TheUniversityofPennsylvania(commonlyreferredtoasPennorUPenn)isaprivateresearchuniversitylocatedinPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania,USA.Pennisthefourth-oldestinstitutionofhighereducationintheUnitedStates,andisoneofseveralinstitutionsthatclaimstohavebeenthefirstuniversityinAmerica.PennisamemberoftheIvyLeagueandisoneoftheColonialColleges.
BenjaminFranklin,Penn'sfounder,advocatedaneducationalprogramthatfocusedasmuchonpracticaleducationforcommerceandpublicserviceasontheclassicsandtheology.PennwasoneofthefirstacademicinstitutionstofollowamultidisciplinarymodelpioneeredbyseveralEuropeanuniversities,concentratingmultiple"faculties"(e.g.,theology,classics,medicine)intooneinstitution.Pennistodayoneofthelargestprivateuniversitiesinthenation,offeringaverybroadrangeofacademicdepartments,anextensiveresearchenterpriseandanumberofcommunityoutreachandpublicserviceprograms.Pennisparticularlywellknownforitsmedicalschool,dentalschool,businessschool,lawschool,socialsciencesandhumanitiesprogramsanditsbiomedicalteachingandresearchcapabilities.Itsundergraduateprogramsarealsoamongthemostselectiveinthecountry.
InFY2009,Penn'sacademicresearchprogramsundertookmorethan$730millioninresearch,involvingsome3,800faculty,1,000postdoctoralfellowsand5,400supportstaff/graduateassistants.MuchofthefundingisprovidedbytheNationalInstitutesofHealthforbiomedicalresearch.PenntopstheIvyLeagueinannualspending,withaprojected2009budgetof$5.542billion.In2008,itrankedfifthamongU.S.universitiesinfundraising,bringinginabout$475.96millioninprivatesupport.
IncorporatedasTheTrusteesoftheUniversityofPennsylvania,Pennisoneof14foundingmembersoftheAssociationofAmericanUniversities.
FranklinassembledaboardoftrusteesfromamongtheleadingcitizensofPhiladelphia,thefirstsuchnon-sectarianboardinAmerica.Atthefirstmeetingofthe24membersoftheBoardofTrustees(November13,1749)theissueofwheretolocatetheschoolwasaprimeconcern.AlthoughalotacrossSixthStreetfromIndependenceHallwasofferedwithoutcostbyJamesLogan,itsowner,theTrusteesrealizedthatthebuildingerectedin1740,whichwasstillvacant,wouldbeanevenbettersite.OnFebruary1,1750thenewboardtookoverthebuildingandtrustsoftheoldboard.In1751theAcademy,usingthegreathallat4thandArchStreets,tookinitsfirststudents.Acharityschoolalsowasopenedinaccordancewiththeintentionsoftheoriginal"NewBuilding"donors,althoughitlastedonlyafewyears.
Foritsdateoffounding,theUniversityuses1740,thedateof"thecreationoftheearliestofthemanyeducationaltruststheUniversityhastakenuponitself"(thecharityschoolmentionedabove)duringitsexistence.
TheinstitutionwasknownastheCollegeofPhiladelphiafrom1755to1779.In1779,nottrustingthen-provosttheRev.WilliamSmith'sloyalisttendencies,therevolutionaryStateLegislaturecreatedaUniversityoftheStateofPennsylvania.Theresultwasaschism,withSmithcontinuingtooperateanattenuatedversionoftheCollegeofPhiladelphia.In1791thelegislatureissuedanewcharter,mergingthetwoinstitutionsintotheUniversityofPennsylvaniawithtwelvemenfromeachinstitutiononthenewboardoftrustees.ThesethreeschoolswerepartofthesameinstitutionandwereoverseenbythesameboardofTrustees.
PennhasthreeclaimstobeingthefirstuniversityintheUnitedStates,accordingtouniversityarchivesdirectorMarkFrazierLloyd:the1765foundingofthefirstmedicalschoolinAmericamadePennthefirstinstitutiontooffer"undergraduate"andprofessionaleducation;the1779chartermadeitthefirstAmericaninstitutionofhigherlearningtotakethenameof"University";andexistingcollegeswereestablishedasseminaries.
