The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of its ninth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, including the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) student team who was awarded first place in the demonstration project category. The Campus Rainworks Challenge is a national competition that invites college students to address stormwater pollution by designing green infrastructure solutions for local school or college campuses.

The Free Library of Philadelphia Board of Trustees has elected Folasade (Sade) Olanipekun-Lewis to serve as its new chair starting in June 2021. “The 21st century library is more than a place where you go to check out books,” says Olanipekun-Lewis, who has served as treasurer for the library’s board since 2016, as well as the co-chair of the board’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. “It’s become our neighborhood cultural center. It’s become our neighborhood job placement center. It’s become a place where we feed our children. It’s a nucleus and a safe haven.”

Pivoting to online classes to keep students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced challenges—but also opportunities. Our innovative LPS community discovered new ways to stay connected.

Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies (MES) emphasizes hands-on, practical experience as well as academic rigor, so the stay-at-home orders in spring 2020 had a different impact on students planning to pursue internships and research in the field. Even so, the faculty and program team were well-equipped to make the transition to remote learning.

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

Following the University announcement about this year’s commencement ceremony, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to announce that we will again host a virtual celebration to honor our graduates. While we cannot gather in person this May, we want all of our graduating students to be able to celebrate their accomplishments with family, friends, and loved ones. 

Penn Grad Talks (formerly known as Grad Ben Talks) features TED Talk-style presentations by Penn Arts and Sciences graduate students, including five this year from LPS professional master’s programs. Penn Grad Talks went virtual in 2021 and announced Ashley Session, a Fels Master of Public Administration student, as the professional master’s program category winner.

The LPS student presentations included:

Sulaiman W. Rahman, CEO of DiverseForce, has been selected to address the College of Liberal and Professional Studies Class of 2021 at the graduation celebration on Sunday, May 16.

The University of Pennsylvania announced the 2021 recipients of the Thouron Award, including Emily Davis, a Bachelor of Arts student in Penn's College of Liberal and Professional Studies.

Looking for ways to persevere through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to positive psychology—and the aspect of resilience—for hope. Even Karen Reivich, director of resilience and positive psychology programs through Penn’s Positive Psychology Center and instructor in the College of Liberal and Professional Studies’ Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, needed a boost.