Student Life
Penn hits 99% undergraduate COVID-19 vaccination rate
The University also reported that 97% of faculty and staff and 96% of all students, both graduate and undergraduate, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Students frustrated by assignments over fall break, but still excited for time off
Penn has the fewest days off of all the Ivy League schools with a fall break of only four days including the weekend.
GIC, Penn Park Farm partner to offer free, fresh produce to address food insecurity
Starting Sept. 13, the GIC began to offer weekly opportunities to pick up a bag of produce at the center’s location on 37th and Chestnut streets behind Pottruck Health and Fitness Center.
Penn students reflect on summer pediatric cancer research
Perelman School of Medicine second year Andrew Siaw-Asamoah and College junior Cristle Ike received funding from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to pursue pediatric oncology research alongside a mentor.
Penn Marriage Pact returns with new questions to help students meet their match
The Marriage Pact system is currently at 55 different schools, including Stanford University, Princeton University, Yale University, and Duke University, and has facilitated 68,192 matches.
6B leaders are pushing for more cultural center space and community building this fall
The Daily Pennsylvanian interviewed the 6B leaders about their priorities and ambitions for the fall semester, especially as the groups transition to in-person activities during COVID-19.
College Houses host events across Philadelphia to encourage students to leave ‘Penn bubble’
From Old City to the Gayborhood, College Houses are giving students the opportunity to explore different parts of Philadelphia with their hallmates during their first in-person semester at Penn.
Unreliable campus Wi-Fi obstructs students from completing homework, job interviews
Penn's Information Systems and Computing has "identified vendor software bugs that have been impacting performance" and is tentatively planning to upgrade to a newer version of the vendor software over fall break.
Some seniors unable to attend Hey Day because of classes, fall break travel
Class Board 2022 announced on Sept. 29 that Hey Day for the Class of 2022 would take place on Wednesday, Oct. 13 during class hours.
Twenty-seven Penn students awarded U.N. fellowship to develop social impact ventures
This year, the Penn fellows will work towards campus-wide initiatives pertaining to sustainability, educational access, food insecurity, equitable vaccine distribution, and immigrant rights, among others.
Christian group protests feet away from Penn campus safety event, angering students
The group of demonstrators, part of the Key of David Christian Center, a non-denominational Christian Church, held signs and yelled homophobic slurs at passersby.
Mask and Wig, Penn's all-male musical comedy troupe, will welcome all genders in 2022
The decision to eliminate gender as a qualification for membership comes after an “extensive strategic review” involving over 50 undergraduates and alumni of the 400-member Club.
Hey Day will take place on Oct. 13 for the Class of 2022
2022 Class Board President and College senior Sam Strickberger said that this year’s Hey Day will be like a typical one in all respects, including shirts, skimmers, and canes.
Penn to hold flu shot clinic next week as it prepares to enforce new vaccine mandate
The flu clinic — which provides vaccines to students, faculty, and staff for free — will open Oct. 4 and close Oct. 8.
Penn partners with tutoring program to offer students virtual work-study tutoring jobs
We Succeed is a tutoring platform that connects college student tutors with K-12 students in need of flexible tutoring to shrink the educational opportunity gap.
‘I know I’m supposed to be here’: Penn’s newest FGLI students adjust to being on campus
Some FGLI first years reported feeling pleasantly surprised by Penn's existing FGLI community and resources, though some added that they felt culture shock upon arriving on campus.
Weaker U.S. outdoor mask mandates were ‘culture shocks’ to some international students
The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke to five students — from Hong Kong, Sudan, China, and Australia — who are excited for in-person learning, but concerned about cases in the United States compared to the more limited spread in their home countries.
Students with disabilities face challenges accessing campus buildings
Penn’s campus is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, but students with disabilities are struggling to find accessible entrances, navigate buildings without elevators, and secure accessible on-campus housing.
Students find block schedule inconvenient, unsafe as Locust Walk becomes crowded
The fall 2021 semester marks the beginning of the University's new block schedule format, which created standardized class start times and eliminated the possibility of back-to-back classes.