Penn is Making History -- every day

Taking it to YouTube: Penn Students Talk about Financial Aid

Watch as Penn students talk candidly about what it means to be at Penn, and why financial aid is so important to them.

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You'll hear a different story from each of these young scholars -- their backgrounds, their impressions of Penn, their experiences on campus. But in all of them you'll hear the same confidence -- about their role at Penn and their readiness to change the world.

"Penn students imagine great things for themselves, and great things are possible for them at Penn," says President Amy Gutmann. "Penn opens doors for them, and they do amazing things -- they truly realize their potential."

But Penn's financial aid is more than just about opening doors. It's also about a commitment to one simple belief:

At Penn, diversity and excellence go together.

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The Power of Propagation: Morris Arboretum's Internship Program Turns 30

When the Morris Arboretum established its internship program in 1979, it changed the educational landscape for aspiring horticulturists. Offering paid internships in nine specialties to men and women interested in pursuing careers and research in horticulture, for 30 years the program has provided a much-needed inroad to a rarefied field.

Now, thanks to a gift from Martha Wallace and her husband, former University Trustee Edward Kane, C’71, to endow the ninth and until-now unfunded internship, the program can look ahead with more confidence than ever.

“This wonderful gift from Marty and Ed brings the internship program to a new level, and solidifies the Arboretum’s core identity as an educational institution” says Paul Meyer, the F. Otto Haas Director of the Arboretum.

For Jeremy Jungels, the inaugural recipient of the Wallace Endowed Internship in Plant Propagation who entered the Arboretum program fresh from a master’s program in ecology, the internship has been a turning point -- "my transition into the horticulture field."

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Riepe by the Dozen: How Penn Scholarships Make (Family) History

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Penn Slam-Poet Joshua Bennett: "On a First-Name Basis With the Wind"

If you've ever been curious about what Amy Gutmann means when she says that Penn students have the potential to "improve the world in bolder, more unpredictable ways", then listen (up!) to this.

Penn junior and "slam champ" Joshua Bennett performed live last week in the East Room of the White House -- and received a standing ovation from President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and about 200 guests.

It was the first-ever White House "Poetry Jam" -- an evening of poetry, music, and spoken word that included legendary actor James Earl Jones (who read passages of Othello), writers Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman, jazz pianist Eric Lewis, and spoken word performer Mayda Del Valle.

As one of those voices, Joshua rose to the occasion with a particularly fitting piece: "Tamara's Opus," an original poem about his own struggle to communicate with his deaf sister.

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Every Student Counts: Senior Gift Drive Sets Record

Amy Gutmann had an interesting challenge for the Class of 2009: she would contribute one dollar for every senior who made a gift to the Unite ONine Campaign.

That's one matching dollar for every senior, not dollar.

This week, with one month of their campaign left to go, the senior class met that challenge with record-breaking numbers: 1610 seniors donated -- a total that surpasses all previous senior classes.

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