Alumni will have the opportunity to experience a variety of exciting virtual events led by esteemed faculty and fellow alums in 2020.
“It’s full steam ahead—we haven’t slowed down our alumni engagement activities one bit,” said Hoopes Wampler, Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations.
The Power of Penn Faculty Series
Beginning this fall, The Power of Penn Faculty Series will kick-off in October. Well-known Penn faculty will speak about topics of their choosing, bringing together teaching and research. “The academic and intellectual curiosity of our alumni is paramount, and we will continue to provide interesting lifelong learning,” said Wampler.
Featured speakers include Margo Crawford, Professor of English and Director of the Center for Africana Studies; Emily Wilson, Professor of Classical Studies and Chair of the Program in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory and 2019 MacArthur Fellow/2020 Guggenheim Fellow; Tukufu Zuberi, Lasry Family Professor of Race Relations and Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies; and Kathy Morrison, Sally and Alvin V. Shoemaker Professor of Anthropology and Department Chair. These faculty—celebrities in their own subject areas, will speak on topics as diverse as African American literature, ancient Greek translation, African Diaspora, and South Asian archaeology.
Homecoming at Home
Mark your calendars and grab your Penn swag for a week-long Homecoming @ Home celebration from November 9-14th. The spotlight will be on Penn’s robust arts and culture community through festive and fascinating content via the Kelly Writers House, the Penn Museum, Penn Arts & Sciences, and the Penn Band, among others. Two signature programs will highlight the week including a Penn Medicine event on the new Pavilion and Penn’s ImmunoRevolution, and The Urgent Matter of Black Lives event featuring Penn Africana Studies faculty Mary Frances Berry, Dorothy Roberts, and Tukufu Zuberi. All programming will be free and includes a combination of live and prerecorded events on weekdays between 12-7 p.m., and on Saturday (11/14) from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Eastern Time.
LIFELONG LEARNING SERIES
A series of digital Anti-Racist Education and Action events will also be on offer this fall. Led by alumni volunteers, this programming will aim to foster conversation and promote anti-racist education. For industry discussions with alumni in fields as varied and timely as social impact, entertainment, environmental sustainability, technology, and others, the Career Industry & Networking Series is worth a watch. And if you’ve ever wondered if it’s safe to swim in the Philadelphia waterways (or eat the fish), find out from faculty during the Global Discovery Series, where you can digest live or taped lectures from professors who will share their latest research on topics even deeper than the Delaware River!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Penn’s slate of virtual events promises to be interesting, engaging, and a window into new pathbreaking work. Through The Power of Penn Campaign, the most innovative and creative Penn-generated knowledge now has the potential to make a profound impact on communities near and far.
LEARN MORE ABOUT VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR PENN ALUMNI
