Class of 1999 Parents Project
Introduction
Penn parents have long appreciated the education offered by the University, and many have become involved in supporting Penn's campus and programs. One tradition that has developed is the Class Gift, which helps the University to strengthen some of its most important initiatives.
This year, the parents of the Class of 1999 have elected to assist with three separate projects: the Kelly Writers House; the Ellen and Howard Katz Fitness Center; and Civic House. Each has its own place in the Penn endegraduate experience, yet all complement each other, together helping students to develop mind, body, and spirit. As the Class of 1999 Parents Project, Beyond the Classroom -- the Undergraduate Experience, they demonstrate that Penn parents support the University's emphasis on encouraging creativity, well-being, and social responsibility.
Special thanks
- Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Richards
- Drs. Richard and Kathy Katz
- Mr. and Mrs. Milton Strom
- Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Falchuk
- Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Segall
- Mr. and Mrs. Peter and Jean Bronstein
- Mr. and Mrs. Danny and Ferne Toccin
- Dr. and Mrs. Richard H. Katz
About the Kelly Writers House
The Kelly Writers House, at 3805 Locust Walk, is an actual 13-room house on Penn's campus that serves as a meeting place and program space for writers of all kinds. Founded in 1995 by a group of students and faculty, the House has quickly become a cultural center for both the Penn community and Philadelphia at large. Each semester the House sponsors over a hundred programs and projects -- poetry readings, film screenings, seminars, workshops, dinners, jazz shows, lectures. Among recent visitors to the Writers House were African novelist and activist N'gugi wa Thiongo, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Tate, Shooting Gallery film producer Brandon Rosser, and fold legend Dave Van Ronk. All of these exciting programs are produced by a Planning Committee made up mostly of students. And each week hundreds of students from a wide range of departments and programs visit the House -- to attend programs, take a select group of classes offered at the House, use the new desktop publishing room, visit peer tutors, or simply settle in and write their term papers. As the first of the "hubs" -- co-curricular spaces designed to enrich the undergraduate experience -- the Kelly Writers House is a model of student creativity and initiative. Contributions from the Class of 1999 Parents Project will help fund program developments.