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Erika Warmbrunn, winner of the National Outdoor Book Award and author of Where the Pavement Ends: One Woman's Bicycle Trip Through Mongolia, China and Vietnam, offered the Penn community a glimpse into her unique travel experience.
After witnessing homeless Romanian children struggling to survive in sewers, a small group of students has decided to share the emotional experience with others at Penn. And starting tonight, in an effort to raise both awareness and money at Penn, the group has organized two fundraisers near campus. The first one will be tonight at 10 p.m. at Blarney Stone on Sansom Street, and the second will be next Monday at 10:30 p.m. at Smokey Joe's. The impetus for the philanthropy came when a group of students and faculty -- College sophomore Mary Braun, College sophomore Lincoln Ellis, College senior Lipika Goyal, Wharton Professor Etty Jehn and Annenberg School for Communications Staff Photographer Kyle Cassidy -- spent their spring breaks in Romania. Both events will provide more photographs and information from the trip and describing the present conditions. "You can party and be a philanthropist at the same time," Braun said. Cassidy first learned about the conditions of Bucharest's estimated 6,500 homeless children last year on the BBC while he was in working in Iceland. He also learned of the efforts that one American couple, Ron and Sue Bates, have made to help these street kids who are forced to live in the underground sewers. The Bates' saw photos of the Romanian street children on television right after the revolution and decided that they had to do something. They sold their house in Texas, moved to Bucharest to work full time trying to improve the situation and have no intention of returning home. They have already established two orphanages and are currently attempting to battle the problem on a larger social and political level. When Cassidy found out that he would be accompanying a class of Penn students to Bucharest on behalf of Annenberg to shoot the Women's Campaign International, he contacted Sue Bates over e-mail and arranged to meet her. On March 13, Cassidy invited the group of Penn students in the Fels Center of Government/Women's Studies course attending the conference to accompany Sue Bates -- affectionately called "Mama Sue"-- in visiting the street children. The group visited "The Four Star Canal," which is where a group of about 12 kids have moved away from Central Station to live on their own. About two kilometers away, they live in a storm sewer at the Brancoveanu subway stop, in the parking lot of a McDonald's. Cassidy described the Four Star as unique from the mobs of children at the Central Station in that they have formed a pseudo family unit, in which everybody has a place, looks out for each other and shares food and clothes. Braun commented on the striking "dichotomy" she encountered. She found it striking that despite the foul stench of dripping water and bodies crammed together in such tight, damp quarters, all of the beds were made, the dishes were all put away and everything was clean and organized. "While we're sitting on their beds Etty [Jehn] is telling them about how ethnographic anthropologists... learn about people by visiting them and living with them," Cassidy said in his journal of the trip to Bucharest, which he has made available online. When they returned to campus, the group decided that the best thing they could to get involved would be to engage in a long term campaign of support for the efforts that Ron and Sue Bates are making.
"The Sweetest Fling" left a sweet aftertaste on the Penn campus as this weekend's festivities came to a close. The two days of Mardi Gras-like activity -- which included live music, carnival games and food -- drew college students from all over the East Coast and from all facets of the campus community. The moonwalk, face-painting and sumo wrestling in the Quadrangle were just a few of the activities that the masses of Penn students and outside visitors had to choose from. "I particularly enjoyed the fried Oreos and ribs," College sophomore Chris Nicolaou said jokingly. "The Quad has never seen so many people as it did on Friday," Fling Committee Co-Director and College Junior Christina Chiew said. "I think Fling went off really smoothly, and I was really impressed with all the work everyone did," she added. The Social Planning and Events Committee's Fling Finance Committee has not yet tallied the money they made this weekend. Profits from Fling will go to SPEC towards funding future events, though Chiew said the group generally does not make a profit. For many freshmen, it was a novelty to wake up and witness their dorm transformed into the craziness that Penn students look forward to every year. "I felt like spring break came to Penn and parked itself in the Quad," College freshman Lauren Gorsky said. "It was out of a movie." "My favorite part was the Lower Quad," College freshman Evan Smith said. "Mask and Wig closed out that part of Fling really well." Eighties pop star Tiffany drew a huge crowd to the Quad in the middle of the day on Saturday, but students were generally disappointed that she played mostly songs from her new album. However, she did close with her famous classic "I Think We're Alone Now," to which the whole crowd enthusiastically sang along. Despite the overall anti-climactic feeling, some avid fans stuck by the pop star. "Tiffany was the first concert I ever went to when I was 10," College freshman Diana Feinstein said. "She was just the same, only this time I was inebriated." Some Penn students played the role of hard-core rockers, as they crowd-surfed to every musical show, including Tiffany's relatively tame performance. In order to balance the crowd of Tiffany and Mask and Wig on Saturday, Penn Six-5000 gave its comedic musical performance at the end of the afternoon on Friday. Other groups that "flung" it on the Lower and Upper Quad stages included student band The Ally, a capella group the Pennyloafers and dance troupe Strictly Funk. All were well-received and well-attended. According to SPEC Fling Committee Co-Director and Wharton junior Jessica Pawvluk, the Carnival in Wynn Commons on Saturday night was quite successful. "Pat's Cheesesteaks seemed to be the biggest draw," Pawvluk said. Other large attractions were the henna tattoos, the dance music and the free goodies provided by corporate sponsors at the carnival. Yet many students opted not to attend this dry evening event and instead chose to party into the wee hours of the morning. The usual Greek parties took on a new life this weekend, as Fling activities continued on well into the night. "I thought it was cool how all the frats had bands playing at their parties," Smith said. Overall, students said they felt like they got everything out of their systems during the this weekend's revelry, though noting the approaching dread of finals. "It's going to be really hard to get back to normal school now," College freshman Lucy Bezdek said. "It was a really nice break." Smith expressed similar sentiments, suggesting that "we should have Fling on a monthly basis."
