May 27, 2025 Volume 71 Issue 36

Weitzman School of Design faculty members Rudy Gerson, Leah Kahler, and Robert Pietrusko have been selected to receive G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Teaching Awards for academic year 2024-2025. The awards are presented annually to three members of the Weitzman faculty, based on nominations by students, to recognize distinguished teaching and innovation.

Rudy Gerson (G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award) is a lecturer in fine arts and an artist who works across mediums of print, still and moving image, and performance in a practice, they said, “that intends to complicate expectations of testimony and deploy a devotional approach to desire under conditions of opacity and loss.” Based in New York City and Philadelphia, Mx. Gerson, MFA’23, teaches at Brooklyn College as well as at Penn.

“They encourage us to experiment with our camera and push ourselves outside of our comfort zone,” said one of Mx. Gerson’s students. Another observed, “I’ve seen [them] literally transform college students who took [their] video class just to fulfill a requirement into people with a sensitivity and sensibility for art, as well as all the tools they need to make it.”

Leah Kahler (G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Graduate Teaching Award, Non-Standing Faculty) is a landscape designer and researcher who was the 2024-2025 McHarg Fellow. Her research explores the socioecological legacies of the plantation landscape, focusing on sites of labor, extraction, and production in the American south. Before coming to Penn, Ms. Kahler worked at Reed Hilderbrand in Boston and taught landscape architectural representation at Boston Architectural College.

“Leah has been an incredible resource for the students and her presence uplifts so much of our work and the design community,” one of Ms. Kahler’s students wrote. “Leah’s attentiveness to students and dedication to design education is truly inspiring.”

Robert Gerard Pietrusko (G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Graduate Teaching Award for Standing Faculty) is an associate professor in landscape architecture and a principal at Warning Office. His research focuses on the history and speculative design potential of environmental media. He has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture, and Design; held research positions at Parsons and Columbia; and served as a designer at Diller Scofidio + Renfro in New York. He has exhibited his work at the Museum of Modern Art, Palais de Tokyo, and ZKM Center for Art & Media, among other leading venues, and has had his work featured in the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Of Mr. Pietrusko’s influence, one student reported, “Not only did I leave his course learning important skills and graphics that I could use in my portfolio, but I also felt more confident in myself as a student of landscape architecture.”

Awarded to current students, faculty, and staff, the annual Penn GSE Awards recognize outstanding service and commitment to the Penn GSE community. The 2025 honorees are:

The William E. Arnold Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Student

The Arnold Award reflects GSE’s commitment to preparing outstanding educators and academic leaders.

Meruyert Bizhanova, GED’25, is originally from Kazakhstan. Throughout her time at Penn, Ms. Bizhanova has exemplified exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to community service. She served as president of GSE’s student government, where she advocated for student rights and spearheaded initiatives that fostered a sense of belonging within the school. Following this role, she was elected president of the University-wide Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA), where she led efforts to support and represent 18,000+ graduate students across the university, after her tenure as GAPSA director of international student affairs.

Ms. Bizhanova also worked as a graduate assistant at GSE’s HEARD Hub, where she made significant contributions to research, equity, and access initiatives. Her dedication to service and advocacy has earned her numerous accolades, including the Laurie Wagman Award for Visual and Performing Arts in Education and the Leadership & Advocacy Award from the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH), which honors her advocacy work for marginalized communities. Ms. Bizhanova is deeply passionate about education and believes in the transformative power it has to uplift individuals and communities. She is profoundly grateful for the opportunities and experiences that Penn has provided and looks forward to continuing her leadership journey in education and advocacy after graduation.

The Laurie Wagman Award for Visual and Performing Arts in Education

This award is given to a scholar who integrates creativity and the arts into educational practice, research, or expression.

Mayowa Fageyinbo, SPP’24, GED’25, GM’25, is an MSEd candidate in international educational development at Penn GSE, where she also recently completed an MS in social policy. Within the IED program, Ms. Fageyinbo explores the intersections of education, digital innovation, and cultural preservation within the African diaspora, with a particular focus on Nigeria’s transnational connections and prominent creative economy. Originally from North Carolina, Ms. Fageyinbo’s early engagement with theater, Shakespeare recitation, and speech and debate shaped her creative path. As an undergraduate at Howard University and a UNCF Walt Disney Company Scholar, she wrote for Agbara Magazine on culture and current events in Africa.

At Penn, she connected her creativity to her education in policy and social justice. With the African American Resource Center, she helped to launch Diaspora Dialogues, which exists now as a platform for digital content, in-person critical discussion and creative workshops. Through her internship with DOWA in Lagos, Nigeria, Ms. Fageyinbo supported social media/policy communications and furthered her inquiry into education’s role in creative economies. She has also collaborated on youth-focused initiatives at the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. Outside the classroom, Ms. Fageyinbo participates in Philadelphia’s spoken word circles as an emerging poet.

The Penn GSE Excellence in Teaching Award

This award honors a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to student learning and academic engagement.

Damani White-Lewis is an assistant professor at GSE. He studies racial inequality in academic careers and contexts, using theories and methods from organizational behavior and social psychology. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) and has been published in top education and science journals, like The Journal of Higher Education, The American Educational Research Journal, and Nature Human Behavior. As a public scholar, he has won numerous awards from educational organizations and institutions and has been featured in outlets such as Science, Nature, Inside Higher Ed, and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. He regularly advises college campuses and external organizations on addressing issues related to the academic profession, racial equity, and institutional transformation and systemic change.

Faculty Recognition of Service Awards

This award celebrates faculty whose service contributions have had a meaningful impact on campus culture and operations.

A. Brooks Bowden is an associate professor at GSE. She serves as the director of the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education and as director of Penn’s predoctoral training program in interdisciplinary methods for field-based research in education. She is also an editor of AERA’s flagship policy journal, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Her work is motivated by the goal to improve children’s trajectories by minimizing barriers to learning and engagement in school related to poverty and vulnerability. Dr. Bowden is an expert in program and policy evaluation that incorporates economic analyses. She is a co-author of the primary text on cost-effectiveness, Economic Evaluation in Education: Cost-Effectiveness and Benefit-Cost Analysis (3rd edition). Her work has been published in the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, Education Researcher, AERA Open, and Prevention Science.

Abby Reisman is an associate professor at GSE. She studies the design and implementation of history curriculum materials and teacher learning experiences that support document-based historical analysis and student-centered discourse. Dr. Reisman received her PhD from Stanford University, where she directed the “Reading Like a Historian” project in San Francisco, the first extended history curriculum intervention in urban high schools. Her work has appeared in Cognition and Instruction, Journal of Curriculum Studies, Teachers College Record, Journal of Teacher Education, and Teaching and Teacher Education. Dr. Reisman began her career in education as a classroom teacher in a small, progressive high school in New York City.  

Jenny Zapf is a senior fellow and the founding director of Penn’s MSEd and MSEd-MBA in education dntrepreneurship, a partnership between the Graduate School of Education and the Wharton School. Dr. Zapf also is the co-founder and faculty director of Penn GSE’s virtual certificate program in global education entrepreneurship and innovation.

Dr. Zapf is a global leader in education innovation. She has trained thousands of education, business, and industry professionals to build, test, manage, and scale new models—including schools, universities, programs, services, and products. Over the past decade, she has advised business and institutional leaders on entrepreneurial projects in 30+ countries. For three decades, Dr. Zapf has launched education and social ventures in higher education institutions, schools, non-profits, research institutes, and venture labs. Through a range of roles in academic leadership, non-profit management, applied research, and policy, Dr. Zapf has worked to drive equity through design, building learning environments and pathways to transform the global education landscape and marketplace.

Staff Recognition of Service Awards

This award recognizes staff who go above and beyond in supporting students, colleagues, and the broader GSE community.

Rachel Dozier, GED’24, is a Penn GSE alumna with a background in psychology and learning sciences who focuses on designing meaningful, student-centered experiences. Her work blends creativity, care, and research to help learners build skills that support growth—like executive functions, agency, and reflection. From launching a project-based school in Texas to co-developing new initiatives like the Student Showcase and Writing Commons at Penn GSE, she is passionate about creating systems and supports that meet students where they are and help them move forward with confidence and purpose.

