Last year, Director of International Admissions Elisabeth O'Connell walked into a high school and gave her typical admissions spiel. Boasting about Penn's interdisciplinary programs and answering students' questions, it was the same information session she had done thousands of time - just this time, it was in Africa.

Students will have to horde extra quarters for at least another year to get their laundry done - that is, if they want dry clothes. While some changes are currently in the works for a couple of college houses, the University is not making any unif orm changes to laundry services on campus until at least July 2008.

With a cold front blasting through Philadelphia, the icy weather has brought an unusual species of wildlife to Penn: a zamboni-driving penguin who hands out pens. The penguin - a costume worn by an employee from Penn's Class of 1923 Ice Rink - travelled around Locust Walk yesterday, handing out flyers, pens and hand warmers to students walking to class.

Everybody loves attention - and Penn students may be getting plenty of it, thanks to the funds mayoral candidates have been raising for the upcoming primaries. Last week, former Councilman Michael Nutter announced that he had $1.4 million in the bank, while state Rep.

Wharton may pride itself on being an international institution, but its students seem to be marching to a different - and more local - drum. About 20 percent of Wharton undergraduates spend a semester abroad each year, and the number of students that intern abroad has likewise diminished in recent years.

It will likely be months before a new dean of the Wharton School is named, but Penn administrators are already gearing up for a search that experts say will be sweeping in scope.

Inside Penn's Cereality, first-year graduate student Erica Chapman orders a quick dinner fix: a mixture of Life cereal, fresh bananas, almonds and honey, dubbed a "Life Experience." The concept of a cereal-based restaurant has made Cereality something of a hit on Penn's campus, and it's a concept that the restaurant is taking to airports across the country, with its latest endeavor named "Cereality Express.

Don't worry, M's got your back: Penn students now have a "license to fling."

Muhammad Ali may be out of the boxing ring, but he's got a new challenge to tackle: the snack-food industry.

By Madeleine kronovet Staff Writer kronovet@sas.upenn.edu It's back to business for the retailers that recently vacated the 3900 block of Walnut Street. Off-campus staples like College Pizza, The Last Word Bookshop and Philly Diner reported that sales have not faltered since University construction forced them to move to new locations last semester.

Majoring in history may be a growing trend for Penn students, but when it comes to earning a Ph.D. in the subject, it's not so easy. According to a study released at the end of last month by the American Historical Association, 16 percent of students who matriculated to history graduate programs five years ago have quit their respective programs - almost double the number of dropouts that the AHA reported ten years ago.

Who knew that hanging out with girls could be so stressful? College freshman "Jane," for one, did not. Jane has spent the last two weeks walking around in heels - for four hours straight, at times - bedecked in black pants and fancy dress shirts in order to impress the sisters of the sororities that she is rushing.

The avalanche of national media coverage surrounding the murder case of Economics professor Rafael Robb likely won't detract from Penn's admissions numbers - and, in fact, it could even help, one expert says.

Theft Jan. 11 - A University employee reported that his bag, containing a laptop worth an unspecified amount of money, was stolen after he placed it outside of Cosi on the 100 block of S. 36th Street. Jan. 10 - A male University employee reported that his laptop was stolen while still in its packaging from under his office desk on the 3700 block of Spruce Street.

Cynics who contend that lawyers are morally insensitive now have a study to back them up.

The University's number of Early Decision acceptances for international students reached an all-time high this year, and admissions officials say it's a product of Penn's emerging popularity abroad.

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is now stable and comfortable despite a setback in his recovery last week, doctors announced yesterday. Doctors discovered last Tuesday that the horse had a bad reaction to a cast put on his left hind foot on Jan. 3, according to a press release from Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine.