The 30-Year Squat
Three decades ago a “ragtag army of squatter-minded poets” took possession of a modest cottage at 38th & Locust Walk and conjured by candlelight a vision of a “house for writers.” Today Kelly Writers House is a University institution that hosts a dizzying variety of classes, readings, and other events and sits at the center of a constellation of affiliated programs whose impact stretches around the globe. But in a lot of ways it hasn’t changed at all. Plus: ModPo’s story in The Classroom and the Crowd.
Home Turf
Lost lawn, lost dream?
The Pride of Lombard Street
Of “banana whackies” and voting rights.
Lessons from History
Historian’s advice to Class of 2026: Be like FDR.
$20 Million for Middle-Income Student Financial Aid
$20 million to boost financial aid for middle-income families.
From Prank to Proud Honor
The man who made the spoons for the “Spoon men.”
Tuition and Aid for 2026–27 Academic Year
2026–27 costs and aid to rise 3.8 percent.
Hyper Text
Synthetic text extrusion. Virtual teaching assistants. Illusions of mastery. Silicon Socrates. Four years after the debut of ChatGPT, higher education is starting to look different.
No Rough PAACHes
PAACH celebrates 25 years.
Huntsman Senior Named Rhodes Scholar
Huntsman Program senior Florence Onyiuke is a Rhodes Scholar.
Art Stewards
Visual Art | Art Match program turns dorm rooms into (temporary) galleries.
Collaboration and Community
“Collaboration … is our superpower.”
Helping Hands
Penn First Plus aims to level the college and early-career playing field for first-generation, low-income students and alumni at the University.
Counting Days
“Oom Sha La La will take on a meaning of its own.”
A Villa in the City
A new oldest Penn building.
Beyond Salvation
Repeat salvation seeker.
May the Odds Be Ever in their Favor
Elizabeth Banks C’96 on choices, failure, and safety nets.
President’s Prizes Announced
2025 President’s Prize winners announced.
“A Peaceful Place”
Back to the garden.
Close Your Eyes
“Three months, I told myself.”
Course Corrections
On the 65th anniversary of the Penn Course Guide, a deep dive into what contemporary Penn undergraduates actually study—and how their choices have changed over time.
The Surprising Roads to Rhodes
College senior Om Gandhi is a 2025 Rhodes Scholar.
Embracing the New
Class of 2028 urged to “embrace what is new to you.”
Where Research Meets Community
PennFERBS wants to help the next generation of scientific leaders.