Between Confidence and Overwhelm: My First Weeks at Penn

When I arrived in Philadelphia, I genuinely believed I would be on my own. I came without knowing whether anyone from my home university would also be here, and I had mentally prepared myself for the challenge of starting from zero—socially, academically, and personally. While I was ready to step outside my comfort zone and meet people from entirely different cultural backgrounds, there was still a quiet uncertainty about what those first days would feel like.

The Master of Science in Applied Geosciences Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

The start of the 2025-2026 academic year marked the 20th anniversary of Penn’s Master of Science in Applied Geosciences (MSAG) program. Launched in fall 2005 by the Department of Earth and Environmental Science (EES), the professional master’s program has long offered early- and mid-career geoscientists the opportunity to expand their skills and advance in their field, graduating 184 students to date.

Organizational Dynamics Programs alum recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year

Scott R. Elkins (Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics ’02) was named by Ernst and Young as a 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year for Greater Philadelphia. Founded in 1986, the Entrepreneur of the Year program celebrates the ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in countries around the world; the Greater Philadelphia division of the program includes eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware.

Patrice Francis

“MAPP, for me, was a 20-year dream,” says Patrice Francis (Master of Applied Positive Psychology ’25). Patrice first encountered Penn’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) in her early years while working in Los Angeles as a facilitator for Wraparound, a care management process for youth in crisis. After serving as a guidance counselor in The Bahamas, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a PsyD in Clinical Psychology.

Senior learning designer Meryl Krieger has a side gig: helping artistically minded high school students with life skills

Besides her day job as a senior learning designer on the SAS Online Learning team, Meryl Krieger devotes her time to volunteering with Project 440, a Philadelphia nonprofit that helps high school students who are interested in the arts and music learn entrepreneurial, leadership, and life skills.

Preparing for a career in climate communication

“I've always been interested in communication. I love thinking about how we talk about things,” says Lotus Kaufman (Master of Environmental Studies ’25). She was equally passionate about the environment as she entered an undergraduate program at Penn, but she wasn’t sure if there was a pathway for her to combine her interests in climate and the humanities—academically or professionally. Then she took a class in political communication that “opened the floodgates,” in her words: “There are people who might not care about climate change, who might not see the relevance in their life.

Global Master of Public Administration Virtual Information Sessions

Join Penn’s Global Master of Public Administration program team for a virtual information session to learn more about this program designed especially for future leaders in government, nonprofit, and business organizations who wish to hone their problem-solving skills and go on to make a real difference in improving human well-being locally, nationally, and globally.

Ruth Elliott’s gamble with oral exams pays out in the Pre-Health Programs

Instructors across Penn are turning to oral exams as a lower-stress, more authentic way to assess student learning. First employed as an alternative way to engage students during COVID-19, oral exams are now seen as an effective tool for assessing genuine learning and reducing both exam stress and concerns about inappropriate use of AI.

Eugen Dimant of MBDS honored with German business magazine’s “Top 40 unter 40”

Dr. Eugen Dimant has been named to the 2025 “Top 40 unter 40” list of the German business magazine Capital. The annual ranking highlights 40 leaders under the age of 40 from business, politics, public administration, science, and civil society who are already having significant impact and are expected to shape Germany’s future. It is one of Germany’s most visible early-career recognitions, and selection signals that the recipients’ work is seen as nationally influential and socially relevant beyond academia.

Finding growth in every corner of Penn and beyond

When I realized it, three months had already passed since I first arrived in Philadelphia, with fall just settling onto campus, and as I enter my final month here, I’m becoming even more aware of how meaningful each moment has been.

Studying abroad at Penn has been a journey of discovery, inside and outside the classroom. Every experience, whether on Locust Walk or miles away, has helped me grow in ways I never expected.

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