DU hosts Communiversity Day

With help from the Delta Upsilon fraternity, West Philadelphia students got a peek at University life yesterday. Communiversity Day is a University-wide program aimed at integrating local community members with Penn students, faculty and administrators. DU was the first Penn group to host a Communiversity Day event this year. The 10 West Philadelphia students, who were members of a program for gifted students called Access to Excellence, began the day with a campus tour and discussion with a University admissions officer. They also spoke with Social Work Professor Rufus Lynch and then toured the offices of The Daily Pennsylvanian. The students finished the day with a dinner at the DU house at 40th and Walnut streets, where they met University President Judith Rodin and heard the musical group Chord on Blues perform. "This is an idea we had last year," Rodin told the group. "We want people to know what goes on here." She also praised the DU brothers for volunteering their time. "You folks have done a wonderful thing, you really have," she said. "It is good work. It makes us proud to be at Penn." DU President Randy Hicks, a College sophomore, said philanthropic projects like yesterday's event are important to the chapter. "One of the vehicles of community service is the Greek system," he said. "It is our pleasure to put on something like this. We learn as much as the kids do." "The main purpose is to make them start thinking about their future," added Panos Martinis, a DU brother and Wharton junior who coordinated the event. Both the local students and their administrators were also pleased with the day's events. "The day was fabulous for us," Access to Excellence Program Coordinator Charles Abel said. "I hope they came away with an understanding of the need to continue their education." The student participants said they agreed. "It was really nice," said Bobbie Jo Ramos, 14, from Parkway Gamma High School. "I like how the University is organized and what different things they do. Everyone was really nice." Ramos added that the message of continuing education hit home with her. "I am going to college, but I don't know which one yet," she said. Chris Rahemtulla, 12, from Ryan Middle School, said he appreciated getting a look at college life. "It gave me an idea of what college would be like," he said. "It looks like fun." College freshman Melina Begun, the event coordinator for the University's Community Relations Office, said she also thought the day was a success. "For the first one of the year, it went very well," she said.