Famed and fortuned make way to campus

Vineland High School '99

Vineland, N.J.

Renowned politicians, artists, journalists and professors visit Penn each year to speak to the student community and to share insight into their fields of expertise.

This year was no exception, with such notables as former Israeli Prime Minister of Binyamin Netanyahu, former White House aide George Stephanopoulos, journalist Andrea Mitchell, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, real estate mogul Donald Trump and, most notably, President Clinton visiting campus.

Penn typically hosts two keynote speakers each year, one in both the fall and spring semesters. The two speakers are brought to campus courtesy of Connaissance, a division of the student-run Social Planning and Events Committee.

In October, Connaissance hosted Netanyahu at the newly refurbished Irvine Auditorium as the fall speaker. In his address to 1,200 students, Netanyahu discussed the definition of true leadership as well as the necessity for peace in the Middle East.

Stephanopoulos, a former top Clinton aide and now a political commentator for ABC News, appeared at Irvine as the Connaissance spring speaker in March.

During his engagement, Stephanopoulos spoke on his involvement in the Clinton administration and made predictions on the upcoming presidential election. He named a few of his top picks for vice presidential nominees and listed University President Judith Rodin among them.

Early in the year, NBC News' Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell helped kick off the Robert A. Fox Leadership program. The newly inaugurated program, sponsored by University Trustee and 1952 College graduate Robert Fox, is a series of non-credit seminars taught by distinguished College of Arts and Sciences alumni who are leaders in their respective fields. Mitchell, a 1967 College graduate, spoke to the selected students on her personal experiences as a member of the media.

November brought to campus two very well-known public figures -- U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and real estate tycoon Donald Trump.

Reno delivered the keynote speech at the Fels Center of Government symposium, focusing on how government, business and the community can work in concert to combat urban crime.

Trump, a 1968 Wharton graduate, came to campus for a taping of Hardball, the CNBC political talk show hosted by Chris Matthews. During his interview, Trump, who was at the time toying with running for the presidency, advocated a tax proposal that would place a one-time tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds $10 million.

Trump also took questions from the student audience -- which included his son Donald, a then-Wharton senior.

Perhaps the most recognized figure, however, was Clinton, who came to Penn in February to speak on "The New Economy."

The president's speech kicked off the new Granoff Forum on International Development and Global Economy, a lecture series sponsored by 1980 College graduate Michael Granoff. The select student audience was invited to attend the program through the School of Arts and Sciences' International Relations Program, the Political Science Department and the Lauder Institute.

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