AfterbeinglocatedindowntownPhiladelphiaformorethanacentury,thecampuswasmovedacrosstheSchuylkillRivertopropertypurchasedfromtheBlockleyAlmshouseinWestPhiladelphiain1872,whereithassinceremainedinanareanowknownasUniversityCity.
Penn'seducationalinnovationsinclude:thenation'sfirstmedicalschoolin1765;thefirstuniversityteachinghospitalin1874;theWhartonSchool,theworld'sfirstcollegiateschoolofbusiness,in1881;thefirstAmericanstudentunionbuilding,HoustonHall,in1896;thecountry'ssecondschoolofveterinarymedicine;andthehomeofENIAC,theworld'sfirstelectronic,large-scale,general-purposedigitalcomputerin1946.PennisalsohometotheoldestcontinuouslyfunctioningpsychologydepartmentinNorthAmericaandiswheretheAmericanMedicalAssociationwasfounded.
Penn'smottoisbasedonalinefromHorace’sIII.24(Book3,Ode24),quidlegessinemoribusvanaeproficiunt("ofwhatavailemptylawswithout[good]morals")From1756to1898,themottoreadSineMoribusVanae.Whenawagpointedoutthatthemottocouldbetranslatedas"Loosewomenwithoutmorals,"theuniversityquicklychangedthemottotoliteraesinemoribusvanae("Letterswithoutmorals[are]useless").In1932,allelementsofthesealwererevised,andaspartoftheredesignitwasdecidedthatthenewmotto"mutilated"Horace,anditwaschangedtoitspresentwording,LegesSineMoribusVanae("Lawswithoutmorals[are]useless").
Theofficialschoolcolorsareredwithhexvalue#990000,andbluewithhexvalue#011F5B.InprintedmaterialstheyarePMS201redandPMS288blue.
TheUniversityofPennsylvaniahasfourundergraduateschools:
TheCollegeofArtsandSciencesistheundergraduatedivisionoftheSchoolofArtsandSciences,whichalsocontainstheGraduateDivisionandtheCollegeofLiberalandProfessionalStudies,Penn'sdivisionfornon-traditionalundergraduateandgraduatestudents.
Pennhasastrongfocusoninterdisciplinarylearningandresearch.Itoffersjoint-degreeprograms,uniquemajors,andacademicflexibility.Penn's"OneUniversity"policyallowsundergraduatesaccesstocoursesatallofPenn'sundergraduateandgraduateschools,exceptthemedical,veterinaryanddentalschools.UndergraduatesatPennmayalsotakecoursesatBrynMawr,Haverford,andSwarthmore,Penn'sfellowsintheQuakerConsortium.
Thefollowingschoolsoffergraduateprograms:
Pennoffersspecializedjoint-degreeprograms,whichawardcandidatesdegreesfrommultipleschoolsattheUniversityuponcompletionofgraduationcriteriaofbothschools.Undergraduateprogramsinclude:
DualDegreeprogramswhichleadtothesamemultipledegreeswithoutparticipationinthespecificaboveprogramsarealsoavailable.Unlikejoint-degreeprograms,"dualdegree"studentsfulfillrequirementsofbothprogramsindependentlywithoutinvolvementofanotherprogram.SpecializedDualDegreeprogramsincludeLiberalStudiesandTechnologyaswellasaComputerandCognitiveScienceProgram.BothprogramsawardadegreefromtheCollegeofArtsandSciencesandadegreefromtheSchoolofEngineeringandAppliedSciences.
Forgraduateprograms,therearemanyformalizedjointdegreegraduateprogramssuchasajointJ.D./MBA.PennisalsothehometointerdisciplinaryinstitutionssuchastheInstituteforMedicineandEngineering,theJosephH.LauderInstituteforManagementandInternationalStudies,theInstituteforResearchinCognitiveScience,andtheExecutiveMaster'sinTechnologyManagementProgram.