John Gamba currently serves as the entrepreneur in residence and director of innovative programs at Catalyst @ Penn GSE, where he mentors aspiring education entrepreneurs and oversees the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition, now in its 16th year. The Milken competition has awarded $2 million dollars to hundreds of education entrepreneurs from dozens of countries, who are tackling the most pressing issues in world-wide education. Mr. Gamba is an industry speaker on topics related to K12 education and social entrepreneurship and is a founding director of the Gamba Family Foundation, which is committed to closing the achievement gap for under-represented students in the United States. His foundation has contributed close to $2,000,000 in support to a number of education causes nation-wide.

Peter Montesino is a seasoned audio-visual and academic technology specialist at Penn, where he has supported AV operations and event technology for over seven years. He began his Penn career at ISC after relocating to Pennsylvania. After spending five years at ISC, he transitioned to the Graduate School of Education, where he continues to bring a calm, solutions-focused approach to classroom and event support.

A Penn alumnus with a BA in applied arts and sciences, Mr. Montesino also attended the Institute of Audio Research in New York City, earning certification as an audio engineer with a focus on mixing and mastering. He holds additional certifications in ITIL and AVIXA CTS and brings over two decades of hands-on experience in AV, IT, and live event production to his role.

Student Award for Excellence in Strengthening Our Community

This award is given to a student who exemplifies the spirit of community engagement, inclusion, and leadership.

Dandan (Sunny) Wu, GED’25, is a lifelong learner, education entrepreneur, and global community builder. At age 42, she came to Penn GSE from Beijing to pursue a dream that was 20 years in the making: studying abroad and reimagining what is possible at mid-life. She founded ChronoHer, a global initiative empowering mid-career Chinese women to reclaim their dreams through international education and career transformation. At Penn, Ms. Wu became a voice for mid-life learners, international students, and women navigating change. She has interviewed professors, entrepreneurs, and women leaders; mentored peers; and built bridges across generations and cultures. Her work is fueled by one belief: that it is never too late to grow, learn, or lead. Ms. Wu is graduating from the education entrepreneurship program and hopes to continue driving impact at the intersection of learning innovation, workforce transformation, and global women’s empowerment.

Penn Carey Law has announced the recipients of its teaching awards for the 2024-2025 academic year.

“Exceptional teaching forms the very foundation of our institutional mission,” said Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law Sophia Z. Lee. “By honoring the awardees below, we recognize and appreciate the hard work and enthusiasm that all our faculty bring to their classrooms.”

The 2024-2025 award recipients are as follows:

Regina Austin Award for Innovation in Teaching

Tom Baker, the William Maul Measey Professor of Law, has received the Regina Austin Award for Innovation in Teaching for incorporating innovative topics and teaching techniques in his Torts, Insurance Law, and Litigation Finance courses (co-taught with Will Marra, a lecturer in law).

What the students said:

“Professor Baker loves, loves, loves his students and is incredibly helpful and engaged in teaching.”

“I really enjoyed how he focused in on students’ interests by adding an extra day of health insurance and bringing in an ERISA guest lecturer.”

“[V]ery useful insight into a nascent but growing industry; a great source of readings and scholarship that are vetted by experts; interesting discussion throughout the class.”

“Professor Baker did a great job keeping class engaging through his positive, friendly teaching style. He used a random number generator for cold calls, which I thought was going to be very stressful, [but] I found Professor Baker’s cold calls to be the least stressful out of all my professors… I also thought the discussion of policy and insurance throughout the semester made the class a lot more exciting. And finally, I really like how Professor Baker included materials in addition to just cases in our readings (e.g., Damages book, Dark Waters movie, scholarly articles).”

“Great course, highly recommend. Really interesting area that you may not otherwise be exposed to. Baker and Marra are super knowledgeable and lead engaging discussions.”

LLM Teaching Award

William W. Burke-White, a professor of law, has received the LLM Teaching Award, selected by vote of the LLM class of 2025.

What the students said:

“Professor Burke–White is engaging, approachable, and has a great sense of humor that makes learning enjoyable.”

“Professor Burke–White is an expert in international law, and he is an excellent teacher. He always breaks down complicated theories and cases in a way that is accessible to every student. He’s also very kind and conscientious, making sure to discuss international law with the right framework that’s applicable to today’s current events.”

“The course successfully demonstrates the relevance and resilience of international law in today’s global economy. Professor Burke–White’s teaching effectively balances theoretical understanding with practical applications.”

Adjunct Teaching Award

Sean Kiley, a lecturer in law, has received the Adjunct Teaching Award for his Public Speaking for Lawyers courses, which teach students how to design and deliver effective presentations by exploring how people absorb information to learn and make decisions.

What the students said:

“This course was incredibly valuable [for teaching us how to deliver accurate, logical and engaging presentations], as it offered practical, hands–on experience. For each presentation, I received not only peer feedback but also thoughtful and detailed comments from Professor Kiley, which made the learning experience truly exceptional.”

“Professor Kiley is extremely friendly, attentive, and respectful. He’s also always accessible and overall a great professor to have.”

“I loved this class a lot! I feel like I learned so much. I really appreciated Kiley’s thoughtful and generous feedback; he clearly cares a lot–I genuinely got so much better at public speaking! One of my favorite classes so far.”

Robert A. Gorman Award for Excellence in Teaching

Gideon Parchomovsky, the Robert G. Fuller, Jr. Professor of Law, has received the Robert A. Gorman Award for Excellence in Teaching for his exceptional teaching of the course Property and Copyright.

What the students said:

“He is a fantastic professor. Clearly passionate about the subject, he will offer different points of views on matters discussed in class. His lectures always stimulate interesting discussions about copyright law between students, both inside and outside of class. I found myself frequently talking about copyright outside of the classroom with my friends in the course.”

“Professor Parchomovsky is a special professor. He is unbelievably dedicated, and he’s one of the best professors at Penn. I highly recommend that you take any class you can with him.”

“Professor Parchomovsky is an amazing teacher. He is extremely passionate about the subject matter, and I love that he encourages questions and participation. He is also a great lecturer. He explains concepts thoroughly and the class is extremely organized.”

Experiential Teaching Award

Sarah Paoletti, a practice professor of law, has received the Experiential Teaching Award for her direction of the Transnational Legal Clinic, the law school’s international human rights and immigration clinic.

What the students said:

“Professor Paoletti brings a wealth of immigration experience to clinic. She is extremely detailed in feedback and supervision, as well as in class.”

“Professor Paoletti is great. She has the patience to handle our ‘stupid’ questions and ignorance while challenging us to grow as attorneys, adopting a client–centered lawyering approach. She is highly involved and connected in the legal immigration space. If you’re interested in doing immigration, you should take this clinic. You will learn a lot.”

“She clearly cares deeply about the subject matter and this translated well into her instruction.”

A. Leo Levin Award

Dorothy E. Roberts, the George A. Weiss University Professor of Law and Sociology and the Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights, has received the A. Leo Levin Award for Excellence in an Introductory Course for her exceptional Reproductive Rights and Justice first-year elective course.

What the students said:

“Professor Roberts is amazing! She is clearly so knowledgeable and passionate about reproductive rights and justice and brings her experiences to the table in an incredibly helpful way. She was also able to explain complicated legal and sociological concepts extremely effectively to those who may not have the same framework. She does a great job fostering classroom discussion and picking out the best points from students’ contributions.”

“Professor Roberts is not only an expert in her field, but she also always makes sure to discuss the critical issues affecting each case. Whether it be inequities of race, class, or disability, she gives her students the space and the tools to think about inequities in the legal system… She’s one of the best professors I’ve had here at the law school, and her passion in her work is truly inspiring.”

“Professor Roberts is incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. Her class was thought-provoking, and I appreciated the class discussion driving forward the legal ideas we were learning. Professor Roberts also gave a lot of room to tie past cases involving reproductive rights and justice to the topical issues that we are dealing with in courts and beyond today.”

Harvey Levin Memorial Teaching Award

Catherine Struve, the David E. Kaufman & Leopold C. Glass Professor of Law, has received the Harvey Levin Memorial Teaching Award, which is selected by a vote of the JD class of 2025.

What the students said in 2022, when they took Civil Procedure with Professor Struve:

“Professor Struve was fantastic. She made learning about civil procedure super fun and engaging. I love how kind she was about cold calling and she aways engaged with the students to get us to think on our own and develop our critical thinking skills.”

“If you don’t inherently find civil procedure interesting, Professor Struve makes it as accessible and digestible as it could possibly be. If you do find civil procedure interesting, Professor Struve’s vast knowledge of the intricacies of the rules, their history, the ways in which they change or conflict or cause problems, means she can answer any question and provide a wealth of fascinating detail to keep you occupied forever.”

