From a much-needed refurbishing and upgrade of the Penn Boathouse on historic Boathouse Row, to the renovations of Stouffer College House and of Sansom Place East high-rise, to construction of the all-new Ott Center for Track and Field on the southwest corner of campus in Penn Park, we continue to expand our commitment to exceptional facilities for student life beyond the classroom. Penn’s physical campus continues to evolve and advance in important ways as well. And later this fall, as we have done previously, we will conduct an extensive survey of both standing and associated faculty to gather information to assist the University in guiding policy development, assessing potential areas for improvement or concern, and benchmarking against peer institutions. A major conference in partnership with the Graduate School of Education is slated to take place here on campus next March to address key questions about the future of global higher education. To commemorate this milestone, we look forward to hosting exciting events around the world throughout the coming academic year, celebrating Penn as a global institution with expected alumni events in London, Delhi, and Singapore. Of special note at the start of this new academic year, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Penn Global, marking a decade since the adoption of the University’s first global strategic framework. Penn is a university that continually asks, what’s next? Whether it was a tour through the workings of our Division of Public Safety, an insider’s view of the Division of University Life, a visit with Penn First Plus staff and newly arriving students, or any of the many one-on-one visits with faculty and department chairs across Penn’s 12 schools, at every turn I’ve encountered a sense of engagement, enthusiasm, and anticipation of even greater things to come. People have been genuinely excited to welcome me, to show me what they do and where they do it, and to try to give me a sense through their own eyes of what makes this place so special. What has come through clearest of all has been the pride and deep sense of ownership that staff, faculty, and students feel in their work here. I have been out looking for what happens within. As much as possible, I’ve been out of College Hall and into the labs and classrooms, offices and conference rooms, walkways and workspaces that are the contours of Penn’s tight-knit community. I have been spending my time meeting and hearing from people all across the University this summer. Welcome Back from the President: Out and About
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