Penn'shealth-relatedprograms—includingtheSchoolsofNursing,Medicine,DentalMedicine,andVeterinaryMedicine,andprogramsinbioengineering(SchoolofEngineering)andhealthmanagement(theWhartonSchool)—areamongtheuniversity'sstrongestacademiccomponents.Thecombinationofintellectualbreadth,researchfunding(eachofthehealthsciencesschoolsranksinthetop5inannualNIHfunding),clinicalresourcesandoverallscaleranksPennwithonlyasmallhandfulofpeeruniversitiesintheU.S.
ThesizeofPenn'sbiomedicalresearchorganization,however,addsaverycapitalintensivecomponenttotheuniversity'soperations,andintroducesrevenueinstabilityduetochanginggovernmentregulations,reducedfederalfundingforresearch,andMedicaid/Medicareprogramchanges.Thisisaprimaryreasonhighlightedinbondratingagencies'viewsonPenn'soverallfinancialrating,whichranksonenotchbelowitsacademicpeers.Pennhasworkedtoaddresstheseissuesbypoolingitsschools(aswellasseveralhospitalsandclinicalpractices)intotheUniversityofPennsylvaniaHealthSystem,therebypoolingresourcesforgreaterefficienciesandresearchimpact.
PennisoneofthemostselectiveuniversitiesintheUnitedStates.FortheClassof2014enteringinthefallof2010,theUniversityreceivedarecord-setting26,938applicationsandadmitted14.2percentoftheapplicants,markingPenn'smostselectiveadmissionscycleinthehistoryoftheUniversity.FortheClassof2012enteringinfall2008,theuniversityreceived22,935applicationsandadmitted16.95percentoftheapplicants,99%ofwhomwereinthetop10%oftheirhighschoolclasses.Sixty-threepercentoftheadmittedapplicantsmatriculated.In2007,Penn'sacceptanceratewas15.9%,with96%ofincomingfreshmenrankedinthetop10%oftheirhighschoolclasses.Inthelast5years,Pennhasreceivedaround26,000applicationsforeachfreshmanclass,hasadmittedonaverage15percentofapplicationsandsawabout65percentofadmittedapplicantsmatriculate.Further,Pennconsistentlyranksamongthe10toughestschoolstogetinto,accordingtothePrincetonReview.TheAtlanticalsorankedPennamongthe10mostselectiveschoolsinthecountry.
Atthegraduatelevel,Penn'sadmissionsrates,likemostuniversities',varyconsiderablybasedonschoolandprogram.BasedonadmissionstatisticsfromU.S.NewsandWorldReport,Penn'smostselectiveprogramsincludeitslawschool,thehealthcareschools(medicine,dentalmedicine,nursing),anditsbusinessschool.
Universityrankings(overall)
U.S.News&WorldReportrankedPenn#4(tiedwithCaltech,MITandStanford)forundergraduateeducationinits2010review.PennisrankedfourthintheIvyLeaguebehindHarvard,Princeton,andYale.Inthepast,Pennwasranked#4byU.S.Newsin2005and#6in2009.
In2008,theBritishTimesHigherEducationmagazinerankedPenn11thintheworldand7thamongU.S.universities.In2007,Pennplaced15thontheShanghaiJiaoTongUniversity'sAcademicRankingofWorldUniversities.TheCenterforMeasuringUniversityPerformanceranksPenninitstopclusterofresearchuniversitiesinthenation,tiedwithColumbia,Harvard,MIT,andStanford.In2007,TheWashingtonMonthlyrankedPenn17thoverall,and4thamongprivateinstitutions(behindCornell,Stanford,andMIT)onitslistofuniversities'contributionstonationalservice(Research:totalresearchspending;Ph.D.sgrantedinscienceandengineering;CommunityService:thenumberofstudentsinROTC,PeaceCorps,etc.;andsocialmobility:percentageof,andsupportfor,Pellgrantrecipients).Forbes.comrankedPenn#83ontheir2009editionof"America'sBestColleges."
UniversityofPennsylvania'sundergraduatebusinessprogramatWhartonhasretainedits#1rankinginU.S.Newsformanyyears.
