When asked if The Daily Pennsylvanian had affected his life after Penn, 1939 Wharton alumnus C. Robert Paul, Jr. responded, “Hell yes.”
Paul, former managing editor of what was then an all-male newspaper, was the oldest guest at the DP’s 125th anniversary dinner Saturday night. The event, which welcomed 282 guests, honored the newspaper and its alumni’s achievements over the years. The celebration was part of a weekend-long reunion for alumni of the student-run paper.
Penn President Amy Gutmann addressed guests, as did Daniel Gingiss, president of the DP Alumni Association, former Penn president Francis Sheldon Hackney and keynote speaker Harry “Buzz” Bissinger.
Gutmann praised the newspaper, saying it was as “celebrated” as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and as “iconic” as the Statue of Liberty, both of which were created in 1885 — the same year as the DP’s debut.
According to Gingiss, the dinner was conceptualized three years ago and took 18 months of active planning, which culminated in a festive event that gathered former and current DP staff members.
“Journalism as a profession is fading quickly into oblivion,” Steve Brauntuch, 2004 College alumnus, said. “But it’s nice to gather a large group of people who still have the spirit of journalism guiding them through their professional careers.”
Alumni in attendance hailed from over nine decades. Despite generational differences, the guests came to a consensus regarding the DP’s important role in their post-university careers.
Robin Biegeleisen, 1976 College alumnus, said the digital aspects of today’s DP constitute another major change over the decades. While the DP has seen great changes in all aspects of the publication, some things remain the same.
“It’s more compelling to talk about how it hasn’t changed,” 1983 College alumnus Robert Shepard said. “[The DP] still has the same energy and excitement, and it has always set an exceptionally high standard.”
Tradition and progress were themes throughout the evening, as guests dined and discussed their experiences.
While the anniversary dinner praised the achievements of the newspaper’s proud alumni, it also sought to bring together those who contributed to what Gutmann claimed to be the “living, breathing 125-year-old chronicler of Penn.”