With clear skies in sight, people came out in droves on Friday night to see the annual Spring Fling concert on Hill Field, featuring Ben Harper and the Black Eyed Peas. Over 7,000 students and area residents turned out for the concert, typically the highlight of Fling weekend. "The concert went above and beyond our expectations," said Social Planning and Events Committee Concerts Co-Chairman Matt Dicker, a College senior. Dicker said he was particularly excited about the large turnout, estimating that they sold well over 7,000 tickets in all -- 2,000 of which were sold at the door. He also said that there was "not just a large crowd, but they stayed to the end as well." Fling Committee Co-Director and newly-elected SPEC President Kevin Meyers also noted the diversity of the audience. The luck of good weather not only influenced the decision to hold the concert outdoors, but also contributed to the overall turnout and success of the concert. This year's concert was the second to be held outdoors, following a five-year pattern of bad weather, which demanded indoor relocation. Students expressed mixed reactions to the overall ambience. "Ben Harper was awesome," College freshman Diana Feinstein said. "He played all of his greatest songs, with only a few exceptions. The mood was perfect for Ben Harper -- it was chill, grassy and full of fun-loving people." College sophomore Mauricio Achata said, "The main reason I went was for the atmosphere." While some audience members appreciated the "chill" atmosphere, other students preferred the louder hip-hop style of the Black Eyed Peas. "I liked the show, but Ben Harper was a little too mellow," College freshman Lauren Furst said. "I wanted something with more energy." Harper's two-and-a-half hour set included two encores. The Black Eyed Peas' opening act lasted a little over an hour. This year, organizers set the stage on the north end of Hill Field rather than the east side -- where it was held last year -- which allowed better traffic flow for both the equipment and students moving in and out of the venue. Dicker commended his committee for its music picks. "At this year's show, the Black Eyed Peas were excellent and constantly warming up the crowd for Ben," Dicker said. "It was a testament to us picking a great band that people wanted to see." "I'm sure people liked Sexual Healing," Dicker said, in jest, of Ben Harper's contribution. He was apparently right on target. According to Dicker, the show went off without a hitch, with the bands seemingly very appreciative of their Philly audience. SPEC Concert members were content with the overall production. "I went to sleep with a big smile on my face that night," Dicker said.
The 28th annual Spring Fling is officially here, and festivities are scheduled to begin today at 11 a.m. in the Quadrangle. "The Sweetest Fling" will take over the Quad today and tomorrow with food, games, local bands, student groups and general merriment above all. Students need not leave the quad for their culinary needs. Allegro Pizza, Papaya King, Fat Jacks and other restaurants will set up shop in lower Quad. Pat's Steaks will also return this year, making an appearance at the Carnival in Wynn Commons as opposed to Hamilton Village. Following the Carnival, there will be a pancake breakfast at 1920 Commons, and Sony Pictures will be previewing "A Knight's Tale" for free at Cinemagic at midnight. The Social Planning and Events Fling Committee has been working non-stop lining up musical groups and corporate sponsorship. The wide array of entertainment will be provided by groups such as Onda Latina, Penn Jazz, Quaker Notes, Pennsylvania Six-5000 and The Ally. Following its annual tradition, Mask and Wig will close the Fling celebration on Saturday afternoon with its comic and musical performance. Also on Saturday, '80s pop star Tiffany will be performing in the middle of the day. "I am really looking forward to seeing Tiffany on Saturday," College sophomore Matt Blank said. Yet despite all the planning, the University will be putting forth a significant effort to monitor alcohol consumption throughout the weekend, and prevent the drunken debauchery that typically characterizes Fling. The highlight of this weekend's activities will be tonight's concert, featuring Ben Harper and an opening act by the Black Eyed Peas. Like the success of last year's concert -- held outside in Hill Field-- SPEC has planned to hold the concert this year in the same venue, barring bad weather. Even if rain does fall, tonight's concert will go on. As in past years, contingency plans call for an indoor alternate location in the Palestra. According to SPEC Fling Committee Co-Director and College junior Christina Chiew, the Palestra is "not as desirable a venue because it has really poor acoustics." But according to the latest weather reports, this year's Fling can expect some not-so-sweet weather. Although weather calls for rain today, the weather should be clearing by tomorrow and continue with partly cloudy skies on Sunday.
