ABC to shoot live show at U.

Here's a great reason to roll out of bed before noon one day next month: Live from Locust Walk, it's Good Morning America! During the early-morning hours of November 11, the national spotlight will be shining brightly on the University, when Charles Gibson and Joan Lunden broadcast an episode of their popular ABC morning show from an as-yet-undecided campus location. Gibson and Lunden will be visiting the University as part of a week-long series of shows celebrating America's Founding Fathers -- including University founder Benjamin Franklin, according to University spokesperson Barbara Beck. Beck said the entire staff of the University's Office of News and Public Affairs has been working since April to convince the show's producers to bring their program to the University -- the only school featured on this fall's tour. "They picked Penn because it's Ben Franklin's University, and he is by far the most interesting Founding Father," she said, adding that Judith Rodin's appointment to the University presidency reflects the liberal values espoused by Franklin. One of the many benefits the University's appearance will provide is positive exposure to a variety of audiences, especially prospective students, Beck said. "When something like this happens and you can get recognition for your school, when every school in the country is trying to do the same thing, it's nice to know somebody else is giving you equal time," she said. Admissions Dean Lee Stetson agreed. "I've always felt having one of the national morning shows with a full feature on Penn located on the University's campus would be a benefit to us," he said. "We have so much to offer. Properly exposed, described and shown by their programmers, it will clearly benefit us." Stetson said it is too early to speculate about how the broadcast might affect the University's application and matriculation levels, but said he thinks being on GMA will help the University's visibility and could therefore reinforce student interest. "But my sense is that interest is already developing," he said. "As of today, we have been seeing a little over 20 percent more students and parents at meetings this year over last year." University Secretary Barbara Stevens was equally enthusiastic. "Ben Franklin stood for a lot of important things in American history -- he was entrepreneurial, he was the great internationalist of his time, he stood for access to education, for combining the theoretical with the practical and thought service to city and state was the best thing one could do," she said. "Those attributes of Ben Franklin are attributes of Penn, and it would be great for the nation to understand that," Stevens added. "Franklin had a lot of good ideas, and we like to say Penn was his best." School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said she is glad GMA has decided to bring its cast and crew to the University to celebrate Ben Franklin's achievements. "The good thing about Ben was that he was funny," she said. "He had a good sense of humor besides being smart and well-travelled and a man of an enormous range of pursuits. I hope this program will have some humor in it." Beck said GMA producers will be on campus tomorrow to scout out possible shoot locations. She said she is hoping to get students involved in the taping as well.