Penn'sartsandscienceprogramsareallwellregarded,withmanydepartmentsrankedamongstthenation'stop10.Attheundergraduatelevel,Wharton,Penn'sbusinessschool,andPenn'snursingschoolhavemaintainedtheir#1,2or3rankingssinceU.S.Newsbeganreviewingsuchprograms.IntheSchoolofEngineering,topdepartmentsarebioengineering(typicallyrankedinthetop5byU.S.News),mechanicalengineering,chemicalengineeringandnanotechnology.Theschoolisalsostronginsomeareasofcomputerscienceandartificialintelligence.
Penn'sgraduateschoolsareamongthemostdistinguishedschoolsintheirfields.Penn'sGraduateSchoolofArtsandSciencesisgenerallyregardedasoneofthetopschoolsinthenation(see1995rankingsbytheNationalResearchCouncil).AstudyupdatedtheNRCrankingsandadjustedthemforfacultysizeandalsofactoredoutreputationalsurveys(sayingthatsuchsurveyswerelaggingindicatorsofacademicquality).Thatstudy,"TheRiseofAmericanResearchUniversities:ElitesandChallengersinthePostwarEra,"rankedPenn'sarts,humanities,andsciencesdepartments7thintheUS.
Amongitsprofessionalschools,theschoolsofDesign,business,communication,dentistry,medicine,nursing,andveterinarymedicinerankinthetop5nationally(seeU.S.News,NationalResearchCouncil,andPlanetizenaswellasDesignIntelligence's"America'sBestArchitecture&DesignSchools").Penn'sLawSchoolisranked7th,anditsSchoolofEducationandSchoolofSocialPolicy&Practice(SP2)arerankedinthetop10(seeU.S.News).
PennbordersDrexelUniversityandisneartheUniversityoftheSciencesinPhiladelphia.
Penn'slibrarybeganin1750withadonationofbooksfromcartographerLouisEvans.Twelveyearslater,then-provostWilliamSmithsailedtoEnglandtoraiseadditionalfundstoincreasethecollectionsize.Morethan250yearslater,ithasgrownintoasystemof15libraries(13areonthecontiguouscampus)with400FTEemployeesandatotaloperatingbudgetofmorethan$48million.Thelibrarysystemholds5.76millionbookandserialvolumesaswellas4.15millionmicroformitems.Itsubscribestoover68,000printserialsande-journals.
Penn'sLibraries,withassociatedschoolorsubjectarea:
TheUniversityMuseumwasfoundedin1887.DuringtheearlytwentiethcenturyUPMconductedsomeofthefirstandmostimportantarchaeologicalandanthropologicalexpeditionstoEgypt,Mesopotamia,Africa,EastAsiaandSouthAmerica,thusthecollectionincludesaverylargenumberofantiquitiesfromancientEgyptandtheMiddleEast.Itsmostfamousobjectisthegoatrearingintothebranchesofarosette-leafedplant,fromtheroyaltombsofUr.ThemuseumalsohasastrongcollectionofChineseartifacts.FeaturesofitsBeaux-ArtsbuildingincludeadramaticrotundaandgardensthatincludeEgyptianpapyrus.UPM'sscientificdivision,MASCA,focusesontheapplicationofmodernscientifictechniquestoaidtheinterpretationofarchaeologicalcontexts.
TheInstituteofContemporaryArt,whichisbasedonPenn'scampus,showcasesvariousartexhibitionsthroughouttheyear.
UniversityresidencesincludeDuBoisCollegeHouse,FisherHassenfeldCollegeHouse(formerlyWoodland),GregoryCollegeHouse,HarnwellCollegeHouse,HarrisonCollegeHouse,HillCollegeHouse,KingsCourtEnglishCollegeHouse,RiepeCollegeHouse(formerlySpruceHouse),RodinCollegeHouse(formerlyHamiltonCollegeHouse),SansomPlaceEast/West,StoufferCollegeHouse,andWareCollegeHouse.Withinthecollegehouses,Pennhasnearlyfortythemedresidentialprogramsforstudentswithsharedinterestssuchasworldcinemaorscienceandtechnology.
