Archived web version of the February 28, 2026 issue
Issue 32: February 28, 2026
From Locust Walk
Good morning! In this issue of From Locust Walk, we explore how philanthropy, history, and vision continue to shape Penn’s future. Our feature story examines how the Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs brings art and medicine together to transform the patient experience. We also mark Pennsylvania Hospital’s 275th anniversary as its Pine Building becomes a public museum, and we highlight a Penn Vet pilot program that welcomes alumni back to the classroom to train the next generation of veterinarians.
FEATURE STORY
The Art of Care
What if a hospital could feel restorative from the moment you walk in? At the Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs, suspended glass sculptures and vibrant murals offer patients and families moments of pause and reflection. Backed by a visionary gift from Catherine and Anthony Clifton, the Center shows how art and medicine can come together to improve the experience of being cared for. [Inspiring Impact]
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
Penn Arts & Sciences has launched SAS Horizons: Pathways for a Changing World, a new strategic vision centered on expanding opportunity and pursuing excellence with empathy. The plan outlines priorities spanning research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education across the learning continuum, aligning with Penn’s broader strategic framework. [Penn Arts & Sciences]
This spring, Pennsylvania Hospital turns 275 and marks the occasion by converting its landmark Pine Building into a museum featuring interactive galleries, a restored apothecary, and the nation’s oldest surgical amphitheater. [Penn Medicine]
The Annenberg School for Communication is launching a new Master’s of Communication and Media Industries, designed for today’s evolving media landscape. The program blends critical inquiry and professional practice to prepare leaders across global media industries. [Annenberg School for Communication]
Anne and Walter J. Gamble, M’57, longtime champions of the Perelman School of Medicine, are being remembered for reshaping medical education through the 21st Century Endowed Scholars Program, which expands opportunity and alleviates debt burdens for hundreds of future physicians. [Penn Medicine Alumni]
MORE STORIES OF INTEREST
Alumni Back in the Classroom
A pilot program at Penn Vet invited alumni to teach first-year clinical labs, reconnecting graduates with students while strengthening hands-on training. Early feedback suggests the initiative could play a lasting role in preparing career-ready veterinarians. [Penn Vet]
A Memoir on Love, Race, and Law
Dorothy E. Roberts, George A. Weiss University Professor, has released The Mixed Marriage Project, blending personal history with social analysis to examine interracial families and the legal regulation of race in America. [Penn Carey Law]
Art of the ’80s, Revisited
At the Arthur Ross Gallery, Collecting the New Irascibles brings together 32 works of art from influential 1980s collectors—many with Penn connections—highlighting how their support shaped the trajectory of contemporary art. [Arthur Ross Gallery]
France, Haiti, and Philadelphia in a Revolutionary Age
At the Kislak Center, The Time to Right All Wrongs examines the Atlantic revolutions of the 1790s and their impact on Philadelphia—then a center of debate over freedom, rights, and the future of government.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Open the Door on 3.24
On March 24, alumni, parents, families, and friends come together for Giving Red and Blue Day to support The Penn Fund and strengthen undergraduate life and learning across campus. All gifts made before March 24 will be counted. Join us today!
Header artwork by Ellie Moniz.
Discover how Penn’s research, leadership, and values continue to inspire impact, and learn more about other timely updates on the University Resources webpage. To read more Penn news, visit Penn Today, the Almanac, or the Pennsylvania Gazette.
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