What the students said regarding her 2023-2025 upper-level courses:

“Professor Struve is an amazing professor––this is my second class with her. She is a highly lucid lecturer and able to clearly explain even the most complex procedural topics. It was a pleasure having class with her again.”

“Professor Struve takes what could otherwise be a dry, abstract topic and identifies and elevates the real–world issues that are actually at stake. I took this class as a way to ‘fulfill’ a requirement that many judges and litigation supervisors would want to see. I come away from it with an understanding of the infrastructure of how abstract rights become (or fail to become) real in the lives of people.”

Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) Excellence in Teaching Award is presented to members of the standing and non-standing faculty in recognition of excellence in teaching and mentoring.

The 2025 award honorees are as follows:

Full-Time Faculty

Kate Ledwith is a graduate of both the master of social work and the doctorate in clinical social work programs at SP2. She completed her undergraduate work in sociology at Tulane University, and her area of expertise is social work and mental health. Dr. Ledwith has extensive experience working at Penn Behavioral Health as the employee assistance program psychotherapist, providing psychotherapy and case management services using a brief treatment model. Additionally, she performed duties related to crisis management, quality assurance, and program development. Dr. Ledwith played a key role in integrating the Mental Health Parity Act into the current policies and service provisions at Penn Behavioral Health. She also has community mental health experience in Philadelphia. Currently, Dr. Ledwith is in private practice, where she sees outpatient clients for both brief treatment and ongoing psychotherapy. She is a lecturer in SP2 and teaches the course Advanced Clinical Practice, as well as various clinical electives. Her areas of interest include attachment, termination, and the role of social workers in the therapeutic relationship.

Kim McKay is a full-time lecturer teaching in both the master of social work and master of science in social policy programs. Dr. McKay has a PhD in social work and an MEd in human sexuality studies from Widener University, as well as an MSW in social work and BS in child and family development from the University of Utah. Dr. McKay has 20+ years of social work experience, including case management, administration, supervision, policy, and clinical work. They have taught undergraduate and graduate students in social work programs for more than a decade. Dr. McKay has taught many courses throughout the social work curriculum, with a particular focus on the integration of gender and sexuality. They love teaching and working with students and have presented their work at national and international conferences for organizations including the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), the American Public Health Association (APHA), and the International Social Work and Sexualities conferences in Montreal, Canada (2018) and Olten, Switzerland (2016).

Part-Time Lecturers

Jennifer C. Jones co-founded Rising Caps Collective in 2021 with Aisha Mohammed, supporting expansive healing to address traumatic legacies of colonization, slavery, and capitalism. Dr. Jones works with Lykos Technologies (formerly MAPS Public Benefit Corporation) as a JEDI consultant and a MDMA-Assisted Therapy educator. Since 1998, Dr. Jones has practiced trauma psychotherapy using Gestalt Therapy principles, an economic human rights framework and harm reduction lens with individuals identifying as LGBTQ; transgender or non-binary; BIPOC; sex workers; substance users; people experiencing class oppression; and neurodiverse and/or HIV positive people. Before 2021, she served as the chief DEI officer of Philadelphia FIGHT Community Health Centers and as a faculty member and the executive director of the Gestalt Training Institute of Philadelphia (GTIP). Dr. Jones earned her undergraduate degree in comparative literature from Northwestern University College of Arts and Sciences, her MSW in clinical social work from Smith College School for Social Work, and her social work doctorate from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. As a parent who believes that a just world is possible, Dr. Jones is committed to the unity of the global poor and dispossessed organizing across color lines to fight for everyone’s economic human rights.

Walter Palmer is the founder and director of the Palmer Foundation and a lecturer at SP2, where he has taught foundation courses in American Racism and Institutional Racism and Social Change since 1990. Mr. Palmer has won the distinction of “teacher par excellence” throughout his many years of teaching. He created the Black People’s University of Philadelphia (1954-1984) as an early prototype for preschool and adult independent and alternative education for contemporary America. Mr. Palmer is the founder and president of the board of trustees of the Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School. He is also the founder of the Black Men at Penn. During the era of the civil rights and Black Power movements, Mr. Palmer was recognized nationally as the premier grassroots organizer for successfully organizing city, state, and national political campaigns, protest campaigns, and grassroots community projects. Mr. Palmer studied cardio-pulmonary care at Penn’s School of Medicine and was a director of cardio-pulmonary care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia from 1957 to 1967. He is a current fellow of the Philadelphia College of Physicians. He received his juris doctorate degree from Howard University and his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Cheyney State University, where he was certified in history and social studies. Mr. Palmer has amassed over 1,000 medals, plaques, trophies, and certificates of acknowledgement and appreciation in community services, academics, athletics, health, law, social justice, and leadership. In 2005, the Walter Palmer Leadership Charter School was named after him, as was the Walter Palmer Library and Museum in 2007.

Andrew M. Hoffman, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Penn Vet, has announced the appointment of Amy Durham as associate dean for education. Dr. Durham, who held the previous role of assistant dean for education, succeeds Kathryn “Kathy” Michel, who successfully held the associate dean role for more than a decade. Dr. Michel began her terminal sabbatical in March.

As associate dean, Dr. Durham will hold a pivotal leadership role, responsible for shaping, guiding, and advancing Penn Vet’s educational mission. Reporting to Andrew Hoffman, the school’s Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Durham will spearhead the continuous improvement of the integrated competency-based Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD) curriculum that was launched in 2022. Working closely with faculty, she will lead development efforts in pedagogy and oversee academic policy development, maintain accreditation standards, and foster an outcomes-driven learning environment. Dr. Durham will also coordinate with Penn Vet’s Office of Admissions and Student Life to support student success and well-being.

 “Dr. Durham is a well-respected veterinary pathologist and teacher with a demonstrated commitment to veterinary education and a record of excellence in academic leadership, curriculum design, and faculty engagement,” said Dean Hoffman. “She, along with Dr. Kathy Michel, led our curricular redesign teams years before we launched our new curriculum. They spent countless hours re-engineering our student learning experience. Their focus, guidance, and hard work crafted a curriculum that will not only produce graduates who are highly knowledgeable in veterinary medicine, but well-rounded professionals who excel in communication, problem-solving, and ethical conduct. I am thrilled that Dr. Durham will continue to move our educational program forward and lead the strategic oversight of our curricular initiatives.”

Dr. Durham received her BA from the University of Virginia, her MS in neuroscience from Georgetown University, her VMD from Penn Vet, and her MSEd in medical education from Penn’s Graduate School of Education. Following her three-year residency in veterinary anatomic pathology at Penn Vet and successful board certification, Dr. Durham joined Penn Vet’s faculty as a lecturer in the department of pathobiology in 2008, followed by promotion to assistant professor in 2010. In 2017, Dr. Durham was promoted to associate professor, and in 2022, she was promoted to professor of anatomic pathology. She served as the first chief operations officer of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) from 2018-2024, as well as chair or a member of multiple ACVP committees and the editorial board of Veterinary Pathology. She is the author of over 75 peer-reviewed research papers and recipient of the 2015 Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teaching Award, the 2015 and 2023 American College of Veterinary Pathologists Presidential Awards, and the 2021 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.

“I’m honored that I can continue to contribute to Penn Vet’s curricular initiatives at such a pivotal time for veterinary education,” said Dr. Durham. “I am committed to fostering a learning environment that is grounded in real-world relevance—one that supports both our students and our faculty. It is a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated community of academic colleagues, staff, and students as we shape the future of veterinary medicine.”

Janice Rafferty Grady is Penn GSE’s new vice dean of development and alumni relations, a critical role in securing financial support for the school, sharing its impact, and engaging the alumni community. She began her new position on May 8.

Ms. Grady comes to Penn GSE after 12 years at Columbia University’s School of Nursing, where she held several progressive leadership roles, culminating in associate dean for development and alumni relations. Before Columbia, she worked in development at three different schools at Penn, including the Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Engineering, and Penn GSE.

“We are thrilled to welcome Janice back to our community,” said GSE Dean Katharine Strunk. “She is a dedicated leader in the field, highly respected by her colleagues, and I know she is the right person to help us realize our ambitious strategic vision.”

In Ms. Grady’s role as vice dean, she is a member of Dean Strunk’s senior leadership team and is responsible for the strategy and implementation of all development and alumni relations programming, including the board of advisors and continued support for the school’s strategic vision, Together for Good.

