Penn is in a position to influence more than the approximately 6,000 smokers on campus. Banning smoking would not only serve as an incentive for these individuals to lead a healthier lifestyle but may also have an effect on our peer institutions that are in need of change just as much as we are.

The lifelike drama of it all is only amplified by its unpredictability. Sports take on grand storylines, featuring a landscape of conflicts and climaxes and heroes and villains to rival any fairy tale. It’s drama that is fundamentally human on one of the largest of stages.

While Penn’s own Duke Lacroix helped the Nor’easters fight to say in the contest, as they responded to an early Union goal, it wasn’t enough, as the Nor’easters couldn’t undo the late minute heroics of the MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

For Chris Johnson, cycling was always a natural hobby. He grew up in the part of California where the mountain bike was invented, so it only made sense that he would end up biking. In high school and throughout college, however, he went off the beaten bike path and ended up competing in track and field. However, Johnson, a 2005 College graduate, never forgot his passion for cycling.

Just under 10,000 people showed up for the women’s final on Sunday night, while 29,000 fans made their way down Broad Street to take in the men’s final on Monday afternoon. For me, coming from a high school without football and a college where, admittedly, sports are not a top priority, I was stunned.

On Tuesday, the Law School announced the establishment of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, which aims to “catalyze long-term structural improvements to the U.S. criminal justice system” through an “interdisciplinary, data-driven, scientific approach.”

Going into the national championship, Duke face-off specialist Brendan Fowler had already earned the NCAA single-season record for face-off wins. While each face-off win doesn’t matter any more than the next when it comes to that record, the 20 that Fowler accumulated on Monday afternoon will mean a little more to Fowler. After all, it was on his shoulders that Duke became the national champions, going on a 16-6 run from the second quarter until the end of the game to come back from an early Syracuse lead, ultimately winning, 16-10. Fowler won 20 of 28 face-offs, allowing Duke (16-5) to maintain possession for the majority of the contest. “Obviously winning face offs and getting the ball back makes it a lot easier to score goals,” Fowler said.

It only took 60 minutes of regulation and three overtime periods, but 31 seconds into that third overtime of the NCAA Championship, North Carolina put a Maryland team that came into the title game with a perfect record down for the count, winning, 13-12.

Just know that fulfilling a requirement is not the same as understanding a language or its accompanying culture. Learning the language means little without learning about its people.

While Penn is much emptier than what we’re accustomed to, the campus and the rest of Philadelphia are still bustling throughout the hot summer months. From May to August, The Summer Pennsylvanian will continue to honor its commitment to bring to you all the latest news and need-to-know.

Summer is 12 weeks of limited responsibility and people who are just as willing to try new, potentially regrettable things as you are. Take advantage of this, and never be afraid to make some mistakes along the way.

Two recent robberies inside the Penn Patrol Zone are examples of a growing national problem of criminals seeking smartphones.

Few blame banks and bank tellers who don’t realize their role as teachers. Their subject of expertise is the credit card system, but their problem is their method of instruction. It is not conducive to the learning style of the average American consumer.

Evan Robinson, a senior in the College, has been running a photo business since junior year of high school.

Art Along the Avenue of Technology aims to transform the five-block stretch of Market Street between 34th and 39th streets through semi-permanent artwork.

Comments that Vice President Joe Biden made about China during last week’s commencement address has drawn ire from “disappointed” international students, who have condemned what they saw as an “inappropriate” use of the commencement address.

The Creating Canopy initiative, sponsored this year by Penn and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, donated 100 trees to Penn and University of Pennsylvania Health System staff and faculty who live in Philadelphia.