Young minorities get an up-close look at U.

Those walking down Locust Walk may have seemed a little younger than normal this weekend. That's because more than a few high school students got a closer look at University life during the 1993 Minority Scholars Invitational Weekend. About 240 "randomly" chosen minority high school students from 34 different states attended the four-day annual event, said Clarence Grant, director of the minority recruitment program. He said the program introduces the students to minority support systems, showing them that they "have a voice on campus just like other students" and that the University has "a diverse student body." "When you're a student of color [at the University] you stick out like a sore thumb," Grant added. But, Grant said, the event is "not designed to segregate [minority scholars] from the rest of the students." The scholars began arriving on Thursday and were housed with volunteer student hosts. Among some of the events were a step show, a University Minority Council presentation and a performing arts night. At Saturday night's dinner in McClelland Hall, many students said they appreciated having the chance to get to know the University on a first-hand basis. "No other college is this friendly to their applicants," said John So, a high school senior from Wayne, N.J. He said he likes the University's urban atmosphere and cultural offerings. But a number of high school students said they were disturbed by the racial segregation they observed at the University. "Even though Penn is supposed to be diverse, the minorities seem to separate themselves," said Eliana Soto from Brooklyn. "It's a mark against Penn for me," said Emanuel Brown from the Bronx, who said he disliked the racial division he noticed in 1920 Commons dining hall. The minority scholars who are accepted to the University will be invited back to the University again for Locust Weeks along with all other accepted students.