“I am thrilled to be back at Penn and Penn GSE,” said Ms. Grady. “I am eager to work with Dean Strunk, our board, our alumni and friends to help advance Together for Good. I consider it an honor to be working for such an incredible institution.”

Ms. Grady is a graduate of James Madison University and a member of the Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Board of Trustees Advancement Committee, 2024–2025. She is a 2024 cohort member of the Leadership in Action Program, a leadership development program for senior managers of development officers in higher education created jointly by Johns Hopkins and Stanford universities.

Penn Vet has announced the appointment of Laura Brown as the new director of alumni relations. With a strong background in alumni relations and board development, Ms. Brown will play a pivotal role in deepening the lifelong relationship between Penn Vet and its 6,000 living alumni.

Alumni are vital ambassadors of Penn Vet’s mission, serving as representatives to the transformative impact of its education and training. As the school continues to expand its programmatic reach and academic reputation, fostering meaningful connections with its alumni community is more important than ever. In this role, Ms. Brown will lead the design and implementation of programs that connect alumni with the school and one another, through mentorship opportunities, professional networking, and events. She will also collaborate with academic departments, school units and advancement staff to enhance alumni visibility and engagement across all class years.

“I’m delighted to welcome Laura to Penn Vet,” said Jonathan Evans, Penn Vet’s senior associate dean of development and alumni relations. “Her experience and commitment to fostering connections will enhance the ways our alumni engage with our purpose, and their fellow alumni. This work is foundational to our mission to train the next generation of veterinarians and to foster community in our profession.”

Ms. Brown has 20 years of experience in alumni relations, fundraising, volunteer management, and event planning. She received her BA and MA from Villanova University and holds the Advanced Certified Nonprofit Professional (ACNP) certification from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. Before her role at Penn Vet, she served as the director of alumni relations at the Williamson College of the Trades.

“Penn Vet has a powerful story and a deeply committed alumni community,” said Ms. Brown. “I’m honored to help cultivate connections that reflect the school’s values, celebrate its impact, and support its future.”

Ms. Brown’s appointment reflects Penn Vet’s ongoing investment in a vibrant alumni network. As the school continues to prepare students for lives of leadership and service, the engagement and support of its alumni will remain a cornerstone of that vision.

The University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Neubauer Family Foundation have announced a unique new partnership that will provide significant tuition support for Philadelphia commanding police officers to enroll in Penn’s new master of applied criminology and police leadership (MCPL) program.

This first-of-its-kind collaboration, funded by the Neubauer Family Foundation, will cover tuition costs for senior Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) personnel to attain an Ivy League degree. The supported officers will have at least five years with the PPD and will receive their degree in under two years without interfering with full-time professional commitments. The initiative will help advance evidence-based, community-responsive leadership in law enforcement by expanding access to high-quality graduate education for those currently serving in senior-level roles.

“Penn’s trailblazing graduate program in applied criminology and police leadership propels innovative law enforcement locally and nationally,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “The Neubauer Family Foundation’s support of this evidence-based approach will further strengthen relationships between law enforcement and communities in Philadelphia and other major cities.”

Developed by the department of criminology and offered through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies in the School of Arts & Sciences, the MCPL program is the first professional master’s degree of its kind in the United States, created for police professionals across the country. The curriculum will focus on practical, real-world skills and knowledge to immediately enhance the policing profession with exposure to award-winning faculty and police leaders.

“We are grateful to the Neubauer Family Foundation for their generous support and proud to offer Philadelphia police leaders the opportunity to deepen their expertise through this rigorous, innovative program,” said Jeffrey Kallberg, interim Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Music History. “This partnership creates an important bridge between our faculty’s research excellence and the real-world challenges of public safety leadership.”

The first MCPL cohort will enroll in fall 2025. The program accommodates working professionals through a hybrid model of weekly online classes, periodic in-person instruction, and a capstone project designed to apply learning directly to challenges within participants’ own departments.

Professor of criminology John MacDonald, who collaborated with police and government officials to design the program, said, “Our goal is to combine the use of science and management principles in the field of evidence-based policing to address challenges in recruitment, retention, public trust, and public safety.”

“This investment by the Neubauer Family Foundation marks a new chapter in our department’s history, solidifying our commitment to advanced education and innovation in community policing,” said Kevin J. Bethel, Philadelphia Police Commissioner. “Collaborating with an esteemed Ivy League university underscores our steadfast belief that we are dedicated to being the finest police department in the nation.”

The Neubauer Family Foundation has committed $2.55 million to cover tuition for eligible commanding officers in the Philadelphia Police Department. The foundation’s commitment reflects its ongoing dedication to supporting impactful initiatives grounded in data and evidence. Founded in 1998, the foundation has a strong history of strategic investments in Philadelphia’s education system, community safety, arts and culture, and institutions of higher learning.

“We are delighted to partner with the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Police Department on this important work,” said Joe Neubauer. “Recognizing the absence of a focused graduate education program for senior policing personnel in the United States, we believe this first-of-its-kind MCPL program will equip executives with the advanced tools needed to address critical challenges in public safety, recruitment, retention, and public trust. This initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to Philadelphia and to fostering excellence in public service leadership.”

The MCPL program is open to police professionals nationwide. Information about enrollment or institutional partnerships is available at https://www.lps.upenn.edu/degree-programs/mcpl.

Oral healthcare providers and patients will soon receive more frequent, evidence-informed recommendations to advance oral and overall health with the establishment of the ADA Living Guideline Program.

This pioneering collaboration between the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health at Penn Dental Medicine is the first and only known living guideline program dedicated to oral health.

“Oral disease is estimated to affect almost half the world’s population, and the number of cases is growing faster than the population worldwide,” said Ashraf Fouad, chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs and a professor and chair in the department of endodontics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. “The ADA Living Guidelines Program will provide dentists and other healthcare professionals with continually updated, evidence-based information to help improve the oral health of their patients.”

Its first focus will be an update of a 2017 ADA guideline on the evaluation of potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity. The first recommendation is expected to be published digitally later this year in The Journal of the American Dental Association and on ADA.org.

Guideline topics are selected and prioritized by an advisory group composed of representatives from the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs and several other governmental and professional dental organizations.

“This initiative builds upon previous foundational work on guideline development at the American Dental Association and leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to enable continuous and rapid incorporation of scientific findings from the biomedical literature into new and existing guidelines,” said principal investigator Alonso Carrasco-Labra, an associate professor and director of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine.

The guidelines contain evidence-informed recommendations formulated by independent panels designed to assist patients, oral health providers, and healthcare professionals as a resource when making informed care decisions.

Living guidelines uphold the methodological rigor of traditional guidelines but are updated as soon as new evidence emerges and is carefully reviewed. This enhancement of the traditional guideline process, which usually prescribes updates every 3-5 years, allows patients, the profession, policymakers and others to adopt the information more quickly.

“We are proud to bring this important service to our profession and look forward to improving the oral health of millions of patients through these guidelines,” said Mark S. Wolff, the Morton Amsterdam Dean of Penn Dental Medicine.

Scott Russell Douglass, who held several administrative roles at Penn and in the Wharton School, including as Penn’s vice president of finance and treasurer and, most recently, as chief financial and operating officer of the Wharton School, died on April 26. He was 76. 

Mr. Douglass graduated from Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Illinois, then earned bachelor’s (1973) and master’s (1976) degrees in political science from the University of Delaware and completed doctoral coursework at Syracuse University. 

Early in his career, he served as the budget director for the city of Wilmington, Delaware, and later became the state of Delaware’s secretary of finance under Governor Mike Castle, overseeing a $1.7 billion operating budget and 260 employees. 

Mr. Douglass racked up a cumulative 21 years at Penn over the course of two separate tenures. He first came to Penn in 1992 as associate dean for finance and administration in the Wharton School, a role he held until 1997, when he became the senior associate dean. During his first stint in the Wharton School, Mr. Douglass led the programming, design and construction of Jon M. Huntsman Hall, the launch and commercialization of Wharton Research Data Services, and the development of the business case for Wharton San Francisco, all included within a $250 million budget.

