Penn’s 269th Commencement celebrated the Class of 2025 at Franklin Field. Around 6,000 graduates gathered for the ceremony, which featured remarks from Penn President J. Larry Jameson and Commencement speaker Elizabeth Banks. Jameson reflected on Penn students’ resilience and three of Penn’s values: curiosity, creativity, and self-improvement. “These are Penn values. These are your values,” Jameson said. “Use them often, keep them sharp, and they will serve you well. It is by adapting that you will help to shape the future.”
Penn President J. Larry Jameson delivered a University Update during Alumni Weekend, emphasizing Penn’s forward momentum amid challenges in higher education and reaffirming Penn’s commitment to its mission. “The faster things change,” Jameson said, “the more important it is for us to revisit, refresh, and reinforce what makes our University truly excellent.”
At a reception for winners of the President’s Prizes, nine graduating students were recognized for their innovative projects tackling social challenges. Penn President J. Larry Jameson praised the recipients’ creativity and innovation, calling the gathering “a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the best of Penn.”
Benjamin Nathans, a professor of history in the School of Arts & Sciences, won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction for “To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement.” The book explores Soviet dissent, detailing how activists challenged the regime despite repression.
In collaboration, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine successfully treated an infant, KJ, with a rare metabolic disorder using a personalized CRISPR gene-editing therapy—the first of its kind. After receiving the therapy, KJ showed significant improvement, avoiding the need for a liver transplant. “Years and years of progress in gene editing made this moment possible,” said Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, director of the Gene Therapy for Inherited Metabolic Disorders Frontier Program at CHOP.
Penn Today highlighted members of Penn’s 269th graduating class in a series of spring profiles, introducing the work of a K-12 educator in Mexico and Latin America, a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, a poultry veterinarian, and more. Graduates will channel their expertise and passions to serve in Philadelphia and around the world.
Penn students are pioneering AI innovations across disciplines. Projects highlighted in a Penn Today student profile series include research on large language models to mitigate cyberbullying, ethical AI applications in palliative care, and an AI teaching assistant tool called “JeepyTA” for formative feedback.
Penn, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Neubauer Family Foundation have partnered to launch a Master of Applied Criminology and Police Leadership (MCPL) program in the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, which will enroll its first students this fall. The Neubauer Family Foundation is funding tuition for senior Philadelphia police officers to enroll, aiming to enhance evidence-based policing and leadership. “This partnership strengthens relationships between law enforcement and communities,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. (Image: Brooke Sietinsons)
Penn’s Office of Social Equity and Community announced the fifth cohort of Projects for Progress recipients, consisting of staff, students, and faculty. The three winning projects will address a curricular gap for students who need vetted instructional resources about applying to college and financial aid, a lack of accessibility of health system navigation support among under-resourced communities, and the continuous needs of urban growers to improve Philadelphia’s food system.
The American Dental Association and the School of Dental Medicine have launched the ADA Living Guidelines Program, the first real-time clinical guideline initiative for oral health. This program will provide continually updated, evidence-based recommendations to improve patient care and leverage AI and emerging technologies to integrate new scientific findings into guidelines more rapidly. (Image: Kevin Monko)
Penn’s Class of 2026 celebrated Hey Day, a tradition marking their transition to their final undergraduate year. Dressed in red shirts and mock skimmer hats, students marched down Locust Walk, led by the Penn Band, before gathering at College Green. Penn President J. Larry Jameson officially pronounced them fourth-years after a lighthearted three-question “exam.”
At the 2025 Ivy Day Ceremony, the Class of 2025 Ivy Stone was unveiled and alumni from the Class of 2000 presented the Senior Honor Awards. Senior leadership also delivered remarks. “The Ivy Day Award Ceremony is a cherished tradition that honors the accomplishments of our graduating student leaders,” said Vice Provost for University Life Karu Kozuma. “It serves as both a celebration of their impact on Penn and a moment to recognize the families and loved ones who supported them. The ceremony also builds lasting connections—linking today’s honorees with alumni who stood in their place decades ago.” (Image: Prestige Photography)
According to Penn’s latest Economic Impact Report, the University strengthens Philadelphia’s economy by partnering with local vendors and spending $572 million in fiscal year 2024 on 5,000-plus businesses, including $186 million in West Philadelphia. Penn Today highlighted a variety of local businesses, including a Black-owned coffee supplier and Penn vendor; 12th Street Catering, which works with various Schools and departments; and Black-owned and West Philadelphia-based lab supplies distributor EMSCO Scientific Enterprises, Inc.
Penn is reimagining research in the AI era through the AI x Science Fellowship, launched by Bhuvnesh Jain of the School of Arts & Sciences and René Vidal of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. This program fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among postdoctoral researchers in fields like engineering, medicine, and the arts.
Penn broke ground on the Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education, a new 11,800-square-foot facility at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. Funded by a gift from alumni Gail and Jim Riepe, the center will be the first dedicated classroom building at the large-animal hospital. “The research that goes on at Penn Vet not only informs the care that will take place here but informs the rest of the world in the best practices in veterinary medicine,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. The facility will contribute to both animal and human health. (Image: Lisa Godfrey)
Beginning June 1, Celeste Wallander will assume the role of inaugural executive director of Penn Washington. Wallander will be responsible for the programmatic leadership and operational management of Penn Washington, working to bridge Penn research with policy discussions. “Dr. Wallander brings deep experience to Penn and Penn Washington at a critical moment. Her wide expertise in shaping foreign policy and building programs and institutions will be invaluable as we expand the work of Penn Washington in the years ahead,” said Provost John J. Jackson Jr.
Researchers at Penn and Microsoft have developed Aurora, a machine-learning model that predicts air quality, ocean waves, and tropical cyclone tracks more efficiently than traditional methods. “With Aurora, we addressed a fundamental challenge in Earth system prediction: how to create forecasting tools that are both more accurate and dramatically more computationally efficient,” says Paris Perdikaris, an associate professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. (Image: Courtesy of AP Photo/David J. Phillip, POOL)
Baccalaureate for the Class of 2025 consisted of interfaith readings, music, and speeches from Penn President J. Larry Jameson, Class of 2025 President Amaan Omer, University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity and Community Chaz Howard, and Provost John L. Jackson Jr. Following the ceremony, soon-to-be graduates gathered on College Green for the Class Carnival and to see Jameson seal the Class of 2025 time capsule.
The Fisher Fine Arts Library is undergoing a major exterior restoration that will encase it in scaffolding through the fall of 2026. It will continue to be open for use throughout construction. The primary goal of the restoration and renovation is to preserve the “exterior envelope” and prevent water infiltration, says University Architect Mark Kocent.
At the annual U-Night event for rising third-years, students gathered on High Rise Field at Harrison College House to celebrate making it halfway through their journey to graduate. Provost John L. Jackson Jr. addressed students and congratulated them for their perseverance. (Images are courtesy of the Office of Student Affairs)
