Sir Henry Thornton, On and Off the Rails
Knighted by Britain for his work as the Allies’ “railroad czar” in World War I, the Penn alumnus and Pennsylvania Railroad veteran went on to remake the Canadian National Railways before the Great Depression, poor health, and scandal brought him low.
And the Band Played On
For 125 years, the Penn Band has been an omnipresent and energetic presence at sporting events, campus ceremonies, and whenever “Penn is out and about in the community.”
The Outsider’s Insider
If there is a crisis (and there have been a few lately), Andy Slavitt C’88 W’88 knows which expert to bring “in the bubble.” When he’s not taping his award-winning podcast, the former insurance executive and federal administrator has a day job:funding innovation in healthcare for those who need help the most. “I have one thing I care about,” he says. “Making this country better for the people who have been ignored for too long.”
Homecoming 2022
Our annual photo gallery. Plus: Alumni Award of Merit winners and citations.
Franklin’s World
Zeke Emanuel finds more to say on Benjamin Franklin in online course.
25 Years of 10 Lives
Feline kidney transplant program marks 25 years.
Homecoming Football, On Delay
Fossil Free Penn interrupts Homecoming football game at halftime.
“No Place for Unruly Women”
Drew Faust Gr’75 on the Penn women who “led the charge and led the change.”
Donate or Unsubscribe?
Get money out of politics! (Small dollar edition.)
Remembering Rainey
“Fro” Rainey and the “military-industrial-academic complex.”
The Beautiful Game
Penn’s men’s soccer team brings home an Ivy championship—and an NCAA tourney win to remember.
Grand Finale
Running back Trey Flowers enjoys an epic ending to his Penn football career.
Working Overtime
Zachary Weiner C’14 cofounded the sports media company Overtime.
Drawing Down the Lightning, Making the Moment
On her inauguration day as the University’s ninth president, Liz Magill shared a vision of even greater impact and influence for Penn’s next chapter, picnicked on Shoemaker Green with members of the Penn community and some favorite musicians, and hosted a wide-ranging conversation with Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan at a critical time for the institution.
Obstacle Course
The Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy aims to turn varsity athletes into lifelong masters of team dynamics. Among the obstacles? Snowplow parenting, youth sports, self-reinforcing gender stereotypes, and the culture of leader-worship itself. Oh, and possibly a rattlesnake or a freak mudslide.
House of Resiliency
Opened in 1972 as a safe haven and a hub for Black students, Du Bois College House has overcome turmoil and undergone evolution over the last half century. Now, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, what will the next 50 years look like for the small dormitory with big ambitions?
The Texas Tax
The Lone Star State fired a shot at banks pursuing ESG policies. Local taxpayers are taking the hit.
Night Fever
DJ “Michael the Lion” (also a researcher and lecturer in the Weitzman School of Design) is a big believer in the nighttime economy.
Annenberg Addition
New Weitzman Theatre will adjoin Annenberg Center.
Protests and Disagreements
With a pause for protests, Magill welcomes the Class of 2026.
Extreme Avoidance
A future of abundant, affordable, sustainable energy is achievable—if politics doesn’t stand in the way.
Combatting Abortion Stigma
A call to remove abortion “stigma” in post-Roe America.
James Husson to Head Development and Alumni Relations
New leadership in DAR, public safety, and treasurer’s office.
Research Briefs
Extreme heat and mortality, COVID reservoirs in deer.