In 2004, Mr. Douglass was named Penn’s vice president for finance and treasurer—Penn’s chief financial officer (Almanac December 14, 2004). Even after being promoted to a University-wide role, Mr. Douglass served as a member of the Penn Medicine board. In 2007, he left Penn to become the executive vice president at his alma mater, the University of Delaware. He later served as a vice chancellor at North Carolina State University before returning to Wharton as its chief financial and operating officer in 2018 (Almanac December 11, 2018). He retired from Wharton and Penn in 2024. After retiring, Mr. Douglass served as interim vice president of finance and administration at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

“When I arrived at Wharton in 2020, during a pandemic that was forcing us to make tough decisions, Scott became my first and trusted friend,” said Wharton School Dean Erika James. “He quickly educated me on the operations, finances, and culture of Wharton, and then unequivocally supported me in those crucial early months. Our friendship only grew from there. I’m proud to have known and worked with Scott. His positive, outsized influence on Wharton is legendary, and it lives on in the school he helped build, and in the friends and colleagues—here and around our nation—whom he impacted.” Mr. Douglass was a respected member of the Penn and Wharton communities; many fond reminiscences of his time at Penn can be read here. 

Mr. Douglass is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his children, Evan, Meghan, Ryan, Caitlin; and grandchildren.

Donations in his honor can be made to WakeMed, where he received initial care, at https://www.wakemed.org/giving/make-a-gift, or to Duke University HomeCare & Hospice, which provided his final care, at https://www.givetodukeathome.org or to 4321 Medical Park Drive, Suite 100, Durham, NC, 27704.

Jonas S. Johansson, an emeritus associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care in the Perelman School of Medicine, died on March 10. He was 64. 

Born in Zug, Switzerland, Dr. Johansson spent his childhood in England, Sweden, and Brazil before enrolling at the University of Miami. There, he studied medicine and pharmacology, earning a BS in 1984 and an MD and PhD in 1990. He then completed his training in anesthesiology at Penn, then joined Penn’s faculty in 1994 as an assistant professor in anesthesiology. 

In 2003, he advanced to associate professor, a role he held until his retirement and assumption of emeritus status in 2024. Throughout his career at Penn, he published research papers on the pharmacology of anesthetics and taught multiple generations of future anesthesiologists.

Dr. Johansson is survived by his son, Erik (Kathryn); his grandsons, Oliver and Grady; and his brother and sister, Tomas and Lottie (Roland).

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Arbor Day Foundation in his name, in accordance with his love of nature and trees. 

Charles (Charlie) Edmund Mangan, a former associate clinical professor of obstetrics/gynecology in Penn’s School of Medicine and former chief of gynecologic oncology at Pennsylvania Hospital, died on December 25, 2024. He was 88.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Dr. Mangan graduated from Classical High School and then received his undergraduate degree from Brown University. He attended law school at Boston College, but then switched career paths, earning his pre-med degree at John Carroll University in Ohio and his medical degree at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and his fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). In 1968, he joined Penn’s faculty as an assistant instructor in obstetrics and gynecology. Five years later, in 1973, he joined the tenure track as an associate professor, and in 1977, his primary affiliation changed from the School of Medicine to HUP, where he was named an assistant professor/clinician-educator. In 1981, he became an associate professor/clinician-educator, and in 1988, an associate clinical professor. 

At HUP, Dr. Mangan conducted groundbreaking research into gynecologic oncology, publishing dozens of peer-reviewed articles in academic medical journals. As a physician and surgeon, Dr. Mangan was regularly named one of Philadelphia Magazine’s “Top Docs” and trained generations of physicians who followed him. In 1993, Dr. Mangan moved his practice from HUP to Pennsylvania Hospital, where he rose to become chief of obstetrics and gynecology, a role he held until his retirement. Outside of his professional duties, Dr. Mangan served in the U.S. Army (receiving an honorable discharge) and traveled extensively. 

He is survived by his wife, Selena; his children, Charles III, Patrick, and Jennifer; his grandchildren, Charles Patrick (Pat), Brigid (Ploy), Christoher (Kirk), Aileen (Kat), Charles IV, Merrick, Ailish, Declan, Fletcher, Emilio, and Madeline; and his great-grandchildren, Ivy, Raylan, Brinley and Sofia. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to a veterans’ organization of the donor’s choice. 

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To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Email almanac@upenn.edu.

The Faculty Senate has announced its leadership for 2025-2026: Past Chair: Eric A. Feldman (Penn Carey Law); Chair: Kathleen Brown (SAS); Chair Elect: Roy Hamilton (PSOM/Neurology).

The Board of Trustees held an executive committee meeting on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Penn President J. Larry Jameson presented two resolutions during his report—to appoint Mark Trodden as Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, and to appoint Kathryn Griffo as Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations. Both resolutions were approved.

During the academic report, Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., presented a resolution of faculty appointments and promotions, which was approved.

Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli presented Penn’s financial report for the nine months ending on March 31, 2025. For the consolidated University, total net assets were $32.3 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 4.6%, over March 31, 2024. The change in net assets from operations reflected an increase of $716 million; $179 million, or 33.3%, above last year.

For the academic component, the change in net assets from operations for the University reflected a $455 million increase versus a $262 million increase last year. Total revenue of $4.0 billion was $353 million, or 9.8%, above last year. For the health system, the change in net assets from operations reflected an increase of $163 million through March 31, 2025. Operating revenue increased $709 million, or 8.8%, from $8.1 billion as of March 31, 2024, to $8.8 billion.

During the Budget & Finance Committee report, nine resolutions were presented and approved:

• To increase the threshold for real estate transactions requiring Trustee approval
• To authorize the incurrence of up to $300 million in certain indebtedness 
• To increase lines of credit for the University of Pennsylvania by up to $500 million
• To declare University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS)’s intent to reimburse capital costs with proceeds of borrowings
• To authorize the financing of up to $300 million in indebtedness for certain capital projects and the refinancing of certain indebtedness for UPHS
• To authorize a commercial paper program of up to $300 million in indebtedness for capital projects or other expenses for UPHS
• To increase lines of credit for the UPHS by up to $200 million
• To authorize the joinder of Doylestown Hospital and the Doylestown Health Foundation (Doylestown entities) as members of the obligated group of UPHS; the modification and/or refinancing of certain indebtedness of the Doylestown entities; and the issuance of master notes by UPHS to secure certain indebtedness of the Doylestown entities
• To authorize an investment and three leases for UPHS at 30 Lawrence Road, Broomall, Pennsylvania; 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania; and 500 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania; with a total lease obligation of $57,424,835 (net present value)

Trustees Chair Ramanan Raghavendran presented a resolution to appoint Joshua Friedman to the board of managers of the Wistar Institute, which was approved. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for June 12-13, 2025.

The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions
Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Tri-Chairs’ Report. Faculty Senate Chair Eric Feldman discussed the potential impacts on the University of recent political events.

Call for 2025-2026 University Council Steering Committee Representatives. SEC members were invited to self-nominate to serve as faculty representatives for the 2025-2026 University Council Steering Committee.

Senate Committee Reports. SEC members heard and discussed reports given by chairs of certain Senate committees. Committee reports will be published in a future edition of Almanac.

Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (SCAFR). Professor Karen Tani reported on an interpretive guidance document circulated to members of school Committees on Academic Freedom.

Joint report from the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission (SCOF) and the Senate Committee on Faculty Development, Diversity, and Equity (SCFDDE). Professor Emily Steinlight (for SCOF) and Professor Nelson Flores (for SCFDDE) reported on their collaborative work to address the collective interests of associated faculty and academic support staff in shared governance and professional pathways within their respective areas.

Senate Committee on Students and Educational Policy (SCSEP). Professor Seema Bhatnagar reported on its review of the Charter of the Student Disciplinary System and impacts of recent federal court opinions and legislation on Penn’s admissions processes.

Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty (SCESF). Professor Iourii Manovskii reported on its review of faculty compensation data it received from University leaders, including recommendations to improve the economic status of Penn faculty based on information derived from the data and their limitations.

Appreciation for Outgoing Past Chair Vivian Gadsden and Welcome and Introduction of Chair-Elect Roy Hamilton. Professor Feldman recognized Professor Gadsden for her four years of service as a tri-chair of the Faculty Senate and presented her with a Statement of Appreciation signed individually by many SEC members. The statement is produced in full below. Professor Feldman then announced that Professor Roy Hamilton has accepted the nomination to serve as chair-elect of the Faculty Senate in 2025-2026.

Passing the Gavel. Professor Feldman introduced Professor Kathleen Brown as chair of the Faculty Senate and yielded the floor to her.

