Penn clubs are notorious for being exclusive, and with over 600 options, the recruitment process can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a categorized, non-exhaustive list of Penn clubs to ease the stress associated with your extracurricular experience.
Academic clubs
Academic or “preprofessional” clubs allow students to build resume-worthy skills and experience while offering a range of networking opportunities.
From consulting and finance clubs like the Wharton Undergraduate Consulting Club and Wharton Undergraduate Finance Club to engineering organizations like Penn Labs, these groups allow members to practice skills for the real world.
Clubs run by the Wharton Council are open to students from any school, and they have standardized application processes with a set due date. These clubs tend to be highly selective and often require interviews, although a July directive to Wharton club leaders from Senior Director of Strategy & Operations in the Wharton undergraduate division Michael Elias prohibited clubs from requiring multiple rounds of interviews — a common practice for many.
Professional clubs in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, and School of Nursing can be selective as well, although they tend to be run independently and vary in application requirements.
Many academic societies are open to any interested student and offer a “general body membership” option that requires students to simply fill out an interest form or attend meetings to be considered a member. These clubs typically have large memberships and serve as an easy way to meet other students with similar interests. A few examples include the Neuroscience Society at Penn, Women in Computer Science, Student Nurses at Penn, the Data Science Group at Penn, and the Penn Undergraduate Chemistry Society.
Arts and culture clubs
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Penn boasts a range of performing arts clubs with strong social cultures, including dance troupes, musical groups, and more. Many of these clubs, like a cappella group the Penny Loafers and dance group Penn Masti, require students to audition, but if you’re looking to break into the arts scene as a beginner, the University offers several clubs that allow audition-free membership.
The Penn Band, for example, encourages any student interested in playing an instrument to join, while the Penn Six recently became the first a cappella group on campus to eliminate auditions. Similarly, DJ@Penn offers introductory training for anyone interested in DJing.
Cultural groups on campus provide an additional space for students to connect and explore a particular culture or community. These clubs tend to be open membership for general body members and often host social or service events throughout the year. A few popular cultural clubs include Wharton Latino, Penn Hillel, the South Asian Society, the Vietnamese Students’ Association, and the Penn Arab Student Society.
Looking to join a club just for fun? The Penn Reads Book Club offers a low-stress, low-commitment space for readers to gather and discuss a monthly novel or attend book-themed events.
Another open opportunity comes in the form of the Social Planning and Events Committee, a branch of student government that plans several social events and traditions at Penn yearly. SPEC is open for any student to join and requires no application or interview.
Civic engagement and service clubs
If you’re interested in politics and community engagement, Penn has no shortage of options to consider.
Politics clubs are a popular choice for students interested in civic engagement. Organizations like Penn Democrats and Penn College Republicans host social, academic, and service-focused events, from canvassing trips in Philadelphia and open political debates to election watch parties.
The Government and Politics Association is a non-partisan debate society that also boasts open membership, and Penn Leads the Vote offers election-focused volunteer opportunities.
Students looking to contribute to a good cause can do so through organizations like the Penn Environmental Group, which organizes yearly Climate and Earth Week events, and the Special Needs Undergraduate Swim program, where students teach swimming lessons to local children. The Magnolia Project and Penn Heroes are other service organizations that provide support to hospital patients.
This year, Penn’s annual Student Activities Fair will be held from Aug. 26-28 on Locust Walk. Stop by to chat with club leaders, ask questions, and fill out interest forms.