Manyofthenearbyhomeson40-42ndareoftenrentedbyundergraduatestudentsmovingoffcampusafterfreshmanyear.
OfthoseacceptedforadmissiontotheClassof2013,39.2percentareAsian,Hispanic,African,orNativeAmerican.Womencomprise51.3percentofallstudentscurrentlyenrolled.
Morethan13%ofthefirstyearclassareinternationalstudents.OftheinternationalstudentsacceptedtotheClassof2008,48.1%werefromAsia;15.8%werefromAfricaandtheMiddleEast;14.1%werefromEurope;11.7%werefromCanadaandMexico;10%werefromtheCaribbean,CentralAmerica,andSouthAmerica;0.4%werefromAustraliaandthePacificIslands.Atotalof2,440internationalstudentsappliedforadmissiontoPenn'sundergraduateschoolsfortheClassof2008,and489(20%)wereaccepted.
ThePhilomatheanSociety,foundedin1813,istheUnitedStates'oldestcontinuously-activeliterarysociety.Thestudent-runTVstationUTV13istheoldestcollegeTVstationinthecountry.TheMaskandWigClubistheoldestall-malemusicalcomedytroupeinthecountry.TheUniversityofPennsylvaniaGleeClub,foundedin1862,isoneoftheoldestcontinuallyoperatingcollegiatechorusesintheUnitedStates.Itsbest-knownandlongest-servingdirectorwasBruceMontgomery,wholedtheclubfrom1956until2000.
TheUniversityofPennsylvaniaBandhasbeenapartofstudentlifesince1897.ThePennBandperformsatfootballandbasketballgamesaswellasuniversityfunctions(e.g.commencementandconvocation)throughouttheyear.Ithasacurrentmembershipofapproximately80students."TheRedandtheBlue"and"FightOnPennsylvania"arenotablesongscommonlyplayedandsungatuniversityeventsandgames.
Penn'ssportsteamsarenicknamedtheQuakers.TheyparticipateintheIvyLeagueandDivisionI(DivisionIFCSforfootball)intheNCAA.Inrecentdecadestheyoftenhavebeenleaguechampionsinfootball(12timesfrom1982to2003)andbasketball(22timesfrom1970to2006).ThefirstathleticteamatPennwasitscricketteam.
RowingatPenndatesbacktoatleast1854withthefoundingoftheUniversityBargeClub.Theuniversitycurrentlyhostsbothheavyweightandlightweightmensteamsandanopenweightwomensteam,allofwhichcompeteaspartoftheEasternSprintsLeague.Inadditiontoseveralworldclassandlegendarycrewsthroughtheyears,PennRowinghasbothenjoyedandproducedalonglistofworldfamouscoachesandolympians,includingJohnB.Kelly,Jr.,JoeBurk,RustyCallow,HarryParker,andTedNash.TheteamsrowoutofCollegeBoatClub,#11BoathouseRow.TheprogramiscurrentlyunderthedirectionofmensheadcoachGregMyhr.
ThePennMen'sRugbyFootballClubisrecognizedastheoneoftheoldestcollegiaterugbyteamsinAmerica.TheearliestdocumentationofitsexistencecomesfromtheDailyPennsylvanian,October22,1910:"Penn'sRugbyTeamStudentsPracticeonFranklinFieldat7o'clockam":
"SuchisthedevotiontoEnglishrugbyfootballonthepartofUniversityofPennsylvania'sstudentsfromNewZealand,Australia,andEnglandthattheymeetonFranklinFieldat7o'clockeverymorningandpracticethegame.Thevarsitytrackandfootballsquadsmonopolizethefieldtosuchanextentthattheearlyhoursofthemorningaretheonlyonesduringwhichtherugbyenthusiastscanplay.AnytimeexceptFriday,SaturdayandSunday,asquadof25menmaybeseenrunningthroughthehardestkindofpracticeafterwhichtheymaydivideintotwoteamsandplayahardgame.Onceaweek,captainCCWalton,'11,dental,whohailsfromNewZealand,givestheenthusiasticplayersablackboardtalkinwhichheexplainstheintricaciesofthegameindetail…"-DailyPennsylvanian,10/22/1910
TheteamexistedonandoffduringtheWorldWars,withthecurrentclubhavingitrootsinthe1960s.Whilethecurrentteamnolongerrisessoearlyinthemorningforpractice,thetraditionofhardworkandenthusiasmdevelopedbyCCWaltonliveson.