New Business. Nine SEC members introduced a proposal that SEC formally endorse a letter to President Larry Jameson and initiated by Andrea Liu, the Hepburn Professor of Physics, that had been signed by at least 650 faculty members and was delivered to the President on April 22, 2025. A brief discussion ensued about the appropriateness and timing of such an endorsement, after which Professor Brown (as Senate chair) ended discussion because of limited meeting time.

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In Appreciation of Vivian L. Gadsden’s Contributions to the University of Pennsylvania Faculty Senate

Whereas the American Association of University Professors’ 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities declares that “a college or university in which all the components are aware of their interdependence, of the usefulness of communication among themselves, and of the force of joint action will enjoy increased capacity to solve educational problems[;]”

Whereas the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania established a Faculty Senate in 1952 with the “power to make recommendations directly to the President, the Provost, and the Trustees, and to request reports from the University administration;”

Whereas Vivian L. Gadsden, the William T. Carter Professor of Child Development and Education, has faithfully and tirelessly served the University of Pennsylvania faculty for decades;

Whereas Professor Gadsden has not only represented the faculty but has also made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the areas of literacy and at-risk youth, fathers and families, intergenerational learning, and parental engagement, and has mentored countless students and junior faculty;

Whereas Professor Gadsden has gone well beyond the expectations of faculty governance by extending her term a full year and serving as past chair of the Faculty Senate twice;

Whereas Professor Gadsden’s service has occurred during momentously challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the forced resignation of Penn’s president, and an historic attack on higher education;

Therefore, be it resolved, that:

We, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee of the University of Pennsylvania, express our deepest gratitude to Professor Gadsden for her dedication to and stewardship of the University of Pennsylvania Faculty Senate as a tri-chair from 2021 to 2025; and

We commend Professor Gadsden for strengthening the University of Pennsylvania’s commitment to public education in Philadelphia and improving the quality of life for children and families in our urban communities.

Proposed:
Eric Feldman, Chair of the Faculty Senate [April 25, 2025]
Kathleen Brown, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate [April 25, 2025]

Endorsed:
Faculty Senate Executive Committee [May 14, 2025]

Thank you to all the Faculty Senate committees for their reports and their hard work. And a special thank you to Eric [Feldman], Vivian [Gadsden], and Patrick [Walsh]. They are models of dedication and hard work and have always acted in good faith to serve and protect faculty interests and those of the University. I have learned a lot from them this past year and I know I have big shoes to fill.

There is no implied criticism of my fellow tri-chairs in the fact that I bring a different vision to my term as chair of the Faculty Senate. My vision is informed by personal experience that includes 30 years at Penn and 40 years as an educator. It is also informed by my research into the history of this Faculty Senate and my strong desire to strengthen its voice in shared governance at Penn—not just despite the current existential challenges to higher education but also because of those challenges.

My overarching goal for the coming year is to revitalize the Faculty Senate and make it more robust and more democratic. Here’s how I think we can approach this:

1. We should review Faculty Senate governance capacity, past, present, and future, perhaps with some consideration of how shared governance works at other institutions. This will entail discussing how best to democratize all processes and procedures for selection to SEC, Faculty Senate committees, and the tri-chairs. It will mean reviewing exactly how we communicate with constituencies and how they communicate with us. This might also mean considering whether we should have elections for SEC and the tri-chairs as was past practice at Penn. Even if we reject the option of elections, a thorough review of our democratic practice will serve to make us stronger by making us more intentional in our practices and commitment to our governance structure.

2. We need more space during SEC meetings as well as outside these meetings to learn about the faculty’s different stakes in this University depending on school, discipline, dependence on federal funding, reliance on grad students to fulfill our teaching or research missions, and our status as Standing Faculty or as Associated Faculty or Academic Support Staff. This is both an educational and political project that will serve many purposes. It will also help us to identify common ground from which to speak with one voice when necessary. Right now, the main common ground I hear is fear, both from those who are frustrated that SEC has not spoken out about developments since January and wary of the consequences of silence; and those who want to speak out but fear that doing so will simply serve to make a dire situation worse. I am calling out this common element of fear in hopes of diminishing its role in informing our deliberations, but also in the hopes that we can move through it.

I want to affirm that I will be instructed by you and that I am committed to learning from you in order to better represent the faculty’s interests. Here is what this means in practical terms:

• The incoming chair of the Faculty Senate normally begins the summer of her term with a series of meetings with Deans and administrators. I prefer to devote my time and energy to talking with you, the faculty. If you tell me that you want me to meet with your Dean, I will do so. But I also want to meet with you and anyone else in your constituency who you tell me to meet.
• I have cleared my summer to hear from you directly. Email me to arrange a phone call, Zoom, or in-person meeting. If you wish to convey sensitive content over electronic media, please contact me on Signal. I will begin these meetings on June 12 for the duration of my term as chair.
• I need you—all of you. Give me your best thinking about how SEC can become more robust, how it can expand its practices from its main modes of communication: Tri-chair meetings with the President and Provost, committee reports published annually in Almanac, and Senate resolutions. Some other possible actions to consider:
  • Writing a faculty impact statement testifying to how the political attacks and funding freezes and cuts have affected our core missions;
  • Writing op-eds as individuals or small groups;
  • Holding Quaker-style meetings to share testimony about our experiences over the last several months so that we feel less siloed in our particular circumstances;
  • Soliciting an SEC report on how shared governance works at other institutions; and/or
  • Crafting a new resolution or open letter to the Penn community.

I am open to many possibilities going forward. My commitments are to process and the goals of strengthening the faculty arm of shared governance, not to any one proposed action. I do insist that we discuss our decisions openly, with a collective commitment to the process, rather than resort to back channels or opting out.

I am honored to serve the Faculty Senate alongside my fellow tri-chairs, Eric and Roy [Hamilton], and I am ready to do so.

—Kathleen Brown, David Boies Professor of History

To read Almanac's 2025 Commencement supplement, featuring the full texts of speeches given at Penn's 2025 Commencement and Baccalaureate and photos from both events, click here.

The Faculty Parental Leave and Teaching Relief Policy encompasses both the availability of the University’s Paid Parental Leave Policy and additional teaching relief for specified faculty that recognizes the unique demands of teaching semester-length courses. The policy has been updated, in consultation with the Council of Deans and other senior leaders, to clarify timing, eligibility, and the definition of teaching relief. We encourage faculty to consult with their schools/departments, as schools may adopt policies that build on the University’s policy. The updated policy can be found in Section II.E.4 of the Faculty Handbook.

—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost
—Laura W. Perna, Vice Provost for Faculty

Faculty Parental Leave and Teaching Relief Policy

The arrival of a new child into a family, at the time of birth, surrogacy, or adoption, typically requires that parents devote substantial time to childcare duties. The assumption of these substantial childcare duties often is incompatible with the time required by a faculty member’s full time University obligations.

A. Paid Parental Leave: Under a University employee benefits policy adopted in September 2018, full time Penn faculty and staff who meet applicable service requirements and are caregivers of children newly arrived in their homes through birth, surrogacy, or adoption are eligible for up to four consecutive weeks of paid parental leave for purposes of bonding. While on paid parental leave, the faculty member should perform no work for the University. Eligible faculty members are expected to take advantage of the Paid Parental Leave benefit.

Faculty members are required to notify their department chair and/or Dean in writing of their preferred leave schedule at an early date so that appropriate arrangements can be made to cover their responsibilities. The leave must be approved and taken within 12 months of the birth or arrival of the child.

B. Parental Teaching Relief for Faculty Teaching Semester-Length Courses. Four consecutive weeks of parental leave is not always practical for faculty with responsibilities for teaching semester-long courses or the equivalent.

• Standing Faculty and Practice Faculty: A member of the standing faculty or practice faculty, who is responsible for teaching semester-length courses and who is the caregiver of a child newly arrived in their home through birth, surrogacy, or adoption, is entitled, without reduction in pay, to an academic semester (approximately 14 weeks) without teaching duties. In addition, a member of the standing or practice faculty who gives birth is entitled to an additional semester without teaching duties corresponding to the semester in which the birth occurs.
• Other Full-Time Faculty Teaching Semester-Long Courses: An individual in eligible tracks who is responsible for teaching semester-long courses or the equivalent, is the caregiver of a child newly arrived in their home through birth, surrogacy, or adoption, is employed full-time, and has at least one year of continuous and contiguous full-time employment at Penn is entitled, without reduction in pay, to an academic semester (approximately 14 weeks) without teaching duties. Tracks eligible for a semester of teaching relief are: senior lecturer, lecturer in foreign languages or senior lecturer in foreign languages in the School of Arts & Sciences, lecturer in critical writing and senior lecturer in critical writing in the School of Arts & Sciences, lecturer in educational practice in the Graduate School of Education, and senior lecturers and advanced senior lecturers in the Graduate School of Education and School of Nursing.

