West Philadelphia | Penn Today

Renee Liu standing outside of the Netter Center office with arms crossed

Empowering high school students through speech and debate

In an internship through the Netter Center for Community Partnerships, third-year Renee Liu developed a comprehensive afterschool speech and debate program that responded to needs identified by students and faculty in two West Philadelphia high schools.

3 min. read

(from left to right): Social media creators Manny 215 [Manny Clark], Prince Dre, Fis Banga, and Ant Brown on stage with facilitator Tamara Russell at the Creators for Community Safety Summit. Brown is speaking and holding a microphone. The slideshow in the background reads: "Panel: Violence Prevention and Conflict Resolution"

Partnering with local digital leaders to promote violence prevention

A team of Philadelphia-based content creators is collaborating with Penn public health experts to develop a comprehensive anti-violence campaign tailored for youth across the City, with youth-focused workshops and educational materials to be piloted in select Philadelphia public schools this fall.

5 min. read

Lessons from the Schuylkill River on community-engaged research

A historian working on both sides of the Atlantic, Bethany Wiggin, a professor of German in the School of Arts & Sciences, is interested in how historic legacies—including pollution—shape modern landscapes and how changed landscapes impact human populations.

3 min. read

Stephanie Hollister and another healthcare workers at HUP Cedar looking at a computer.

A specialized approach to mental health crisis care at HUP–Cedar

Penn’s Southwest Philadelphia crisis response center has expanded access, eased emergency department crowding, and connected more patients to ongoing mental health support.

2 min. read

Franklin Field during Penn Commencement in 2025.

Know before you go: Commencement 2026

On May 18, Penn will hold the 270th Commencement ceremony. From program details to arrival times here are some helpful tips and information.

2 min. read

From left to right: Justin Wang, Janine Haros, and Eric Lee in a clinical room at the Scheie Eye Institute, holding documents and smiling together

Empowering unhoused patients through comprehensive eye care

Penn fourth-years Eric Lee, Janine Haros, and Justin Wang will use a President’s Engagement Prize to elevate vision health in unhoused individuals across Philadelphia through free eye screenings, tailored care coordination, and interactive patient education.

4 min. read

New educational video resources will support patients, caregivers, clinicians

Penn Dental Medicine’s new educational video resources are designed to enhance the medical-dental integration efforts at the School’s community care center at PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar in West Philadelphia, and to educate patients and caregivers of persons with disabilities.

An elementary school student (left) and Penn affiliate (right) are interacting while the student writes in his booklet, in a classroom setting.

Penn’s community engagement progress at the turn of the century

The third installment in the limited series “Chapters of Change” explores how Penn has led community engagement efforts in public education, economic development, and neighborhood prosperity during a time of widespread change in the nation’s cities.