Turning trash into treasure
Three years after launching her professional career in the waste and resource recovery sector, Penn undergraduate Erica Higa (BSE ’18, MES ’25) was ready to return to her alma mater to advance her education. She was working at Recology, a West Coast-based resource recovery company. “They specialize in waste collection, and have lots of composting, recycling, and transfer station facilities,” Erica explains. She worked in operations before moving to corporate sustainability.
Shankar Sriram
1. Introduction: Background & Expectations
“The way I approach life is to keep asking questions and try and do things that I may not be comfortable with, or I may not have experience with,” Shankar Sriram (MBDS ’25) begins.
Congratulations to the Penn LPS Class of 2026
On Sunday, May 17, Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) welcomed the Class of 2026, along with family, friends, faculty, and staff, for a graduation ceremony in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center in downtown Philadelphia. This year, LPS conferred 461 degrees—73 undergraduate degrees and 388 master’s degrees across 14 programs—on graduating students who hailed from 19 different countries.
Program Format and Schedule
Ivy League academics—without interrupting your career
Organizational Dynamics Programs courses are designed for working professionals. Beginning fall 2026, the programs will adopt a low-residency format, with courses offered entirely online or in a hybrid format, requiring one or two in‑person weekends per term. These on-campus weekends include full‑day classes and a group dinner, providing opportunities to connect with peers and faculty while experiencing the Penn campus.*
The organizational dynamics connection: A field trip in private markets at Wharton’s PE/VC Conference
Recently, we had the opportunity to attend the 30th Annual Wharton Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference, centered on the theme "Beyond Resilience: Private Capital in the Age of Reinvention." It was a day defined by new perspectives, active dialogue, and a shared curiosity about the future of private markets.
Professor Dennis DeTurck honored with LPS Award of Distinction
The College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to honor Professor Dennis M. DeTurck with the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) Award of Distinction on the eve of his retirement from an illustrious career at Penn.
Sharing knowledge across borders
The International Guest Student Program (IGSP), established in 2007 at the University of Pennsylvania, allows undergraduate students from top global universities to study at Penn without enrolling in a degree program, fostering cross-cultural academic exchange. Accepted students receive support with logistics like visas and housing, and the program consistently attracts strong international interest.
Master of Environmental Studies student Natalie Sabiston wins at this year’s Penn Grad Talks
The College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to recognize the LPS graduate student finalists selected to participate in the professional master’s program category of this year’s Penn Grad Talks. The competition, which took place at Penn’s Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics on March 27, features TED Talk-style presentations by Penn Arts and Sciences graduate students from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional master’s programs.
