The Graduation Issue 2026: A centuries-long history of Penn’s Commencement
The University held its first Commencement in 1757 at its original Old City campus, just two years after Penn’s charter was established.
Senior reporter Aidan Shaughnessy contributes to data and enterprise reporting and can be reached at shaughnessy@thedp.com. At Penn, he studies philosophy, politics, and economics. Follow him on X @aidannsh.
The University held its first Commencement in 1757 at its original Old City campus, just two years after Penn’s charter was established.
Penn's Open Expression Guidelines are meant to regulate student protest on campus and ensure demonstrations are conducted within the “limits” of uninfringeable rights to speech and assembly, while “protecting” University activities.
Penn’s cybersecurity incident information and FAQ webpage — which previously offered community guidance and described the investigation into the Oct. 31 data breach — now displays a 404 error.
The StartUP Fund — managed by the Office of the Chief Innovation Officer — seeks to provide up to $250,000 to eligible start-up companies.
At the time of publication, the updated page stated that the investigation is still ongoing and a “precise number” of records could not be determined.
The Nov. 7 resolutions — all passed unanimously — elected new trustee members and appointed positions across the graduate schools, Penn Medicine, and University advisory boards.
The two projects include a redesign to the Class of 1920 Commons and a multi-purpose addition to the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Coates currently serves as vice president of the Heritage Foundation where she leads Project Esther, an initiative that seeks to create a “blueprint” to combat antisemitism in the U.S.
The Sept. 25 meeting included reports from the board's Executive and Budget and Finance Committees.
The DP spoke with lecturers across the University, many of whom said their roles were marked by restricted benefits, uncertain career prospects, and limited representation in administrative decision making.