saliva-based tests per week.
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This man has given away 500 free pizzas. He lowers them from his apartment window
Wharton School graduate student Ben Berman has been raising money for local nonprofits by raffling off homemade pizzas. “This is something positive that I can do from my own apartment,” he said.
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NCAA Division I Council delays vote on transfer rules and name, image and likeness
Athletics Director M. Grace Calhoun released a statement about the NCAA’s decision to delay voting on changes to Division I rules that would allow student athletes to profit off of their own names, images, and likenesses. “The Council remains fully committed to modernizing Division I rules in ways that benefit all student-athletes,” she said. “Unfortunately, external factors require this pause, and the Council will use this time to enhance the proposals.”
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The composer Tyshawn Sorey enters a new phase
Tyshawn Sorey of the School of Arts & Sciences was profiled for his accomplishments as a musician, composer, and academic.
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NCAA grants blanket waiver to transfer athletes, most of whom can play right away
Athletic Director M. Grace Calhoun spoke about the NCAA’s Division I Council’s lenience amid the pandemic. “The Council continued its trend of voting in favor of maximum flexibility for student-athletes during the pandemic,” she said. “Allowing transfer student-athletes to compete immediately will provide additional opportunities to student-athletes during this continued difficult time and perhaps allow games to be played that otherwise might not have been.”
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