Theclubcontinuestostriveforthehighestlevelofplay,whilealsoenjoyingthecamaraderieandsocialaspectsofthegame.In1992,PennwontheIvyLeagueChampionship,defeatingDartmouthinthefinal.In2004,PennMen'sRugbywontheEasternPennsylvaniaRugbyUnionchampionship.
PennfirstfieldedafootballteamagainstPrincetonattheGermantownCricketClubinPhiladelphiaonNovember11,1876.
Pennfootballmademanycontributionstothesportinitsearlydays.Duringthe1890s,Penn'sfamedcoachandalumnusGeorgeWashingtonWoodruffintroducedthequarterbackkick,aforerunneroftheforwardpass,aswellastheplace-kickfromscrimmageandthedelayedpass.In1894,1895,1897,and1904,Pennwasgenerallyregardedthenationalchampionofcollegiatefootball.TheachievementsoftwoofPenn'soutstandingplayersfromthatera—JohnHeismanandJohnOutland—arerememberedeachyearwiththepresentationoftheHeismanTrophytothemostoutstandingcollegefootballplayeroftheyear,andtheOutlandTrophytothemostoutstandingcollegefootballinteriorlinemanoftheyear.
Inaddition,eachyeartheBednarikAwardisgiventocollegefootball'sbestdefensiveplayer.ChuckBednarik(Classof1949)wasathree-timeAll-Americancenter/linebackerwhostarredonthe1947teamandisgenerallyregardedasPenn'sall-timefinest.InadditiontoBednarik,the'47squadboastedfour-timeAll-AmericantackleGeorgeSavitskyandthree-timeAll-AmericanhalfbackSkipMinisi.AllthreestandoutsweresubsequentlyelectedtotheCollegeFootballHallofFame,aswastheircoach,GeorgeMunger(astarrunningbackatPennintheearly'30s).Bednarikwentontoplayfor12yearswiththePhiladelphiaEagles,becomingtheNFL'slast60-minuteman.HewaselectedtotheProFootballHallofFamein1969.Duringhispresidencyoftheinstitutionfrom1948to1953,HaroldStassenattemptedtorecultivatePenn'sheydayofbig-timecollegefootball,buttheeffortlackedsupportandwasshort-lived.
ESPN'sCollegeGameDaytraveledtoPenntohighlighttheHarvard-PenngameonNovember17,2002,thefirsttimethepopularcollegefootballshowhadvisitedanIvyLeaguecampus.
Pennbasketballissteepedintradition.Pennmadeitsonly(andtheIvyLeague'ssecond)FinalFourappearancein1979,wheretheQuakerslosttoMagicJohnson-ledMichiganStateinSaltLakeCity.(Dartmouthtwicefinishedsecondinthetournamentinthe1940s,butthatwasbeforethebeginningofformalLeagueplay.)Penn'steamisalsoamemberofthePhiladelphiaBig5,alongwithLaSalle,SaintJoseph's,Temple,andVillanova.In2007,themen'steamwonitsthirdconsecutiveIvyLeaguetitleandthenlostinthefirstroundoftheNCAATournamenttoTexasA&M.
FranklinFieldiswheretheQuakersplayfootball,fieldhockey,lacrosse,sprintfootball,andtrackandfield(andformerlysoccer).Itistheoldeststadiumstilloperatingforfootballgamesandwasthefirststadiumtosporttwotiers.Ithostedthefirstcommerciallytelevisedfootballgame,wasoncethehomefieldofthePhiladelphiaEagles,andwasthesiteofearlyArmy–Navygames.TodayitisalsousedbyPennstudentsforrecreationsuchasintramuralandclubsports,includingtouchfootballandcricket.FranklinFieldhoststheannualcollegiatetrackandfieldevent"thePennRelays."
