EDITORIAL: Congratulations to the Class of '98

The 2,350-student class gathered that September evening in Irvine Auditorium, where University President Judith Rodin -- who was also beginning her freshman year at Penn -- went through the statistics: One-quarter of the class held significant positions in their high school student government; 235 were editors-in-chief of their high school newspaper; 835 had already made names for themselves as accomplished athletes, including 22 Olympic hopefuls; 474 were involved in music and the arts; and 200 worked part-time, with 40 operating their own businesses. Even before coming to Penn, the Class of 1998 set several records: its members were selected from the highest number of applicants in University history, it held the highest average SAT score of any previous class and it had the greatest percentage of women of any class since Penn's founding. And in their four years at the University, the members of the class have continued to make outstanding accomplishments. From helping to revise the judicial charter to procuring a breakdown of the General Fee, from organizing the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education preceptorial program to continuing West Philadelphia tutoring projects, the graduating seniors have made innumerable contributions to the University and surrounding community. In ringing in the Class of 1998 that September evening four years ago, Rodin recalled her own Penn convocation in 1962, when she wondered, "Is this place going to live up to my expectations?" As the graduating seniors complete their tenure at the University this weekend, we hope they can say, "yes." After all, there is no question that each and every one of you has left a significant mark on Penn.