"The Sweetest Fling" is just a few days away, and the event's organizers are working hard to make sure it's every bit as sweet as possible. The Social Planning and Events Committee has made all arrangements for this year's Spring Fling, and this week is set aside for checking details. "Things look incredible," SPEC Fling Committee Co-Director and College junior Christina Chiew said. "It is mostly anticipation at this point." Although the weekend may start Thursday night for many students, the official Spring Fling events begin Friday morning. All day Friday and Saturday, the Quadrangle will be full of music, games and food. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, Penn performing arts groups and student bands will be performing non-stop in both Upper and Lower Quad until 5:30 p.m. Some of these groups include Onda Latina, Penn Jazz, Quaker Notes, Pennsylvania Six-5000 and The Ally. Every year, Mask and Wig closes the Fling celebration on Saturday afternoon with a performance in lower Quad. This year, there will also be a special appearance by '80s pop star Tiffany in the middle of the day on Saturday. The highlight of Fling weekend is always the Friday night concert organized by SPEC Concerts. This year, Ben Harper will headline the show, following an opening performance by Black Eyed Peas. According to SPEC Concerts Co-Director and College senior Matt Dicker, tickets for the concert are selling very well. The committee has already sold roughly 2,000 tickets and is expecting a big increase this week, as has been the pattern in prior years. Last year was the first concert in five years to be held outdoors, which generated a positive response from audience members. Pending good weather, this year's concert is scheduled to be held outside under the stars again on Hill Field. The yearly Spring Fling musical, which runs Thursday through Saturday nights will be Into the Woods, courtesy of Quadramics. The Saturday night carnival is moving to Wynn Commons and will be followed by a pancake breakfast at Class of 1920 Commons. Also on Saturday night, Sony Pictures will preview A Knight's Tale for free at midnight at Cinemagic on Walnut Street. According to Chiew, all of the preparations for Fling have been made, and this last week committee members are calling bands and companies to confirm and just double-checking details. The event planning entailed contacting entertainment companies, renting stages and lining up corporate sponsorship. "This is also our week to publicize heavily on the Penn campus," Chiew said.
With a mix of humor and charm, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright shared an insider's view of American foreign policy last night at Irvine Auditorium. The sold-out event, which drew a packed crowd of 1,100 to Irvine, was sponsored by Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance and the Provost's Spotlight Series. Albright, the highest-ranking female public servant in history, opened her speech by recognizing the 125th anniversary of admitting women at Penn. As the first-ever female secretary of state, she emphasized breaking down gender barriers and made it a theme throughout her speech. "When I became secretary, I was determined that I would not let my gender stand in the way of doing what my predecessors had done," Albright said. "I made a pledge that I would bring efforts to lift the lives of women and girls into the mainstream of American foreign politics," she added. Former President Bill Clinton appointed Albright as the 64th secretary of state in 1996. Prior to that, Albright served as the U. S. Representative to the United Nations and as the president of the Center for National Policy. Albright also described in detail her own attitude regarding the role of the United States in foreign affairs, saying that America must learn from the lessons of history and maintain an active presence in the world. "Above all, we must never again play the role of ostrich, with head buried in the sand," Albright said. "America is an eagle, and we must not be afraid to use our strength in the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons." The speech was interrupted several times by enthusiastic applause from the audience. Albright went on to describe how these convictions came into play during her time in office, citing the American decision to join the military campaign in Kosovo. She identified respect for the individual as the basis for democracy and stressed the potential impact of each individual's involvement in shaping the future of this country. "It's not my intention tonight to put the weight of the world upon your shoulders, but I do hope that each of you will use the knowledge that you have gained here at U. Penn to be more than a consumer of liberty, but also a defender and an enricher of it," she said. Following her remarks, which ran close to an hour, Albright took part in a question-and-answer session with the audience. Most asked Albright to comment on the United States' relations with particular nations, including China, Cuba, Israel, Russia, India and Iraq. Event organizers heralded the night as a success, saying that Albright's anecdotal and humorous speaking style seemed to generate an overwhelmingly positive response among the audience. "Her speech was wonderful, there was an incredible amount of substance there, she answered a lot of questions in depth and added a nice dose of humor to it," Co-chairman of Connaissance and College Senior Nishchay Maskay said after the event.
