Ten years ago, University President Judith Rodin wanted to create a position that would bind Penn more tightly to the community and government. She found the perfect woman for the job.
Carol Scheman -- an articulate, experienced public servant from Washington, D.C. -- was Rodin's choice. Scheman has lived all over the country, from New York to Texas, California to the Midwest, and now Philadelphia.
She has worked with the United States Senate, was the first female deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, served as vice president of the Association of American Universities, raised two daughters -- who are now college-aged -- and has been a psychiatric social worker.
Penn's Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs, officially created in 1994, was designed to be a body as diverse as Scheman's life experiences.
As vice president for government and community relations and University lobbyist, Scheman facilitates conversation with any person or organization outside of the University.
"We are the public face of the University," Scheman says. "Our goal is to make Penn more user-friendly."
As part of her job, Scheman is in regular contact with community members -- with whom she holds monthly meetings -- as well as local church and business leaders, City Council members, the state government in Harrisburg and even federal government organizations.
Scheman points out that there is a certain cohesiveness among these distinct groups. For instance, one key issue that she and OGCPA might face is a major change in Medicare.
"This matters to [the University] Health System, on a city level to the local community who use Penn's health services, on a state level and to the Department of Health," Scheman explains.
Currently, OGCPA is working on projects ranging from construction plans for the recently purchased postal lands to methods for ensuring that the Penn Relays runs smoothly.
"I'll get a call from a grad student having visa trouble, from a member of City Council or from a neighbor angry that a student has been leaving his garbage out," Scheman says.
She also works at the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response, an interdisciplinary research group at Penn, as well as the newly formed Urban Research Institute.
"Earlier this week, a URI group went to Washington for a congressional briefing at the House of Representatives," Scheman says.
She also actively works to integrate Penn into the neighborhood.
"The feeling I get is that many think that Penn has become a much more welcome neighbor. We have worked hard to achieve this," Scheman says.
Ten years ago, relations between Penn and the community were less smooth.
"I came here, and we had a bad relationship with the neighborhood," she says.
"This is a very diverse, great place. People live here for generations. Students are only here three to four years. And that makes for a different set of views."
Still, Scheman remains optimistic about the relationship between Penn students and West Philadelphia.
"Our students are so much more engaged in community service and service learning than at other schools," she says. "People see us as a model."
Years of working with elected officials have only served to elevate her opinion of the government.
"I am not at all cynical about our government or democracy. I realize that there's a lot that might lead people to be cynical, but, working closely with these people, it really is an astonishingly good and hopeful process."
