Panelists wrestled with how to expand and improve Penn's interactions with nearby and international communities in a symposium on "Leading and Learning from Local and Global Communities."
The discussion, attended by around 100 people, was moderated by Trustee Jon Huntsman Sr. and included four Penn professors.
"Penn has been a model in engaging students in the community," panelist and School of Social Work professor Dennis Culhane said.
However, Graduate School of Education professor Margaret Beale Spencer cautioned that members of academia often impose their own ideas on other communities. She said that working in local communities "requires self-awareness and knowledge of collaborative" partnerships with other communities.
Spencer hoped that the Penn community would take take "on the DuBois notion of engag[ing] scholarship." Doing so "means going out into the community to learn."
The symposium also focused on the need to better appreciate foreign cultures. "We desperately need to understand other cultures and countries, friend and foe alike," School of Dental Medicine professor Judith Buchanan said.
She pointed out that, although Penn was highly ranked compared to other institutions in terms of the number of undergraduates studying abroad, there is still need for improvement.
The symposium also touched on the role of strong leadership in promoting these ideals. Management professor Michael Useem identified strategic vision, persuasive voice and tangible results as key components of leadership.
He said that President Amy Gutmann embodied these values well. Referring to her speech on Friday morning, Useem said, "We heard a very persuasive voice, indeed, from our new president."
The symposium was received well by the audience. Biochemistry professor Roland Kallen viewed the symposium as "an extension of what the president said." He said he was happy that the discussion encouraged the Penn community to "develop more tolerance and understanding."
Former Penn undergraduate and current GSE student Amy Maisterra said, "From when I was an undergraduate to now, it's nice to see that Penn is making effort to be more connected."
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