Arizona Sen. John McCain will address graduates at the 245th Commencement ceremony on May 21 at Franklin Field, University officials announced yesterday. McCain, 64, has been recognized nationally as a strong advocate for the reform of government institutions. The former Republican presidential candidate is the latest in a long line of distinguished Commencement speakers. He follows poet and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, who spoke at the Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2000. "I think John McCain is a terrific choice and I am very excited about it," University President Judith Rodin said in an e-mail statement. "He is a dynamic political leader who has devoted himself to government reform; and, as a human being he is an inspiration to us all for having endured the unthinkable and emerged committed to working for the common good." In addition to his distinguished career of political and public leadership, McCain is well-known for the more than five years he spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. McCain will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University at the Commencement. The selection of McCain marks a deviation from the Commencement speaker committee's earlier intent to select either poet and author Maya Angelou or retired opera singer Beverly Sills. Angelou and Sills were reported to comprise the short list of candidates last October. Senior Class President Ray Valerio, a student representative on the committee, said his most recent impression was that the committee was voting between the two women. McCain's selection also comes as a surprise after an e-mail was sent to the committee last summer encouraging the selection of a female speaker to celebrate 125 years of admitting women to Penn. Valerio commented that when the committee first started brainstorming on criteria and potential choices late last spring, they agreed that the speaker should be "academic yet also entertaining." "As far as I can recollect, McCain wasn't a top choice," he added. "It's a big shock to me," Valerio said. "I think he'll make a wonderful speaker, don't get me wrong. It just would have been nice to have more student input." Student reaction to the McCain announcement has been generally positive. "I wouldn't have had a politician as my first choice, but I think it will be interesting to hear what he has to say," College senior Melissa Duclos said. She added that since Penn students generally seem to be interested in politics, "more people at Penn will be interested in hearing McCain than someone like Maya Angelou." And Engineering senior David Rosensweig said, "I think McCain is a good choice, particularly in light of all the criticism Bush is getting now that he's taking action in office." Past Commencement speakers have included actor and comedian Bill Cosby in 1997 and former President Jimmy Carter in 1998. Reverend Dr. Floyd H. Flake, former U.S. Representative and the senior pastor of Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Queens, will be this year's speaker at the Baccalaureate Ceremony.
Acoustic folk-rocker Ben Harper will headline the annual Spring Fling concert this April, the Social Planning and Events Committee announced yesterday. Harper is scheduled to play a two-hour set to close the show, following opening acts that have not yet been determined. The April 20 concert is traditionally the highlight of the weekend of Fling festivities, this year themed "The Sweetest Fling." "From early on, Ben Harper was one of our top choices, and we were very fortunate to be able to get him," SPEC Concerts Co-Director and College senior Jared Goldman said. He added that Harper's name has always come up in the SPEC concerts committee in past years. Last year, Ben Folds Five and The Roots played Hill Field. In 1999, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Run DMC headlined the event. And jazz artist Maceo Parker starred in the 1998 Fling concert. "Ben Harper is an amazing performer, and he has a very strong following," SPEC Concerts Co-Director and College senior Matt Dicker said. Dicker also said that Harper was the top choice for the committee. Harper, 31, released his debut album, "Welcome to the Cruel World," in 1994. Since then, he has released three more albums, toured extensively and developed a strong fan base, particularly among college students. In 1999, he released his first mainstream hit single "Steal My Kisses." Last summer, he opened for Dave Matthews Band. Harper's newest album, Live from Mars, is scheduled to be released at the end of March, just before his appearance at Penn. "I think Ben Harper covers a diverse music range for Penn's campus," Goldman said. Dicker said that the committee looked into other electronic groups, such as Moby. SPEC Concerts committee members hope to announce the opening acts within the next two to three weeks. Neither Dicker nor Goldman would specify who the top choices are for the concert's other acts. According to Goldman, the committee is looking for opening acts that will best complement Harper. Dicker added that the group was looking for an eclectic mix of bands reminiscent of last year. Student reactions to the announcement of the Fling band were generally positive. While not everyone expressed a strong interest in Ben Harper's music, those who were familiar with him agreed that he was a good choice for this particular type of concert. "I think his lyrics and laid-back style really appeal to students," College freshman Evan Grove said. "Ben Harper is very college-friendly, right up there with Guster." College sophomore Jaime Kraybill also said, "Harper is a college type of guy, and a lot of students around here really like him." And College and Wharton sophomore Josh Wechter agreed that Harper is a good choice for the university setting. "I'm not all that familiar with his music, but I think it's a good choice," he said. "It'll be interesting to see what he chooses to play." Tickets for the concert will go on sale sometime after spring break. Like last year, tickets will cost $15 for Penn students and $23 for the public. Between 4,000 and 6,000 Penn students and Philadelphia residents attend the Fling concert every year.
