After the first COVID-19 surge largely emptied the campus in late spring of 2020, a group of Penn’s academic, administrative, public health, and clinical leaders recognized that a complex, institution-wide effort would be required to protect the health of those remaining on campus and facilitate the eventual resumption of in-person teaching and research. This effort, branded “Penn Cares,” delivered an in-person semester to students by spring 2021 and gave that year’s undergraduate class an on-campus Commencement experience. Not only did this success help fulfill Penn’s mission, but it also gave the University the framework to navigate an existential threat.

For this reason, the University acknowledges the many members of the Penn Cares team, comprised of University and Health System faculty and staff working through the pandemic across myriad disciplines and duties, with the 2020-2022 University of Pennsylvania Commitment to Excellence Award. Penn introduced the Commitment to Excellence program in 2004 to recognize outstanding contributions to university goals in the face of unprecedented external circumstances.

Read about the team’s contributions on the 2022 Commitment to Excellence Award webpage and access the 2022 Commitment List of Honorees.