Penn People Making History Now

Penn makes history through its people. Spirited, bright, inquisitive, and driven, our alumni, faculty, and students are the heart of this university. Click on the links below to read their stories. Or go to the Penn People Making History Now portal >

Alumni
Marc Platt, C’79, and Julie Beren Platt, C’79

For many students, their interests are what drew them to Penn — and for many alumni, it is their interests that draw them back. Marc and Julie Beren Platt are among those who have found, as alumni, fertile ground at Penn for their current passions.
Dr. Charles W. Raker, C'41, V'42

Dr. Charles Raker knows all about making history. He was one of three faculty members the year the School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center opened in 1952.
Elizabeth P. McLean, CW'51, G'53

In 27 years, Morris Arboretum lover and noted garden historian Elizabeth McLean has watched its remarkable transformation.
Samantha Buery-Joyner, C'90

"It was like falling in love with Penn all over again," says Samantha Buery-Joyner, C'90, of her work on BLAAC to School 2007, the first ever (and wildly successful) Alumni Weekend event to spotlight Black performing arts at Penn.
Susanna E. Lachs, Esq., CW'74, ASC'76

Susanna E. Lachs, Esq., knows the power of leading by example. Her mother, Phyllis Seltzer Lachs, graduated from the College of Women in 1952 and went on to get her Ph.D. and become a professor of British history at Bryn Mawr College.
Q&A: Denise Foderaro, SAMP'78

Born and raised in South Philly, Denise used to simply cross the Schuylkill to get to Penn. Now she has to cross the country, but her ties to the University – as an alumna, a Penn parent, and a Major Gift Committee co-chair – are stronger than ever.
Q&A: Dean Stewart Adler, W'79, L'83

Real-estate financier Dean Adler knows the value of making connections, and his connections to Penn run deep and strong.
Special Feature: Making History Through Engagement

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Making History: The Campaign for Penn is its inclusion of non-financial and engagement goals. We recognize that our alumni ambassadors impact the University not only through their participation in giving but also through donating their time and energy to enriching our alma mater. What follows are snapshots of just some of those committed and passionate class leaders who are making history and connecting fellow alumni through their own spirited engagement.
Faculty
Jonathan Moreno

“We are going to more directly change our bodies and our brains and our minds than any other generation of human beings,” says David and Lyn Silfen University Professor Jonathan Moreno.
John Jackson

When John L. Jackson, Jr. became the first Penn Integrates Knowledge professor in 2006, he knew the opportunity was unparalleled.