Hoping to land a spot on MTV's hit show The Real World, hundreds desperate for stardom lined up outside Mad 4 Mex on Saturday. Producers selected the campus hot spot for the open call of the show's 11th season. The Real World, a hallmark of MTV's programming, throws seven strangers into a house and films the group's interactions for three months. Past shows have been filmed in New Orleans, Los Angeles and Seattle, among other locales. So in an attempt to become one of the next lucky group, some very eager people were in line by 5 a.m. The line extended from the entrance area of the restaurant halfway up Sansom toward 36th Street. Penn and Drexel students, as well as other local residents, spent at least two hours in line for a 10 minute interview with a Real World casting representative. "I felt that they were looking for someone who's outgoing and really had something to say," College sophomore Lauren Sercander said. Three casting representatives were conducting three simultaneous interviews throughout the day. Aspiring stars were interviewed in groups of 10, asked probing questions and given the opportunity to interact with other people in the group. The interview questions asked members of the group to reflect on personal experiences, from Valentine's Day plans to biggest regrets. Wharton sophomore Haben Goitom said that the interviewer "tried to be as controversial as possible and see how people would react." In addition to the interview, all those who tried out were asked to submit a photo and complete an application filled with background information and personal questions. By the end of the day, student assistants reported that they had handed out approximately 750 applications. Only eight or 10 people were called back for individual interviews on camera, which were held yesterday at another location in the Philadelphia area. Mad 4 Mex Assistant Manager David Drachman said that he was pleased about the amount of publicity the restaurant has received as a result of the event. "It's been a great opportunity and a lot of fun," Drachman said. Casting representative Kenny Hull said that he was very pleased with the choice of site. "Philadelphia's a place we've been wanting to come to for a while," Hull said. Hull also described the selection process itself. "You don't need any special talent," said Hull. "All we ask is that you are able to come and talk about yourself in a group setting." The casting representatives stopped interviewing at 6 p.m., and by that time they were forced to turn away people still waiting in line. The turnout was so large that the directors ultimately ran out of applications. Those turned away were given an address where they could send a five-minute video explaining why they wanted to be on the show. The event had been advertised on WYSP and Q102 for the past few weeks, and there have been flyers posted around campus. The Real World has also held open calls in other college towns, such as Princeton and Nashville, Tenn. Some students speculated that there would have most likely been an even stronger Penn turnout had there been more publicity for the event around campus.
Next week, your spare change will wind up somewhere other than between the couch cushions. The coins collected in the Change for Change program -- which provided incoming Penn students with a red stadium cup to collect spare change -- will be picked up and donated to several area charities. The project was designed and implemented last year by College junior and Undergraduate Assembly Secretary Dana Hork, who said that since every college student has loose change lying around, someone should try and put it to good use. "There is always a dialogue about how students can benefit the local community, and this is an easy way to affect change," Hork said. A pilot project was tested in several College and Greek houses during the last three weeks of the spring 2000 semester, and students raised nearly $1,000. As a result of last year's success, and with the support of the freshman class, Change for Change has been introduced on a more long-term basis, carrying the motto of "small change, big changes." During New Student Orientation this year, each freshman was given the plastic cup to keep in his or her room and collect loose change. Between Monday and Wednesday of next week, resident advisors will be collecting these cups from their halls. The three halls that raise the most money will win pizza parties, and the resident assistants of the winning halls will receive a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Because the collection ends on Valentine's Day, the slogan to push donations is, "Don't give your heart away, give loose change instead." Change for Change has become a freshman class project and the focus of many of the class' social events. This year, the freshman class voted as a whole on which charities it wanted to prioritize in donating proceeds collected throughout the year. The class selected the University City Hospitality Coalition, St. Mary's Family Respite Center and Parents and Children Against Drugs as their Change for Change charities. The proceeds from last year's trial project were donated to the charity Upward Bound, a program to help Philadelphia high-school students gain admission to four-year colleges and universities. In addition to the cup collection drive, the class raised $300 for the project by sponsoring a section of seats at the first men's basketball home game of the season in December. According to Freshman Class President Jason Levy, the class is also planning to donate some or all of the remainder of the freshman class budget to Change for Change. Levy commented that the project itself and the social events involved in raising money serve to "unify our entire class." Nursing Representative to the Freshman Board Elizabeth Hernandez -- who has been actively involved in the Change for Change initiative -- said, "since we're so privileged to be here, I think we should try and give back to the community, and this is the perfect opportunity." In addition to the help of the freshman class, Hork has received administrative and financial support from the University. According to Hork, Laurie McCall in the Department of Academic Support Programs has played an instrumental role in coordinating the project. The University has also agreed to donate next week's profits from the Class of 1973 game room in Houston Hall to the Change for Change charities. Hork said that the Order of Omega -- a national Greek-based honor society -- will be conducting a collection in Greek houses similar to that in the freshman dorms later this year. Hork said that if the campaign is successful, she hopes Penn will be recognized as committed to its surrounding community and will inspire other schools to implement similar programs.