Faculty are encouraged to consult with their dean/department chair, as individual schools may adopt teaching relief policies that build on the University’s policy.

1. The date of the arrival of the child through birth, surrogacy, or adoption and the faculty member’s teaching schedule will determine the appropriate timing for parental teaching relief. Semesters without teaching duties must be approved and taken within 12 months of the baby’s birth or arrival of the child in the home. The first semester of teaching relief will normally coincide with the semester in which the child is born or arrives in the home and the University’s Paid Parental Leave benefit is taken. If the child is born or arrives in the home during the summer, the first semester of teaching relief should be the fall semester that immediately follows.
2. The faculty member is required to notify the department chair and/or Dean in writing of their preferred teaching schedule at an early date so that appropriate arrangements can be made to cover their teaching.
3. Teaching relief is defined as relief from responsibilities related to course instruction. During the semester of teaching relief, eligible faculty are expected to take advantage of the University’s Paid Parental Leave benefit. During the University’s four-week Paid Parental Leave, no work should be performed for the University.

C. When both parents are faculty members at the University, each parent is entitled to paid parental leave or teaching relief as otherwise outlined in this policy.

D. University scholarly leaves and leaves for employment elsewhere may not be taken immediately after a parental leave and semester with teaching relief without the prior approval of the faculty member’s Dean.

E. Extension of the probationary period: For a “new child in the home,” non-tenured members of the standing faculty are eligible for an extension of their probationary period, and standing faculty-clinician educators and members of the research faculty are eligible for an extension of the promotion review period. See Section II.E.3.A. of this handbook for more information. Requests must be made within one year of the birth/arrival of the child.

F. Extension of the appointment term: Associated faculty (including practice faculty) and academic support staff who receive semester-length teaching relief under this policy will have their term of appointment extended by the length of the parental teaching relief.

The American Philosophical Society (APS) has announced the election of Penn Nursing’s Julie A. Fairman, the Emerita Nightingale Professor in Nursing, to its membership. She is only the second nurse to be elected to the APS in its long history.

Dr. Fairman is one of 37 distinguished individuals who are recognized for their outstanding achievements in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and technology, as well as leadership in industry, higher education, and nonprofit administration. The current elected membership of the APS consists of 817 resident members and 159 international members. A total of 5,854 members have been elected since 1743. “I am incredibly honored to be elected to this esteemed society and feel humbled to join the membership of internationally recognized scientists, scholars, and leaders,” Dr. Fairman added.

Dr. Fairman joins a distinguished lineage of APS members, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, and Sandra Day O’Connor. The APS was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin to bring together creative thinkers in the sciences and other fields of study (then referred to as “natural philosophy”), for the broad purpose of “promoting useful knowledge.” The APS continues to be a forum for the free exchange of ideas, exemplified by its twice-annual members’ meetings, the longest-running scholarly press in North America, a grants and fellowships program that brings scholars to the society to perform research at its library and museum and sends them into field sites and archives across the globe, and a museum that welcomes upwards of 100,000 visitors each year.

Stacey Lopez, Penn’s Vice President for Institutional Research & Analysis, has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of American Universities Data Exchange (AAUDE). She was the unanimous choice of the awards committee because of her sustained and dedicated efforts in leadership and service on behalf of the members participating in the data exchange.

Dr. Lopez has shown outstanding leadership and dedication to AAUDE. She co-hosted its annual meeting in 2024 (after planning a 2020 meeting that was canceled) and served on the Meeting Planning Committee in 2019, 2023, and 2025. Dr. Lopez has also presented at several other annual meetings. As a council member from 2016 to 2018, she co-led the selection process for the new AAUDE Administrative Host Institution, leading member discussions, evaluating proposals, and completing site visits. While these are many significant contributions, the committee noted that Dr. Lopez stands out for the extent and quality of her contributions as well as the quantity. Her nominator wrote: “Stacey has ensured that Penn has been a conscientious participate in the data exchange and she has served as thoughtful leader in the development and approval of our AAUDE policies.”

“Stacey has been a major contributor in helping AAUDE find and pursue its full potential,” said AAUDE in announcing the award. “It is because of outstanding individuals like Stacey and committed institutions like the University of Pennsylvania that the data exchange continues to fulfill its mission to provide useful information that informs decision-making within member institutions and in the broader policy discussions that pertain to research universities.”

Annenberg School doctoral candidate Kate Okker-Edging has been named the recipient of the 2025 James D. Woods Award.

Given in memory of Annenberg graduate student James D. Woods, the award is granted to outstanding graduate teaching assistants.

As a teaching fellow for COMM 3370: Public Health Communication in the Digital Age, Ms. Okker-Edging’s passion for teaching and dedication to student success led Annenberg professor Andy Tan to nominate her for the award.

Dr. Tan was impressed by Ms. Okker-Edging’s ability to weave real-world examples from her own research into her teaching, her exceptional attention to detail, and her willingness to go above and beyond to make sure students understood class materials and excelled in their own research projects.

“Kate was not just a teaching fellow, but a true educational catalyst who transformed the learning experience for our 27 students,” Dr. Tan said. 

In her own research, Ms. Okker-Edging focuses on improving mental health and well-being for youth and LGBTQ+ people through digital health interventions.

Penn’s Venture Lab has announced the 2025 winner of its annual Startup Challenge: Sync Labs, founded by Melanie Herbert, EE’25. 

Sync Labs is a healthtech company building AI-powered monitoring systems to address the caregiver shortage in senior living. Its platform, Alice, uses proprietary edge-based computer vision to detect critical daily activities like meals, bathroom use, and medication intake without recording video. By combining real-time behavioral insights with health data, Alice enables personalized, proactive care at a large scale. The system improves staff efficiency, reduces turnover, and supports up to three times more seniors per caregiver. With seven pilots launched and three generating revenue, Sync Labs is poised to scale across a $35.6 billion market.

Ms. Herbert and Sync Labs advanced their venture through Venture Lab’s VIP-X program, a competitive, application-based accelerator that provides advising, resources, and a supportive founder community to help student entrepreneurs grow and scale their startups.

For the fourth year in a row, the Startup Challenge was held in Tangen Hall, Penn’s hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation on May 2, 2025. Sync Labs was selected from a field of eight finalist teams, which advanced from 30 semifinalists. For the finals, teams pitched a panel of alumni judges and a live audience of nearly 150 attendees as they competed for over $150,000 in cash prizes, in-kind support, and other invaluable resources to launch their startups. 

“This year’s Venture Lab Startup Challenge put a spotlight on the creativity and problem-solving mindset of our student ventures,” said Lori Rosenkopf, the Simon and Midge Palley Professor of Management and vice dean of entrepreneurship at the Wharton School. “It’s inspiring to see these teams innovate with purpose and determination, and we are deeply grateful to our judges and the Venture Lab team for championing their work.”

The Startup Challenge marks the end of another exciting year of entrepreneurship across the Penn community. Students engaged in entrepreneurial programming found, develop, and scale companies, using the multitude of resources available within the Penn and Philadelphia ecosystems. 

Eric Tao, C’25, Gr’25, and Suraj Chandran, C’23, have each been awarded a 2025 Hertz Fellowship in applied science, engineering, and mathematics by the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation.

The Hertz Fellowship provides as much as five years of funding, valued at as much as $250,000, and the research flexibility and independence to pursue “solutions to some of our most vexing challenges.” Mr. Tao and Mr. Chandran are among 19 recipients of this year’s doctoral fellowship in the U.S. In addition to financial support, Hertz Fellows have access to lifelong programming, such as mentoring, events, and networking.

The Faculty Innovation Fund, a University-wide initiative to promote collaboration and generate new insights, is awarded by the Office of the Provost. The inaugural awardees are:

• Hydar Ali, School of Dental Medicine: Promoting Faculty Leadership through Effective Communication and Developmental Relationships
• Joseph Kable, School of Arts & Sciences: MindCORE Retreat–Connecting Minds: Building Collaborations to Explore Human Intelligence and Behavior Across Penn
• Damani White-Lewis, Graduation School of Education: On “Good” Teaching: A Qualitative Exploration of R1 Instructors’ Pedagogical Purposes, Philosophies, and Practices

The 2025 Summer AT PENN calendar is now available. Click here to view the calendar, and click here to view a printable PDF.

