Making good on your pledge

Ican distinctly remember my life plan from freshman year. I was going to come to Penn, then go to law school, then go work for a non-profit organization, preferably one working on women's or environmental issues. Which seemed like a wonderful idea -- but then I actually came to Penn, where I was inevitably bitten by the corporate bug. I shamefully decided that, if I were going to get my law degree, I'd want to lock down some time in a high-paying private law firm first.

We'll all face this issue when we leave Penn: Are we willing to sacrifice a degree of financial success to do the "right" thing? Believe it or not, the answer is "yes" for much of Penn's senior class.

About 340 Penn seniors have already signed the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility, which is sponsored nationally by the Graduation Pledge Alliance and on campus by Civic House.

The pledge urges students "to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job [you] consider and [to] try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which [you] work."

But what do you actually do after signing the pledge?

Neil Wollman, senior fellow at the Peace Studies Institute at Manchester College and coordinator of the Graduation Pledge Alliance, says it's completely up to you. "The main thing is that [students] think [about] more than just what they make financially," he said. "What are the kinds of things I do? Do I feel comfortable with that? How can I make things better?"

Upholding the pledge isn't necessarily about "obvious community service," said College senior Danielle Siegel, who promotes public-interest careers for Civic House. "No matter what you do, you can have influence," she said. According to the Graduation Pledge Alliance, there are many ways to get involved:

n Investigate your potential employers. Whatever your definition of "socially responsible" is, it's easy to see if a company meets your standards. The GPA recommends several sources to find such information, including companies' annual reports, internal newsletters and outside advocacy groups.

n Consider doing some work in a non-profit organization. If you don't necessarily want to enter a non-profit job after graduation, consider it as an option for the future. If you're going to medical school, spend a year in a free clinic. If you're a future lawyer, you could go work at Legal Aid and do pro bono work. The possibilities are endless and can show you a whole new side to your career.

n Encourage environmental responsibility. If you recycle and turn off the lights when you leave the room, suggest that your office does the same. Siegel shared one story of an investment banker who initiated recycling programs at his firm, and while the contribution may seem small, it's still important.

n Make sure everyone is being treated equally. Even if you don't feel discriminated against at work, you can still keep an eye out to make sure it's the same for everyone. Some former pledge signers were able to convince their company to eliminate racist language in a training manual. If you think there aren't enough women in management positions or enough minorities in a certain division, investigate the problem and say something.

Staying engaged in social issues is hardly new to Penn. The Penn Compact, Penn's strategy to "propel [itself] from excellence to eminence," includes a strong commitment to staying engaged in West Philadelphia.

Siegel believes that the pledge is one of the best ways that University alumni can carry out the compact after graduating. "It lives up to ... a lot of Penn's ideals," she said. "You're leaving Penn --- don't forget some of the most important things you learned from being so close to this community."

Every Penn student should consider making the commitment to the Graduation Pledge. We're continually told that we're the "leaders of tomorrow," and the pledge provides an opportunity to do exactly that.

Liz Hoffman is a sophomore political science major from New York, N.Y. New York Minute appears on Mondays.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.