Rev. Calvin Butts to keynote Penn's Baccalaureate The service -- which celebrates the diverse backgrounds and varied religions of Penn graduates and their families -- will begin at 3 p.m. on College Green and will be preceded by a brass concert at 2:15 p.m. The ceremony had been traditionally held in Irvine Auditorium, but this year officials decided to use an outdoor location in order to accommodate an enormous rise in student interest. Butts, who is pastor of the Abyssian Baptist Church, is known for his commitment both to the daily activities of his congregation and the pervasive impact of the church on community development initiatives in the New York City area. "Reverend Butts is a thoughtful pastor who has worked tirelessly on a variety of civic and social issues," University spokesman Ken Wildes said. Butts was among the founders of the Abyssian Development Corporation, a comprehensive community-based organization responsible for more than $100 million in housing and commercial development in Harlem. Butts currently serves as a leader on a number of organizations including the United Way of New York City and the National Affiliate Development Initiative of the National Black Leadership on AIDS. -- Eric Dash
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