In advance of the official federal holiday, the Penn Museum will host its annual Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Admission is free for everyone. The family-friendly festival commemorates the importance of June 19, 1865, which marks the official emancipation of enslaved people in Texas.

The Penn Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free access to its world-renowned galleries, exhibitions, and outdoor gardens for everyone.

From 10 a.m. to noon, Forum Philly will host its annual Juneteenth Honors Program in Harrison Auditorium. Open to all, it highlights K-12 students, families, and educators who developed educational projects as part of the 2025 Juneteenth Schools Initiative (25JSI)—through which Juneteenth-centered learning will take place in public, charter, and faith-based K-12 schools, reaching thousands of students across the Philadelphia, William Penn, and Southeast Delaware County districts.

“Juneteenth reminds us that progress comes through the pursuit of equality and the rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Our 2025 Juneteenth Schools Initiative empowers K-12 students to shape civic education,” said Rev. Malcolm T. Byrd, president of Forum Philly and a member of the Penn Museum’s Community Advisory Group, which advocates for community-informed partnerships like this one. “We encourage students and their parents to be intentional about getting a well-rounded, fact-based historical perspective on American history and the importance of preserving democracy, freedom, and the dignity of all.”

From noon to 6 p.m., the Museum’s Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom will feature:

• Event host Starfire, curating a high-energy celebration of community (1 p.m.)
• Inspirational storytelling with Black Boys Makin’ Noise (2 p.m.)
• All-ages interactive workshops in historic Stoner Courtyard, such as Double Dutch with Philly Girls Jump (2-4 p.m.); African drumming led by Karen Smith (3 p.m.); and line dancing with Kenny J (5-6 p.m.)
• A marketplace spotlighting local Black-owned businesses and organizations that are focused on health and wellness
• Food trucks offering sweet and savory fare for purchase, plus a special afternoon menu at the Penn Museum Café

Visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket or portable chairs to relax in the gardens and enjoy the outdoor performances.

Tia Jackson-Truitt, director of staff and community engagement at the Penn Museum, said the festival builds on the success of previous celebrations and invites everyone to participate.

“In consultation with our Penn Museum Community Advisory Group and with feedback from community members who attended our inaugural celebration, we are excited to host the second Juneteenth Celebration at the Penn Museum,” Dr. Jackson-Truitt said. “As we partner with artists and small businesses from across the city, we look forward to welcoming all visitors to these enriching festivities. It continues to be an honor to introduce new community members to the widespread offerings of the Museum.”

Advance registration is required to receive free tickets to the Juneteenth festival.

Conferences

28        Textual Remediations: The Society for Textual Scholarship 2025 Conference; aims to bring new voices into dialogue and present innovative approaches for expressing cultural heritage, communal knowledge, and historical memory; all day; Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt Library; register: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events/textual-remediations-society (Penn Libraries). Through May 30.

Fitness & Learning

28        Virtual Fulbright Kick-off Call; learn about the Fulbright Scholarship, which funds 8-12 months of international experience in over 140 countries; 7 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/curf-fulbright-may-28 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

30        Virtual Fulbright Brainstorming Workshop; learn about the Fulbright Scholarship, which funds 8-12 months of international experience in over 140 countries; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/curf-fulbright-may-30 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

College of Liberal & Professional Studies

Online webinars. Info and to register: https://www.lps.upenn.edu/about/events.

29        Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Virtual Application Completion Session; 12:30 p.m.

Graduate School of Education

Online webinars. Info and to register: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar.

29        School Leadership Program Virtual Information Session; 7 p.m.

30        Friday Virtual Chat: Master's Edition; 9 a.m.

Penn Libraries

Various locations. Info: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events.

28        Spikeball; a screen-free break with one of the libraries’ spikeball sets; 11:30 a.m.; outdoor courtyard behind Levy Dental Library.

            Handwritten Text Recognition Projects with Manuscript Collections as Data Research Group; learn how AI and handwritten text recognition (HTR) are changing the way we research and teach with manuscripts; 12:30 p.m.; room 241, Van Pelt Library, and online webinar.

Talks

29        Center for Innovation and Precision Dentistry Symposium; Drew Weissman, infectious diseases; Joseph DeSimone, Stanford University; Edward Zuckerberg, Painless Social Media; time TBA; online webinar; register: https://form.fillout.com/t/4DjDDcnLvqus (Penn Dental Medicine).

This is an update to the May AT PENN calendar. The Summer AT PENN calendar is online now. To submit events for the monthly AT PENN calendar or weekly calendar updates, email almanac@upenn.edu.

Division of Public Safety
University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons and/or Crimes Against Property from the campus report for May 12-18, 2025. The Crime Reports are available at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes. Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety (DPS) and contains all criminal incidents reported and made known to the Penn Police, including those reported to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) that occurred within our patrol zone, for the dates of May 12-18, 2025. The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police.

In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call DPS at (215) 898-7297. You may view the daily crime log on the DPS website.

Penn Police Patrol Zone
Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street

Philadelphia Police 18th District
Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 11 incidents were reported for May 12-18, 2025 by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

The Division of Public Safety offers resources and support to the Penn community. DPS developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

• See something concerning? Connect with Penn Public Safety 24/7 at (215) -573-3333.
• Worried about a friend’s or colleague’s mental or physical health? Get 24/7 connection to appropriate resources at (215) 898-HELP (4357).
• Seeking support after experiencing a crime? Call Special Services - Support and Advocacy resources at (215) 898-4481 or email an advocate at specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu
• Use the Walking Escort and Riding services available to you free of charge.
• Take a moment to update your cellphone information for the UPennAlert Emergency Notification System
• Download the Penn Guardian App which can help Police better find your location when you call in an emergency.
• Access free self-empowerment and defense courses through Penn DPS.
• Stay alert and reduce distractions; using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.
• Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
• Keep your valuables out of sight and only carry necessary documents.

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Saying goodbye to the 2024-2025 academic year is bittersweet. But whether you leave your computing device at work, leave it at home, or take it with you on a trip, make sure to protect your device from scams and compromises. 

• Install and run anti-virus software that is provided by Penn at no cost. Sophos Home is the University-supported anti-virus software for personal devices running Windows and Mac operating systems. 
• Back up your data on a regular basis. Remove unnecessary or no-longer-needed data from your devices. Make sure to be a good steward of Penn data.
• Encrypt your device to ensure against unauthorized access while traveling. See the link below for information on how to encrypt your device. 
• Duo Mobile can work without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. To manually generate a code, open the Duo application, tap on the “University of Pennsylvania” account and enter the code that appears in the two-step verification screen.
• Read email and text messages carefully before you respond. If you feel it is suspicious, report it to your IT support staff, whether you are at home or traveling. As good practice, avoid clicking on email links and attachments that prompt you to take immediate action. Hover over the link to verify its authenticity. Neither the University nor financial and government institutions will ask you for your credentials and sensitive information in an email. 
• Check the U.S. Department of State travel advisory for destinations you should avoid visiting. 

Have a relaxing holiday!

Sophos Home: https://www2.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/antivirus-desktops-and-laptops

Data risk classification: https://www2.isc.upenn.edu/security/data-classification

Two-step verification before you travel: https://isc.upenn.edu/pennkey/two-step-verification-you-travel

More on encryption: https://www2.isc.upenn.edu/security/encryption

U.S. Department of State travel advisory: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/ 

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts%23One-Step-Ahead.

The University’s Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024 (FY2024) was published in December and remains available online. View the report on the Division of Finance website.

Please direct any questions or comments to Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Mark Dingfield at vpfinance@pobox.upenn.edu. 

Nominations for the 2025-2026 PPSA Chair Elect and Board have been received, and voting is officially open through Friday, June 13, 2025! Cast your vote today and help shape the future of PPSA!

All full-time, monthly-paid University staff members can vote for the above positions via https://upenn.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e9CMlYWA3mHna1o and are encouraged to attend the PPSA Annual Members and Elections Meeting on June 10, 2025, from 12-1 PM with guest speakers, Felicia Washington, Vice President of Human Resources and Tom Sontag, Executive Director of Talent Management.

The election process is governed by the PPSA Bylaws, available on the PPSA website at http://ppsa.upenn.edu. For more information or questions, please contact ppsa@lists.upenn.edu.

—Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA)