John Marchese, a writer at Philadelphia Magazine, reflects on the course Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (a.k.a. “ModPo”), which is taught by Penn professor Al Filreis and offered on the digital learning platform, Coursera.
The Fels Institute of Government partnered with the impact venture fund ToVenture for the second annual B Good Pitch Competition on Friday, April 21. Open to graduate and non-degree students in disciplines other than business administration, this social entrepreneurship competition invites participants to propose sustainable solutions to real-world challenges, to connect with resources and like-minded peers, and to compete for seed grants to further develop their ideas. Students from across Penn gathered in the Fels courtyard for the 60-second pitches.
On Sunday, May 14, Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) welcomed family, friends, faculty, and the Class of 2023 for a graduation ceremony at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. This year, LPS conferred 487 degrees on graduating students: 70 undergraduate degrees and 417 master’s degrees, which is the largest group of graduating professional master’s students to date.
As Professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department at Penn, Alain Plante spends much of his time in Hayden Hall—a red brick and terracotta building named for Ferdinand Hayden, a 19th-century geologist who was instrumental in establishing Yellowstone National Park. When Alain was invited to lead an alumni trip to Yellowstone, he says, “I really went down the rabbit hole.
Dan J. Tomasulo, PhD, is a Master of Applied Positive Psychology alumnus and currently the academic director at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Columbia University. In a recent article on the Psychology Today website, he writes about people who are high in hope, and how these people tend to have better physical and mental well-being, can see the possibilities and opportunities in challenges that come their way, and not only overcome obstacles but “seem to bounce forward and keep going despite the challenges.”
Anton Ledesma (Master of Applied Positive Psychology `21) first encountered positive psychology as an undergraduate studying abroad in Copenhagen—which, he notes, has continuously been listed as one of the happiest cities. The experience “changed the way I looked at life and the way I wanted to pursue my studies,” he recalls.
The College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to congratulate Gabrielle Solair and Elana (Ellie) Forman for being named Dean's Scholars, an honor presented annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise.
The College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to congratulate M. Ruth Elliott and Martin Seligman for being named 2023 distinguished teaching award winners.
When Adam Thiel (Master of Philosophy in Organizational Dynamics `27—expected) joined the Philadelphia Fire Department as the first non-Philadelphian Fire Commissioner since Benjamin Franklin, he wanted to spend his first few years immersed in the ins and outs of the city and its municipal organizations. Then he was ready to dedicate some time to educational pursuits. “I always need to be learning, or it’s like a piece of me is missing,” he explains.
After two decades of success in the pharmaceutical industry—in various customer-facing and business roles at Sanofi—Kelly Rebmann Shepperson (Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics ’22) was ready to pivot. While the vaccine company’s mission of prevention is deeply meaningful to her, she admits realizing that solving business problems was not her passion. “I love strategy and tactics; I'm good at those things,” she says, “But I like solving people and leadership problems a little bit better.”
The lifelong learning division of Penn Arts & Sciences
3440 Market Street, Suite 100
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3335
(215) 898-7326
lps@sas.upenn.edu