Penn'shomecourt,thePalestra,isanarenausedformen'sandwomen'sbasketballteams,volleyballteams,wrestlingteam,andPhiladelphiaBigFivebasketball,aswellashighschoolsportingevents.ThePalestrahashostedmoreNCAATournamentbasketballgamesthananyotherfacility.PennbaseballplaysitshomegamesatMeiklejohnStadium.
TheOlympicBoycottGamesof1980wereheldattheUniversityofPennsylvaniainresponsetoMoscow'shostingofthe1980SummerOlympicsfollowingtheSovietincursioninAfghanistan.Twenty-nineoftheboycottingnationsparticipatedintheBoycottGames.
Pennpridesitselfonbeingasecularuniversity,althoughitdoesmaintainadequateresourcesforreligiousstudents.ItsOfficeoftheChaplainhoststhreestaffmembersincludingachaplainandvicechaplain,inadditiontoapart-timeMuslimspiritualleader.ThePennReligiousCommunitiesCouncil(PRCC),whichconsistsof25religiousleadersatPenn(noneofwhomaredirectlysponsoredbytheuniversity),meetsonceamonthwiththechaplainstodiscussissuesandeventspertinenttoreligiouslife.ProgramsinReligious,Interfaith,andSpiritualityMatters(PRISM)servesastherepresentativeofallundergraduatefaithorganizationstotheuniversityandfacilitatesinterfaithdialogue,cooperation,andevents.
Thereare7religiousgroupswithover100membersoncampus:HillelforJewishstudents,NewmanCenterforCatholics,MuslimStudentsAssociation(MSA),HinduStudentCoalition/YoungJainsofAmerica(HSC/YJA),PennStudentsforChrist(PSC)forProtestants,IntervarsityChristianFellowship(PennIV),andtheChristianAssociation(CA).HillelandtheNewmanCenterhaveindependentlyownedbuildingsonornearcampus,whilesomeofthesmallergroupsworkoutoftheReligiousActivityCommons(RAC)onLocustWalk.
Theuniversityhascomeunderfireseveraltimesinrecentyearsforfreespeechissues.Inspiteofthis,PennisoneofonlytwoIvyLeagueuniversities(theotherbeingDartmouthCollege)toreceivethehighestpossiblefreespeechratingfromthewatchdoggroupFoundationforIndividualRightsinEducation,foundedbynotedPennprofessorandcivillibertarianAlanCharlesKors.PennalsomaintainstheStudentCommitteeonOpenExpression,whichmonitorsanddeliberatesoverissuesoffreespeechbetweencampusgroups.
NotableUniversityofPennsylvaniaalumniinclude9signersoftheDeclarationofIndependence:GeorgeClymer,BenjaminFranklin,FrancisHopkinson,ThomasMcKean,RobertMorris,WilliamPaca,GeorgeRoss,BenjaminRush,andJamesWilson;11signersoftheConstitution:GeorgeClymer,ThomasFitzsimons,BenjaminFranklin,JaredIngersoll,RufusKing,ThomasMifflin,GouverneurMorris,RobertMorris,GeorgeWashington,HughWilliamson,andJamesWilson;3UnitedStatesSupremeCourtjustices:WilliamJ.Brennan,Jr.,OwenRoberts,andJamesWilson;and1presidentoftheUnitedStates:WilliamHenryHarrison.OthernotablePennalumniincludeentrepreneursWarrenBuffettandDonaldTrump,poetsEzraPoundandWilliamCarlosWilliams,linguistandpoliticaltheoristNoamChomsky,andvariousNobellaureates.23PennaffiliateshavewonNobelPrizes,ofwhom4arecurrentfacultymembersand6arealumni.
TheQuadDormitories
TheFisherFineArtsLibrary,formerlyTheFurnessLibrary
High-risedorms,St.Mary'schurchintheforeground
IrvineAuditorium
Coordinates:39°57′14″N75°11′35″W/39.953885°N75.193048°W/39.953885;-75.193048