Penn held its 266th Commencement celebration on Monday, May 16. The ceremony was held at Franklin Field and honored the Class of 2022.
A celebration of the ‘resilient creativity’ of the Class of 2022
Penn’s 266th Commencement showcased graduates who Interim President Wendell Pritchett said demonstrated an “advanced ability to roll with the challenges.”
Angelina Heyler, a senior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science from Hong Kong, discovered a passion for data science and applied statistics while majoring in systems science and engineering. In addition to fostering community engagement within Penn Engineering as well as with students in West Philadelphia, she’s also thankful for the connections she made on campus through Ultimate Frisbee.
A passion for addressing ‘meaningful causes’ with data
Senior Angelina Heyler, a systems science and engineering major who is submatriculating in Penn’s data science accelerated master’s program, spent her time at Penn fostering a passion for applied problem solving, building community, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.
(Homepage image) Touching on a broad range of topics from climate’s impact on national security to resilient building design to emissions related to food production, the course aimed to boost students’ understanding of earth systems and climate literacy. (Image: NASA)
A multidisciplinary approach to considering the Earth’s changing systems
Bringing expertise from each of their disciplines, the School of Arts & Sciences’ Kathleen Morrison and Joseph Francisco and the Environmental Innovations Initiative’s Melissa Brown Goodall infused chemistry, anthropology, policy, and more into an introductory course on climate and the environment.
Beavers has been teaching Morrison’s work for over 30 years. “In a moment with ever-present discussions about how—and sometimes, if—we value human bodies, reading Morrison’s novels offer an opportunity to think about how we can not only occupy place but also cohabit with our neighbors, whether they look like us, share our point of origin, or reflect our values,” he says.
Toni Morrison and the adventure of the 21st century
In Herman Beavers’ English 101 class, students take an in-depth look at Toni Morrison, reading her 11 novels, writing thesis papers, and presenting on topics of interest to the class.
One of the biggest life lessons that she’s taking forward from her time at Penn? “Growing up, everything is individual—in gymnastics you’re competing for yourself, and in school you’re taking the SAT or AP exams. But in college, it’s all about the team, so I’ve definitely learned to lean on others,” says Graber.
Embracing academic, athletic, and creative pursuits
Along with being a physics major, a member of the gymnastics team, and a leader of Penn Dischord, senior Edie Noor Graber has also spent the last four years engaging with the West Philadelphia community and exploring her Jewish identity.
By studying how plants develop, Aman Husbands, who joined the Department of Biology faculty this year, may make insights that find application well beyond the plant kingdom.
With plants as a model, studying the ‘complexity and reproducibility’ of developmental biology
In his first year at Penn, biologist Aman Husbands is busy working on projects aimed at illuminating the molecular mechanisms that govern plant development.
History PhD. Sarah Yu (left) taught a class this spring that looked at Chinese migration while helping students hone public speaking skills.
Talking about Chinese diasporas
History Ph.D. candidate Sarah Yu’s class transformed students into tour guides and podcasters as they honed their public speaking skills while learning about Chinese migration.
As a response to anti-Black violence, Lucas Monroe, a junior in the School of Arts & Sciences, took on a leadership role in social justice work, eventually serving as a fellow in the Office of Social Equity & Community along with being co-captain of the men’s basketball team.
How Lucas Monroe defines leadership
Lucas Monroe, a political science major, combines athletics and introspection to take on a leadership role in social justice work on campus and beyond.
David Lydon-Staley is an assistant professor of communication and principal investigator of the Addiction, Health, & Adolescence Lab in the Annenberg School for Communication.
Moving away from ‘average,’ toward the individual
In a course from Annenberg’s David Lydon-Staley, seven graduate students conducted single-participant experiments. This approach, what’s known as an “n of 1,” may better capture the nuances of a diverse population than randomized control trials can.
Penn held its 266th Commencement celebration on Monday, May 16. The ceremony was held at Franklin Field and honored the Class of 2022.
David Lydon-Staley is an assistant professor of communication and principal investigator of the Addiction, Health, & Adolescence Lab in the Annenberg School for Communication.
