Volume 3, Issue 1
August 2009

ISS Members Break Record | Profile of an Ivy Stone Society Member |
Penn Reading Project | Newsbytes

Ivy Stone Society Members Break Record in Fiscal Year 2009

In a year when fundraising proved to be a challenge, proud Penn alumni stepped forward in 2008-2009 and made giving back to Penn a priority. The Penn Fund is proud to report that a record number of you – our Ivy Stone Society members – renewed or initiated your membership in fiscal year 2009. This totaled over 16,000 members! Your membership is the core of The Penn Fund as we focus on increased participation at any level among Penn alumni.

Some other highlights from fiscal year 2009 include:

• The senior class shattered the previous participation record to break 68% participation as part of the Unite ONine: Seniors for The Penn Fund campaign.

• The Penn Fund raised over $22.6 million, making FY09 the third highest fundraising year in Penn Fund history.

• He asked and you responded! Brett Barth, Chair of The Penn Fund Executive Board, released a video thanking Penn Fund donors for their demonstration of support this past fiscal year. View video.

Profile of an Ivy Stone Society Member: Katherine Sledge Moore, C’03, CGS’05

Name: Katherine Sledge Moore
Class Year: 2003
Where Are You Now? I am living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, earning my Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Michigan.

Why did you choose to attend Penn?
I had two great campus visits to Penn. Like many other Penn students, I felt at home on Locust Walk. What sealed the deal was a visit to a music theory classroom. The teacher was energetic and the students were truly engaged. I couldn’t wait to get on campus and take that course. Though I declared a Cognitive Science major, I did end up with a minor in Music.

What are your favorite memories from your time here?
My best memories from Penn stem from my involvement in extra-curricular activities and Penn traditions. I’ll never forget the feeling of unity and pride I had when parading around campus on Hey Day with my junior class. Other unforgettable moments include buzzer-beaters at the Palestra to the sound of roaring fans, and finally seeing through the hard work of midnight and weekend rehearsals when putting on a Soundworks Tap Factory performance.

Your loyal giving to The Penn Fund makes you the definition of a Proud Penn Donor. When did you first start giving to The Penn Fund and what prompted you to?
I started giving to The Penn Fund upon graduation and I’ve continued to give each year. I gave because I wanted to demonstrate my school spirit and to repay Penn for everything it had given me. I’m sure I was influenced by seeing the signs on Locust walk reporting how much Princeton seniors were giving. In reality, I had such an excellent experience at Penn that I wanted to make it possible for another student to have the same.

You celebrated your 5th reunion last year. What was the best part of that experience?
The best part of reunion weekend was seeing both good friends and those whom I hadn’t talked to in years. It was a lot of fun finding out what everyone was up to.

What has inspired you to continue giving every year?
I keep giving every year for the same reasons I gave before. I want to contribute to helping future students choose and enjoy Penn.

What is your advice for current students at Penn?
Enjoy yourselves! Spend some time exploring Philadelphia. Take interesting electives outside of your field rather than declaring a double major. It’s not too late to join an extra-curricular activity in your senior year. Likewise, if you’re in a major or some other commitment that you’re not enjoying, it’s not too late to switch gears and make the most of your time at Penn. I’ve always told people that Penn has something for everyone, so find your niche!

How would you advise Penn students to give back and stress the importance of it?
When it comes time to graduate, consider donating if you enjoyed your time here. Even if you are still paying loans, try forgoing your morning coffee for just a week or two and donating that money back to Penn. Every dollar helps!

What about the Ivy Stone Society inspires you?
It’s great to be a part of a group that cares so much about Penn and wishes to make it a better place and accessible to more students.

Penn Reading Project to Focus on the Thomas Eakins Painting ‘The Gross Clinic’

Reading a painting? This year, Penn’s incoming freshmen will test their visual literacy in this year’s Penn Reading Project with “The Gross Clinic,” an 1875 Thomas Eakins painting showing a surgery in progress.

The masterpiece is jointly owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

“The Gross Clinic” represents the first departure from a text-only book in the 19-year history of the Penn Reading Project.

“The PRP website has a host of special features, including a ‘Guide to Seeing’ that the art-history department is putting together,” David Fox, director of the project, said. “There will be high-quality images of ‘The Gross Clinic’ on the site and podcasts to help students explore the painting visually and to underscore some of the things to look for.”

Accompanying readings will include materials that give historical context to the painting as well as news clippings that detail the campaign to keep the painting in Philadelphia in 2006, when it was to have been sold. Copies of the painting will be given to students who have limited web access.

The students will have the opportunity to view a later Eakins painting, his 1889 “Agnew Clinic,” on their visit to the Philadelphia Art Museum as part of their PRP experience.

The reading project is one of a series of events in Arts & the City Year, a Penn theme-year initiative, which kicks off officially Sept. 22 and celebrates arts and culture across campus and throughout the neighborhood, city and region. Additional information is available at artsandthecity.org.

Ivy Stone Newsbytes

• The $26.9 million George A. Weiss Pavilion project, slated for completion in the spring of 2010, is now underway. The project will revamp the north side of Franklin Field, add retail space, and an intercollegiate strength and weight training center and the Robert A. Fox Fitness Center for general University use. Read more.

• President Amy Gutmann addressed the University community in August 2009 about the state of the economy. Read the statement here.

• The University of Pennsylvania has become the first Ivy League school to partner with The Posse Foundation, which recruits and trains young people from urban high schools and sends them to top-tier colleges and universities as multicultural groups of 10 called "Posses." Read more.

• The University of Pennsylvania’s director of athletics, Steve Bilsky, has announced the hiring of Mike Murphy as head coach of the Penn men’s lacrosse program. Read more.