Dear Classmate,

Can you believe it has been almost a year since our 10-year reunion at Penn? It seems like just yesterday that we were marching down Locust Walk as the class with the best attendance, and then heading over to the University Museum for a night of food, drink, and fun. Well, even though we don't have a reunion this year, there are still plenty of reasons to come back to Penn for Alumni Weekend, May 16-18. This year's Alumni Weekend will feature a diverse array of general programming for all (even non-reunion year) alumni, including the Picnic and Parade of Classes on Saturday, May 17.

Plus, it's always fun to just walk around campus and note all of the changes. When I visited campus for Homecoming this Fall, I walked up to 40th Street and was overwhelmed by the development that is occurring there. In addition to The Foundation (a venue for arts programming that serves the Penn and West Philadelphia communities), and a 24-hour supermarket (Fresh Grocer), the newest addition is The Bridge: Cinema De Lux. Located at 40th and Walnut, it is more than just a movie theater; The Bridge features live entertainment, a concierge service, a wide array of food, and six screens. I also walked through the mammoth new Wharton building, stretching from Walnut to Locust along 38th Street. Jon M. Huntsman Hall opened its doors to Wharton students during the fall semester and was dedicated during a two-day celebration in October. Penn is really making a dramatic impact on all of West Philadelphia. Check out the Campus Development Plan.

Those of you who know me know that I'm not much of a jock (to put it mildly). However, if there's one sport I love to watch, it is Penn Basketball. The Basketball season started in late November and will run through March. For tickets to games, call the Penn Athletic Ticket Office at (215) 898-6151. Or, for those who can't make it to a game, call PennPhone at (215) 898-4519 for scores and highlights. More info is available at www.pennathletics.com.

As you can hear, there is a lot happening at Penn. Hopefully, many of you will make it back to Penn for Alumni Weekend - May 16-18 - to see it in person. For travel arrangements to Philadelphia during Alumni Weekend, call Fran Abrahamer Rosenstock, CW '62,GED'64, at Monarch Travel (800) 458-7177. Until then, please continue to visit the class website (and the rest of Penn's home on the web). And, don't forget to keep us posted on all of the exciting changes in your world, too.

See you soon,
Ira J. Hillman, C'92, W'92
Class President