Announcements

Dear graduate student community members in Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, Ancient History, Anthropology, Classical Studies, History of Art, Near East Languages and Civilization, and the Penn Museum: We are devastated to share the difficult news of the death of your friend and classmate, G. Maurice Harton. Maurice passed away in his off-campus residence this week.

The University of Pennsylvania will name its School of Design in honor of award-winning designer and footwear icon Stuart Weitzman, Wharton Class of 1963, in recognition of his lifetime transformational support of the University and his active engagement in our academic activities.

I know I speak on behalf of the entire Penn community in saying how horrified I am at the unconscionable, despicable acts of violence perpetrated against members of the Tree of Life Synagogue earlier today. Our deepest sympathies go out to all in the Pittsburgh community who have been absolutely devastated by such senseless acts of hatred. What a sad and horrifying day it is for our entire country. That these shootings and other acts of violence occur with such frequency is an ongoing national tragedy.

Dear Mid-Career students, staff, and faculty,   With sorrow, we share the news of the passing of Naomi Evers Lynch, a lifelong educator who began pursuing a doctoral degree at 61 and battled cancer for the duration of her time in the Mid-Career program in Educational Leadership.   Naomi, 64, died September 2 in Virginia, where she lived. Her research focused on using civics lessons to help adolescents become engaged citizens with strong critical-thinking skills.

Dear members of the SP2 community, We write today to offer support as we confirm the difficult news that Cameron Avant Driver, a part-time MSW student on track to finish his degree in 2020, passed away last night after suffering a medical emergency.

Dear Independent School Teaching Residency Community,

We continue to be very troubled by the executive order, now upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, that prohibits travelers from seven countries from entering the United States, five of them majority-Muslim.

Important research undertaken by undergraduate students in the Penn Slavery Project independent study supervised by Penn Professor Kathleen M. Brown, the David Boies Professor of History in the School of Arts and Sciences, has given us a clearer understanding of the depth and breadth of Penn’s connections to slavery. This was a profoundly painful and odious part of our nation’s history. No segment of American society or institution founded during the 18th Century, including the University of Pennsylvania, escaped its scourge. Far from it.

This year, we have seen a vibrantly energized culture of wellness at Penn. In October, we held a Campus Conversation to discuss how we can best take care of ourselves and others. We followed this Conversation in November by launching a Campaign for Wellness and announcing increased staffing and an operational review at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

Dear members of the Penn Law community, We write to share the sad and painful news that Jonathan Lumpkin L’20 died suddenly today in residence at Sansom Place East. Our hearts are heavy, and we extend our deepest sympathies to Jonathan’s family and friends. We want members of the Law School community to know that Penn Law, and Penn, are here to support you at this very difficult time. Jonathan, 25, was a 1L returning from a leave of absence. He began his law studies in the fall of 2015. He was from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.