Friends, faculty and students gathered last night to honor English and theater professor Lynda Hart, who passed away in December after a struggle with breast cancer. The English Department held the memorial service in the Rosenwald Gallery of Van Pelt Library. After a warm welcome from English Department Chairman John Richetti, Hart's colleagues and students shared personal thoughts and anecdotes from their memories of Hart, both as teacher and as a person. Nine of Hart's students and colleagues spoke at the memorial, and every seat in the room was filled. Everyone who spoke said that Hart's unique personality and teaching style distinguished her from other professors and enabled her to connect with faculty, students and people in general on a more profound level. "Lynda was not an average person or professor," said Penn Women's Center Director Elena Di Lapi, a longtime friend and colleague of Hart's. "As an out feminist and an out lesbian, Lynda was a unique role model on this campus." Di Lapi added, "As a professional and intellectual, Lynda created a safe space for many to grow and excel." Students who spoke about their respective experiences working with Hart attributed much of their creative identities to what she taught them. Jim Downs, a former student of Hart's who is now at Columbia University, referred to Hart as his "academic mother." And College senior Greg Steirer said he appreciated Hart's unusual approach to teaching. "I believe that Lynda taught not teaching in any normal sense of the word, but by touching," Steirer said. Theatre Arts Department Chair Cary Mazer, a colleague and friend of Hart's, described in detail how her guidance and support gave a student the strength to move past a painful experience and embrace his own identity. "When I think of this young man and the many other students whose lives and minds opened up under Lynda's patient guidance and inspiration, I mourn the loss of her presence as our colleague," Mazer said. "Though I will also remember with a smile the many theater students whose lives she touched." Mazer's comment reflected the overall mood of the ceremony. Sadness and tears were broken by laughter at moments when the audience remembered something humorous or endearing about Lynda. Each person who spoke expressed their sense of loss but also emphasized that Hart's wonderful qualities will continue to make an impact on the Penn community and all those who knew her.
Penn students are continuing to mourn the loss of popular English Professor Lynda Hart, who recently lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 47. Students traveled from all over the country to attend a memorial service for Hart on January 20 at St. Mark's Church in New York City. Another service, presented by the English department, will be held Thursday in the Rosenwald Gallery in Van Pelt Library. Hart passed away on December 31 of last year. Penn Women's Center Director Elena Di Lapi, a longtime colleague and friend of Hart, emphasized that the overwhelming student presence truly has been a testament to Hart's impact. Hart came to Penn as an assistant professor of English and Theatre Arts in 1988, and moved on to be an associate professor in the English, Theatre Arts, Comparative Literature, and Women's Studies departments in 1994. She became a full English professor in 1998. Outside the classroom, Hart was a strong advocate of women's issues and gay and lesbian rights. She founded the Women's Theatre Festival of Philadelphia in 1990 and was an active member on the boards of both the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center and the Penn Women's Center. Hart was a prolific writer, and one of her books, Fatal Women: Lesbian Sexuality and the Mark Aggression, won her an Alice Paul Award in Women's Studies and a Callaway Prize nomination. According to faculty and students who had the opportunity to interact with Hart, her innovative and personal manner of teaching distinguished her from other professors. College senior Greg Steirer, who took several classes with Hart and was her work-study student, described her teaching style as "unusual and so powerful at the same time." "She taught in a way that most people wouldn't even consider teaching," Steirer said. "She wanted you to learn how to teach yourself and to learn from what you already know." He added, "Without her, I would not know how to speak or write as myself as I do now." Di Lapi shared her own perception of what made Hart so unique, as well as the impressions communicated to her by Hart's students. "When I talk to students, they only rave about her as a professor," Di Lapi said. "She really allowed something special to happen in her classes." She added, "At an age when many students are trying to define themselves, she provided a space for them to do some of that exploration in an academic context." Di Lapi also emphasized that Hart's strong sense of spirituality had an enormous impact on her teaching. "She created an environment in which students could really connect with their creativity, which was not forced into a mold, but rather allowed to grow," Di Lapi said. Both Steirer and Di Lapi will be speaking at Thursday's memorial service.
Students rushing to class in Meyerson Hall probably do not realize that the work of Penn's best artists lies just in front of them. A wide range of student work created by second-year Master of Fine Arts students has been on display in Meyerson Gallery since November 20. The annual exhibition will end tomorrow. "Only once a semester do we get to showcase the work of our students, so it's a really important venue," Graduate School of Fine Arts instructor Deirdre Murphy said. The second-year show is one of a few annual Fine Arts presentations, including the first-year show and the final thesis show. "The shows at Meyerson are a nice opportunity for Penn students to follow the work and growth of a young emerging artist from their first year show to their final thesis show," said second-year Fine Arts student Steven Labadessa, who was active in the planning of the exhibition. He added that the show is particularly interesting because these artists are just getting started, and students will be able to use their work when approaching galleries when they ultimately enter the art world. There are currently 18 second-year Fine Arts students, all of whom had the opportunity to share their work in the exhibit. The artwork itself covers a broad range of genres and styles, including painting, sculpture, mixed media and digital imagery and animation. According to Labadessa, the space assignment for the display was an important part of the organization process. Students themselves offered input as to where they felt their individual pieces would work best and a curatorial committee composed of four master's students ultimately decided the placement. Labadessa, head of the curatorial committee, said that this year's display is more "intimate in scale" than last year's. He feels this is a positive change because it makes the work more approachable. According to Labadessa, the emphasis is on students presenting their work not only to the Graduate School of Fine Arts, but to the entire University community. An opening reception was held last Thursday for members of the press, gallery representatives and Penn faculty and students. The striking variety of style and technique on display in Meyerson Gallery reflects the eclectic group of artists behind the work. Second-year Fine Arts student Kate Egan, who was the first annual recipient of the Philadelphia prize offered by a local gallery downtown, is now displaying her digital prints in the exhibit.
