It's only November, and students are already getting geared up for graduation -- but the excited anticipation is not only for the prospect of neatly-bound theses and an end to exams.
Penn students say that in addition to the traditional graduation ceremonies they are looking forward to hearing Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who The Daily Pennsylvanian reported last week would speak at the University's Commencement ceremony in May.
"He's great," Fine Arts graduate student Rich Villa said. "He's a man that stood up for what he believes in and changed something. Not only does it bring attention to the University, but it's great to have a speech to the students about that and to go into the world with the ability to enact change."
Tutu has been lauded for his social justice work within his home country of South Africa. In 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work against apartheid.
And that award alone is enough to propel some students to excitement about the choice of speakers.
"I think it's great that we got a Nobel Prize winner to speak," College senior Todd Leri said.
In addition to his human rights advocacy, Tutu is highly esteemed within the Anglican Church and highly regarded for his work in education.
After becoming the first black dean of St. Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg, Tutu went on to become the first black general secretary of the South African Council of Churches and finally the first black Archbishop of Cape Town.
And this spring Tutu will teach three small, non-credit courses at the University of North Florida.
But while his resume is top-notch, it's not necessarily what every student is looking for.
"I'm not maybe as excited as other Penn students are," Graduate School of Education student Meredith Gretz said. "I guess he wasn't somebody I was expecting. I was thinking more of a U.S. politician coming. I had just seen Giuliani so that was something more on the top of my mind. But now that I found out, I'm not disappointed."
And while University spokeswoman Phyllis Holtzman said last week that Tutu is "known to be a very witty and passionate speaker," some students were looking for a little more comic relief.
"Honestly, I was hoping for Conan O'Brien, but Desmond Tutu excites me as well," Wharton senior Albert Song said.
Students and University officials have been working since last year to attain Tutu as the speaker for Penn's 247th Commencement. A student advisory committee, as well as the University Council and the honorary degrees committee, added their input for the choice. University President Judith Rodin made the final decision.
And apparently the consultations and thought put in to the decision were worth it.
Some students say that Tutu's reputation as a leader in social work is fitting for a school that has been criticized as overly pre-professional and insensitive to the community beyond its borders.
"As our Commencement speaker, I hope he'll be able to inspire us to make social change," College senior Ann-Ariel Vecchio said. "Not as a whole, but I think that a lot of us are career-oriented and not necessarily looking for a bigger picture."
Tutu will give his remarks at Franklin Field in May to the graduates and guests of the undergraduate and graduate communities.
