This fall, many residents of Harrison College House will likely be sad to find out that their popular house dean, Art Casciato, is leaving the building.
Casciato will assume leadership of Penn's new Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
In this role, he will help undergraduates get involved in research on campus, working out of the new research hub in the former Christian Association building on Locust Walk.
After seeing Casciato's success in Harrison House, administrators decided he was just the man for the job.
"Art is just a terrific human being. He brings tremendous experience and enthusiasm to the Center... and he is committed to [its] mission," Deputy Provost Peter Conn said.
For the past two years, Casciato has transformed the large and impersonal atmosphere of the former High Rise South into a friendly, tightly knit community where he greets residents by their first names and plans house activities that are almost always packed.
Casciato has organized trips to the Philadelphia Wing Bowl, local boxing rings and Italian restaurants, hired a Frank Sinatra impersonator and sponsored salsa-dancing sessions.
"I don't think anybody is going to be as cool as he was. It's just not the same," College senior Mickea Rose said.
Still, Casciato said he's excited about his new project, which he explained is to expand opportunities for undergraduates to engage in cutting edge research with professors and to guide and support students as they apply for fellowships.
Joining Casciato in his mission will be the Ben Franklin Scholars, the University Scholars and the Office of International Programs.
Casciato said the first year of the program will consist of reaching out to departments' undergraduate chairmen, determining the extent to which students are already engaged in research, and communicating these existing opportunities to the broader campus community.
"It will be a process of consolidation, communication and celebration," Casciato said.
This is not the first time that Penn has tried to expand its research opportunities for undergraduates. But Provost Robert Barchi's initiative, Casciato maintained, has gained the substance and momentum missing from previous attempts.
"The new Center is an effort... to further enhance research opportunities of undergraduates and thus carry out one of the high priority commitments the Provost made when he came into office," Conn said.
Symbolizing the seriousness of Barchi's commitment is the Center's location in the former Christian Association building on Locust Walk. This centrality, Casciato said, will encourage students to stop in and find out more about research and fellowships.
"Students need to know what's possible out there and we need to identify talented students early on [to] groom and support them for the fellowships." Casciato said.
Casciato will also be teaching a course on modern American literature in the English department this fall
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