College is about more than studying, so go out, explore and have fun

With 52 years of fencing under his belt, Penn coach Dave Micahnik is more than just a fixture in the sport - he is an all-time great. And he is finally being recognized for this as the United States Fencing Association elected him for induction into the Hall of Fame earlier this summer.

The late Claudia Cohen has bequeathed a $1 million gift to The Daily Pennsylvanian in her will. Cohen, 57, died of ovarian cancer in June. The ex-wife of fellow Penn alumnus and billionaire Ron Perelman, she left behind a fortune totalling $60 million. She wrote in her will that the DP "meant so much to me and my career," according to The New York Daily News, where Cohen wrote a column entitled "I, Claudia.

Rudy Fuller isn't on the NCAA's rules committee. Too bad. This was the year for the men's soccer coach to push a rule change: Juniors only. Penn has 12, and Fuller could field a competitive team with them.

While the Fighting Quaker might not be the most ferocious mascot, Penn students should at least be thankful they are not represented by a Fighting Artichoke. In the wake of U.S. News and World Report's recently released rankings, many other sources are releasing their own lists of approval, including AOL's "Worst Mascots Ever," in which Scottsdale Arizona's Community College's Fighting Artichokes landed fourth.

With 24 athletes on this year's squad, every men's soccer player will have to fight for a place on the field. But no one needs it more than Drew Healy. Like goalkeepers in many college sports, Healy - who's never played in a game before - is a victim of circumstance.

The Wharton School has awarded the Dean's Medal to Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica. The Dean's Medal is the highest award given by Wharton. It was created in 1983 to recognize leaders in business, public service and academia who have successfully used their management talents to make a positive impact on people's lives.

Construction is proceeding on schedule on the Radian student-apartment building, according to a spokeswoman for the building's developer, Inland American Communities Group Inc. Located on the 3900 block of Walnut Street, the high-rise building will house 500 students in 154 apartments and will also feature two stories of retail space totaling 40,000 square feet.

The third trial of Irina Malinovskaya, a Wharton undergraduate accused of murder, is to begin with jury selection this Tuesday.

Reeling back her leg and sending ball after ball high into the air, Kylie Mitchell would watch it arc towards the target. But as the ball sailed over the crossbar, her teammates wouldn't grumble; they'd cheer. Many of Mitchell's exploits haven't come on the soccer field - she doubled as a varsity football kicker at Carman-Ainsworth High School in Michigan for three years.

In the past two weeks, three robberies have occurred near campus, according to the Division of Public Safety. Two of the incidents involved a weapon, and two robberies involved victims affiliated with the University. A shooting also occurred just outside the Penn Patrol zone and a gunshot was reported just off campus, both in mid-August, according to Philadelphia Police.

There's a new incentive to keep kids' hands out of the cookie jar - a perfect attendance record. A recent study by fifth-year School of Arts and Sciences graduate student Andrew Geier found that obese students are more likely to miss classes than are students of normal weight.

After a bruising primary for Michael Nutter, the actual election should be a breeze. Nutter emerged from an extremely competitive five-way Democratic primary in May, taking 37 percent of the vote. But while experts now peg the former Councilman as a lock to win the general election, Nutter is still plowing full steam ahead with his campaign as the election enters its final stages.

When classes start next week, there will be two notable professors missing from campus. Elijah Anderson, a Sociology professor for over 32 years and a noted specialist on urban inequality, will join the sociology department at Yale University this fall, while Religious Studies professor Michael Eric Dyson will teach at Georgetown University.

Students should try courses outside their home schools to get the most out of their college experience

As the start of the semester approaches, the Undergraduate Assembly is gearing up for what board members promise will be an eventful year. After getting back from a summer spent traveling through China and Capitol Hill, respectively, UA Chairman Jason Karsh and Vice Chairman Wilson Tong sat down for a chat with The Daily Pennsylvanian.

After five years, Penn is revamping its main Web site. The site, www.upenn.edu, now contains one large photo that covers the page, changing upon repeated access to the site. It also includes prominent text describing "Penn values," as well as a link to a new page called Penn Digest that describes current news and events on campus.