Like many students, Elizabeth Garcia came to Penn from New Jersey. But her real roots lie in Colombia.
Penn's new Masters of Chemistry Education Program is off to a strong start. The masters program, a joint effort between the Chemistry Department and the Graduate School of Education, is one of the first of its kind to be implemented at the university level in this country. The MCE Program curriculum consists of 10 courses in both the classroom and the laboratory, requiring two full school years plus a summer to complete. MCE participants are primarily high school chemistry teachers who do not necessarily have an undergraduate background in chemistry. The first class of MCE students entered the program this past summer and are currently completing their second session. "In teaching these courses, we're modeling a way of teaching -- a pedagogy that is highly interactive," Chemistry Professor Bryan Roberts said. Both students and faculty praised this inquiry-based learning, which extends lecture into an open dialogue. The idea for the program was first generated four years ago by Chemistry Chairman Hai-Lung Dai in response to what he identified as a pre-college science crisis in this country. Dai pointed out that the U.S. is at the bottom of the chart for its scores in math and science compared to other industrial nations. While recognizing that an immediate solution to the nationwide problem is not feasible, Dai proposed the MCE program as something that could be done in higher education to aid the situation in the long term. The initiative received full support from the GSE and School of Arts and Sciences deans, and the University Trustees offered formal approval two years ago. About six months after receiving approval, the application process began. More than 40 people applied for 20 slots in the first class. The program currently offers full scholarships to all of its participants and receives funding from government agencies, industrial organizations, philanthropic foundations and individual donors. The estimated cost for the program will be $600,000 per year once they have two classes of students rather than just one. Money is certainly a concern for MCE coordinators, but Dai is currently devoting much of his time to finding more donors. Students and faculty have responded very positively to the results of the program thus far. "Studying science really gets you excited about the material and about teaching it," MCE participant Tracy Otieno said. Otieno, a teacher at Furness High School, added that it is an extremely valuable experience to be able to interact with fellow teachers. "I've never worked so hard in my 33 years of teaching, and at the same time, it's been incredibly gratifying," Roberts said. Members of the MCE Program -- coordinators, faculty and participants -- gathered for an inaugural luncheon on November 18. Before the lunch and remarks, MCE participants conducted one of the semester's labs while members of the Penn community and the local media were invited to observe and ask questions. In his remarks, Dai applauded the students on a fabulous beginning and urged them to maintain the same level of commitment to what he described as the "challenging road still ahead." Dai also said that if the program proves to be effective in schools, there has been discussion among deans and administrators about applying it to other disciplines, such as physics and mathematics.
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor joined the Law School community on Friday evening to celebrate the school's 150th anniversary. O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, lauded the school's rich academic history and the progress of women within its classrooms. "Today this law school is not only one whose long life we celebrate, but we celebrate the high quality of that long life," O'Connor said. Nearly 2,000 guests -- including Law School alumni from around the world, Law School faculty and students and officials from other schools -- gathered in Silverman Hall for the Sesquicentennial celebration. Although the end of the reception was marred by a lengthy fire alarm, the overall event went off without a hitch. Due to limited space in the newly restored Levy Conference Center, where the speeches were delivered, video screens were set up in several locations throughout the building so that guests could watch a televised version of the remarks. After about an hour of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, Law School Dean Michael Fitts welcomed everyone to the celebration and offered a brief history of the Law School. "Penn Law has had a truly distinguished history and promises an even more distinguished and exciting future," Fitts said. He also pointed out that Friday's celebration attracted the largest turnout of any Law School event in its 150 year history. University President Judith Rodin also offered welcoming remarks and praised the accomplishments of the Law School. She particularly congratulated the school on being the first in history to win the Pro Bono Publico award from the American Bar Association. At the time of her appointment as a Justice in the Supreme Court, O'Connor had an unprecedented range of experience, including government lawyer, general practitioner, agency attorney, state legislator and judge at both trial and appellate levels. Over her two decades of service, O'Connor has been described as the swing vote, approaching each case on its unique facts. "Your trail-blazing career has inspired girls and women, including this one, to believe that we can accomplish anything if we set our minds to it," Rodin said to O'Connor during her remarks. On behalf of the trustees, Rodin presented O'Connor with the University of Pennsylvania President's Medal for Distinguished Achievement. O'Connor expressed her enormous gratitude to be able to celebrate this anniversary with the Penn community. "I'm particularly happy, because the Law School is even older than I am," O'Connor began on a humorous note. O'Connor discussed the long history of Penn's Law School, praising its many achievements --ÿincluding the fact that the school claims the nation's first female law school graduate. The guests responded positively to O'Connor's remarks. "It's always impressive when a justice of the Supreme Court comes to visit your school," Law School alumnus Gene Pratter said. "I thought it was really nice that she made things personal, that she told some personal anecdotes about herself," second-year Law student Alexis Gander said. "It made it feel more special." Congressman and Law School graduate Michael O'Pake offered a proclamation on behalf of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania applauding the Law School on its sesquicentennial year. And Kenneth Trujillo, Philadelphia city solicitor and a Law School grad, also presented a proclamation from Mayor John Street establishing Friday November 17, 2000, as Penn Law Day.
