Preceptorial to bring alums back to College

The "Lessons in Leadership" series is aimed at exposing College students to U. grads. Penn students pursuing degrees in the liberal arts no longer need to accept on faith that there are good jobs out there waiting for them -- starting next fall, they can talk in small groups with College graduates who have turned their belittled English and History degrees into successes. Beginning in September, students in the College of Arts and Sciences will have an opportunity to enroll in the tentatively-titled "Lessons in Leadership," a once-a-week non-credit seminar that will bring successful College alumni -- ranging from corporate executives to authors to successful Hollywood producers -- back to Penn to share tips for success in their respective fields. The program, similar to the numerous preceptorials offered each semester at Penn, will invite a different alumnus to visit campus each week during the fall semester and will be available only to College students, according to School of Arts and Sciences Vice Dean for External Affairs Jean-Marie Kneeley. Students are not required to attend the class each week -- they can, in fact, attend any session which interests them. Officials have not yet decided how many students can register for the seminar. Although Kneeley emphasized that the details are "not fully formed yet," she suggested that registering might be done on a "first-come first-serve basis" in order to prevent overcrowding at the sessions. According to College Dean Richard Beeman, the idea arose with the help of Neil Braun, former president of the NBC television network and a 1974 College alumnus, who visited Penn in November and spoke about career planning and success to a group of 18 students. "[Braun] talked not just about how his college education helped him become CEO of NBC, but about life lessons, about what are the secrets of a wealthy life," Beeman said. Braun also suggested that "other alumni, of widely varying backgrounds and careers, might have something to offer our students," Beeman said. Although invitations have not yet been sent out to various alumni, Beeman said he hopes that the selected College graduates will talk "very analytically, but very personally, about how you construct a successful life." According to Kneeley, the content of each session will primarily be determined by the speaker -- some might focus more on what they learned from Penn, while others might discuss their lives after Penn. Regardless of the specific format, Kneeley expects "Lessons in Leadership" to be mutually beneficial for both the current students and the alumni. "Alumni love the opportunity to connect with the students," Kneeley said. And College students, many of whom might be insecure about their job opportunities, can learn that a "liberal arts education provides you with the tools to be successful in all arenas," Kneeley noted. This new initiative also marks an attempt by the College to introduce students to alumni and engage in "networking" opportunities -- long considered a staple of a Wharton School education. ""We need to find settings, both for credit and not for credit, in which we could help to develop leadership skills," Beeman noted.