In October, everyone in the Penn community will experience one of the largest events the University has seen in the past ten years.
To celebrate the arrival of University President Amy Gutmann -- who took office on July 1 -- students and administrators are working to organize a week of University-wide events leading up to Gutmann's official inauguration. The events will take place during the week leading up to Homecoming.
"We've been working on planning the inauguration since April," said University Secretary Leslie Kruhly, who is organizing the events. "Dr. Gutmann has been intimately involved with all aspects, developing the overall theme and the specific activities."
The weeklong series of events will feature a concert by a yet-to-be-announced performer, a community service event in West Philadelphia and an academic symposium. The symposium will center around the theme of "Rising to the Challenges of a Diverse Democracy in the 21st Century."
Gutmann selected the theme, and spent much time during her first few days in office securing speakers for the symposia.
"I spent half the day on ... my first day just calling faculty members, calling [Penn alumnus] Jon Huntsman and lining people up for the inauguration symposium," Gutmann said in early July. "Everybody I called said yes, so that was great."
In addition to Huntsman -- who will chair a panel titled "Leading and Learning from our Local and Global Communities," Penn alumna and NBC News Chief World Correspondent Andrea Mitchell will chair "Creating and Communicating Knowledge in an Unequal World."
"The symposium ... is going to be open to all students, staff and faculty as well as all the outside guests who will come," Gutmann said. "It will really showcase Penn's strengths."
Undergraduate Assembly Chair and College Senior Jason Levine has been involved with much of the planning for the events.
"I'm most excited about the day of service," Levine said. "It should be a great day that will bring a large number of students from all different backgrounds together and reaching out to the community for a good cause."
Graduate and Professional Student Association Chair and Graduate School of Education student Simi Wilhelm is also helping to plan the inauguration, along with other members of GAPSA.
The inauguration is "not only for the president, and it's not just for VIPs or Trustees," Wilhelm said. "It's meant to be a celebration for the entire campus."
