Volume 2, Issue 6
May 2009

Alumni Weekend 2009 | 253rd Commencement |
Profile of an Ivy Stone Society Member | Newsbytes

Alumni Return to Campus for Alumni Weekend 2009

Thousands of Penn alumni and their families returned to campus last weekend to celebrate Alumni Weekend 2009. The weekend included lectures, visits, activities and parties. Reunion classes gathered in venues across the campus on both Friday and Saturday nights to celebrate their milestone years.

On Saturday, the traditional parade commenced down Locust Walk followed by the picnic located on both College Green and Hill Field. Alumni and their families explored the campus, children's activities, and the Penn Fair booths.

The Penn Fund was once again out with our Proud Penn Voices web project, interviewing alumni about their Penn memories. Keep an eye out for these new videos to be posted by next week. In the meantime, enjoy audio and video from past alumni events here: www.alumni.upenn.edu/pennfund/proudpennvoices.html

To view photos from Alumni Weekend, click here.

Visit reunion class websites to learn about their fundraising goals here: www.alumni.upenn.edu/pennfund/classpages.html

Penn Honors Class of 2009 with 253rd Commencement

On Monday, May 18, Penn held its 253rd Commencement in which roughly 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the Class of 2009 proudly received their degrees.

For the 23rd consecutive year, the ceremony was held at the storied Franklin Field, in front of thousands of friends and family members, fellow students, staff, faculty and alumni.

Eric Schmidt, the chairman and chief executive officer of Google, delivered the Commencement Address at the University-wide ceremony. He also received an honorary doctor of science degree.

Additional honorary degree recipients included: Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of California-based Patagonia Inc.; George Crumb, composer and Penn professor emeritus; Yvonne Mokgoro, a judge with the Constitutional Court of South Africa in Pretoria; Susan Solomon, a leader in atmospheric science; and Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate.

Chouinard received an honorary doctor of humane letters; Crumb, an honorary doctor of music; Solomon, an honorary doctor of science; and Mokgoro and Yunus, an honorary doctor of laws.

Read about Penn’s Commencement on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennCommence. Penn's Commencement ceremony is available for viewing on the University of Pennsylvania YouTube channel.

Story originally published in Penn Current.

Profile of an Ivy Stone Society Member: Karen Chance, C’99, GR’08

Karen S. Chance, C’99, GR’08, is the definition of a proud Penn alumna. Class volunteer, Ivy Stone Society member, and Penn staff member are just a few of her titles. This past weekend, Karen had the opportunity to celebrate her hard work as a volunteer at Alumni Weekend 2009. Her 10th reunion class is well on its way to exceeding its fundraising goals, and Karen had a chance to talk to the Insider about this and much more before returning to campus last weekend.

Where are you now?
I work in Penn’s New York Regional Office as a Senior Associate Director in the Global Alumni Network for Alumni Relations. I manage alumni clubs in the Metro New York area, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Middle East.

What made you choose Penn when you first enrolled?
Initially, I chose Penn based on its prestigious academic reputation, my interest in International Relations, the Study Abroad program offerings and close proximity to New York where I grew up. I fell in love with Penn when I visited during Penn Previews. As I walked down Locust Walk, I had a magical connection to what makes Penn so special---I knew this would become my new intellectual home.

Your history of giving definitely makes you a Proud Penn Donor. When did you first start giving to The Penn Fund and what prompted you to give?
My senior year, I realized I wanted to give back to Penn through a lifelong commitment. I felt being a gift chair was my service to my alma mater. I had a wonderful undergraduate experience at Penn and saw The Penn Fund as a way to continue my Penn relationship as a proud alumna.

What has inspired you to continue giving every year?
I am inspired daily by all that is Penn—our amazing students and alumni, dedicated staff, renowned faculty and not to mention the incredible research breakthroughs. It is my hope we will continue to strengthen our annual giving tradition at Penn so that the classes celebrating their 10th and 15th reunions are cultivated and stewarded so that by their 50th reunion, philanthropy and reunion volunteering become automatic thoughts. We are making great strides and inroads because of the Penn Traditions program for recent young alumni. The collaboration efforts of Alumni Relations and The Penn Fund to engage current students and recent alumni in giving back to Penn is definitely what we need to continue the momentum towards philanthropy and engagement of recent graduates.

You are an active volunteer within The Penn Fund. What motivates you to fundraise on behalf of your class?
My first exposure to volunteering at Penn started as a gift chair during my senior year in 1999. The Penn Fund staff (Catherine Sullivan & Jean Findlay) encouraged my enthusiasm and passion to give back to Penn in a tangible and meaningful way. I had a phenomenal four years at Penn, therefore fundraising on behalf of my class is truly an honor—it is my thank you for an awesome Penn experience. I feel connected to Penn’s mission as an active volunteer; moreover, I use my volunteerism to help further Penn’s impact.

