CURF members depart Penn

The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships recently experienced staffing changes after three employees, including former director Arthur Casciato, left over the summer.

In August, Casciato joined Rutgers University, where he is now the director of external fellowships and post-graduate guidance.

Harriet Joseph, the former Director of University Scholars, has replaced Casciato as interim Director.

Casciato described Rutgers' offer as one he "couldn't refuse."

"I realized that I was very attracted to a new challenge and very attracted to making a change in my life, and Rutgers offered both," Casciato said.

During his seven-year tenure as CURF's director, Casciato's advisees earned three Rhodes and five Marshall Scholarships - a much higher number than in the past, when few students, if any, brought home the awards.

Casciato pinpointed his proudest moment as one three years ago, when five Penn students made it to the finals of the Marshall Scholarship Competition - which brought in 150 to 160 applicants - in the New York region.

"No school - not Yale, not Princeton, not even mighty Harvard - has ever had five students in the finals," he said.

Students who worked closely with Casciato lauded his achievements and work at Penn.

"He helped to make a challenging, and, quite frankly, intimidating process much more comfortable," said 2007 College alumnus Veyom Bahl, who received the Institute for International Public Policy Fellowship in 2004 under Casciato's advising.

"I had more of an advantage having him as a mentor," said 2007 College alumna Tara Kaufmann, who earned the Goldwater Scholarship during the 2005-2006 academic year. "He was experienced, knowledgeable and encouraging."

Prior to taking the reigns of CURF, Casciato spent two years as the dean of Harrison College House.

Casciato described Joseph, his replacement, as someone who not only "get[s] along well with undergraduates . [but also] works very hard to know what is in their best interest."

Joseph said Casciato, as well as the Center's two administrative assistants that left - Daniel Flaumenhaft and Tina Gravatt - did so "for all sorts of very positive reasons to pursue other great things," though she declined further comment.

Flaumenhaft and Gravatt were replaced by Griselle Rodriguez-Gonzalez and Carrie Luippold.

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