Elegantly dressed Law School benefactors sipped cocktails and nibbled hors d'oeuvres yesterday at a dedication ceremony for the Law School's newly restored Levy Conference Center. The stars of the evening were Law School Overseer Paul Levy and his wife Karen Levy, who donated $2 million in 1998 to fund the renovation of Sharswood Hall and the construction of a multimedia conference hall. Work on the project began in the summer of 1998, shortly after the gift was received. The ornate Levy Conference Center occupies the entire second floor of the newly renovated Silverman Hall. The renovations cleaned up the historic architecture while bringing in cutting edge technology to the facility. According to Law School spokeswoman Sally Benner, the multimedia facility is integral to the training of Law students and the development of the school's distance learning programs. The major part of the center, Sharswood Hall, has been separated into two separate rooms, the Conference Room and the Segal Moot Court Room, both of which are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The renovated space will also be used to hold conferences, dinners and symposia. "I think the result is fantastic; it's inspiring, and having been here many years ago as a working Law student, I think it will be a great improvement for everybody," Levy said. The dedication began with a cocktail reception and opening remarks from Law School Dean Michael Fitts and University President Judith Rodin. "When a law school is as prominent as ours is, when the faculty is asked to comment on national and international policy issues, when our students lead national conferences and when we attract guest speakers from around the world, Penn needed a Levy Conference Center," Rodin said. The Levy family joined Rodin and Fitts in a ribbon cutting just before the guests filed into the new and improved Sharswood Hall for a lavish dinner. Before the meal started, Fitts and Levy mounted a sign commemorating the gift of the Levy family. All of the guests then joined in a toast in the family's honor. Tomorrow evening, the Law School will hold its 150th anniversary celebration, which will include remarks from Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, and part of the celebration will take place in the new Levy Conference Center.
Penn hosted the first of a series of regional forums last Thursday and Friday, which addressed solutions for turning around low-performing schools. The Consortium for Policy Research in Education, housed at Penn's Graduate School of Education, and the U.S. Department of Education jointly sponsored the event at the Inn at Penn. The forum included a series of discussions by education experts on topics such as available research, policy issues at the federal, state and local levels and technical assistance for improving the quality of teaching and instruction in high-poverty schools. According to GSE Dean Susan Fuhrman, the director of the CPRE, the forum was an opportunity to "reach out beyond us [CPRE] to researchers in the field," and to engage in what she described as an "excellent discussion among high-caliber people." According to the GSE Department of Communications, there has been a longstanding relationship between these two organizations. "We're bringing together a number of researchers and practitioners to inform the U.S. Education Department and to support high-quality instruction and improved learning in low-performing schools," Fuhrman said in a press release. CPRE was created in 1985 and brings together five of the nation's leading research institutions to improve elementary and secondary education through research and policy. Fuhrman was joined by representatives from education research institutions and school districts from all over the country. Among the roughly 30 participants were Joe Johnson, site director of the Charles Dana Center at the University of Texas, and Michael Cohen, the assistant secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Schools in the U.S. Education Department. Jeanne Vissa, director of Teacher Education and a GSE professor, characterized the discussion as a "descriptive focus on what are the impediments to low-performing schools turning themselves around." Vissa, who was previously a school principal herself, identified some of the key points addressed during the forum, including the need for stability of staff and the degree of teaching experience required to offer targeted instruction. The U.S. Education Department will issue a report summarizing the points generated during the discussion. "We came out with several themes at each level of government -- district, state and federal," Fuhrman said. According to Fuhrman, CPRE promises to play an active role in the rest of the series of regional forums.
The National Labor Relations Board ruled this week that graduate students working as research and teaching assistants at private colleges have the right to unionize. The right of grad students to form unions has been a pressing issue at both private and state universities in recent years. Students at the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin and Yale University have all protested about their need to collectively bargain -- and at the public schools, they have received those rights. While the ruling should impact other schools, Penn grad students say working conditions have not been a concern. So it is hard to say if this case will have any noticeable impact on campus. "Grad student leaders have a good rapport with the administration," one GAPSA official said. "The administration has been proactive rather than reactive, and for this reason there hasn't been the same push for unionization as there has been at other schools." This particular case involved graduate student assistants at NYU, but the ruling is expected to apply to other private colleges and university campuses. The central question raised in the case is whether graduate assistants at a university can be classified as employees. The principle argument of the employer and others is that graduate students are not entitled to the protection and benefits of the National Labor Relations Act because they are also students. The NLRB ruled against this argument and granted graduate assistants the rights guaranteed to all employees, including the right to form unions to negotiate wages, benefits and other conditions of employment. The struggle has been particularly visible at Yale, were the graduate student union has been seeking recognition for over 10 years. Grad students say they work long hours for professors for low pay, while still also working as students. They have been looking for more power to negotiate conditions with their employers.