What is the most rewarding part of volunteering?
The most rewarding part for me is helping to cherish and uphold our missions, values and traditions through philanthropy. My purpose for giving and volunteering is to ensure that every year incoming students, regardless of their financial means, can experience the Penn of today and our dynamic alumni network. I live my life as an example of what the alumni network can do for current and future Penn students.

In addition to being a volunteer, you are also a Penn employee. What motivated you to work at your alma mater?
Did you know that my Penn professional experience is connected to a conversation I had with a Penn Fund staff member? After 9/11, I received a call from Helen Radenkovic, C’00, FELS’06, my Class Giving Director, to check-in with volunteers living in New York. I was touched to hear from her and mentioned my job search and interest in changing careers. Helen asked me if I ever thought about working for Penn. I said “No way, I loved Penn, but I am not moving back to Philadelphia. I would work for Penn in New York at the Penn Club of New York if there was a suitable position open”. Helen said she would check and get back to me. Two weeks later, she emailed me the Alumni Relations position on the Global Alumni Network team. I started working for Penn in February 2002. Seven years later, I am still enjoying my position with Penn today.

What is your favorite memory of Penn?
I have so many special memories of Penn as an undergraduate, staff member and graduate student—it is hard to single one memory out over the myriad of special ones. I would say both Convocation and Commencement are favorite memories. Walking down Locust Walk, the heart of campus as an incoming student and then as a graduate four years later were memorable moments for me. This special memory is recreated every year as an Alumni Relations staff member working with alumni carrying class flags at Commencement. As a staff member, I have the unique opportunity to relive special Penn moments. Last year, I graduated with a Master of Science degree from the Organizational Dynamics Program in the School of Arts and Sciences. It was even more special that at my Commencement, one of my dear Penn friends Rev. Charles “Chaz” Howard, C’00, was serving as Interim Chaplain.

Why do you choose to give to The Penn Fund as a priority?
Why not? Unrestricted giving is a huge priority for Penn to reach our goals. Therefore, it is an important priority for me as a class fundraiser. I recognize the power and consistency of annual gifts. I also appreciate and value the significant differences each gift can make to help transform Penn’s priorities into realities.

You are celebrating a reunion this May. Congratulations! What aspect of your reunion are you most excited about?
Besides reaching our fundraising and donor participation goals, I am also excited about reconnecting with classmates after 10 years. Through my involvement in the 10th reunion as gift chair, I worked closely with classmates on the gift committee that I did not know while at Penn. I am also thankful for the dedication and commitment of the Penn Fund staff: Maryann O’Leary, SW’08, Helen Radenkovic, C’00, FELS’07, graduate intern Ashaki Charles, GEd’09, and fellow classmate Rebecca Calvert, C’99, for being a wonderful support team.

What advice do you have for current students at Penn?
I advise current students to take full advantage and leverage all the benefits and resources at Penn. I encourage students to network with their peers, faculty, administrators and alumni. I also remind them they are a part of the Penn family automatically and have immediate access to our robust alumni network.

How would you advise Penn students to give back and how would you stress the importance of it?
I advise Penn students to get involved locally, regionally and globally in volunteer activities which require both time and financial commitments. I would encourage them to do something to make Penn a better place for those yet to come. Additionally, I would encourage students who enjoyed their Penn experience to participate in the Senior Class Gift Drive as either a co-chair or committee member.

Ivy Stone Newsbytes

• Seniors for The Penn Fund exceeded their fundraising goal and broke donor records for senior gift drives. Learn more.

• Three weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal asked the presidents of 10 top colleges and universities to complete an unusual assignment: answer an essay question from their own school's admissions application. Among the "applicants" was Penn's Amy Gutmann. Learn more.

• In the beginning of this month, The Penn Fund launched a newly redesigned website featuring updated content and a brand new multimedia section. Explore the new site at www.alumni.upenn.edu/pennfund.

• A trio of University of Pennsylvania professors from the School of Arts and Sciences and a senior critic in Penn’s School of Design have been awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. Learn more.

• The University of Pennsylvania has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the nation’s leading purchaser of green power among institutions of higher learning. Learn more.

• Funding from telecommunications giant AT&T will allow Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships to help more high school students stay in school and prepare for college. Learn more.

Editor’s Note: In our March issue, we featured a profile of Ivy Stone Society member James Brower, C’03 but did not include his name in the article. We apologize to James for the oversight!