From politicians to comedians, Penn students saw a wide range of celebrities on campus this academic year. Here are 10 of the most memorable:
Hillary Clinton
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton campaigned at Penn Park on Oct. 22. In her speech, Clinton criticized key some of Donald Trump's key traits and called upon young voters to participate in the election. Just three weeks before the election, the event had lines extending past Franklin Field and David Rittenhouse Laboratory.
She spoke with her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Pennsylvania Democratic senatorial candidate Katie McGinty, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Democratic Pennsylvania attorney general candidate Josh Shapiro. McGinty lost her bid for the Senate, but Shapiro was elected in November.
Joe Biden
Former Vice President and future Penn professor Joe Biden actually made quite a few visits to Penn this year. On Election Day, he surprised students by visiting campus for a bite to eat and was soon swarmed by young voters asking for pictures.
Biden formally visited on Feb. 28 when he spoke with Penn President Amy Gutmann about the fight to cure cancer, and again on March 30 for a question and answer session between Gutmann and Biden that covered topics from international policy to President Donald Trump.
Tamika Mallory
The national co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington spoke at Rodin College House's rooftop lounge on March 24. Mallory praised the huge turnout for the protest but expressed concern that some who attended the march did not show concern for other civil rights causes, particularly those affecting people of color.
“On Jan. 21, at the Women’s March on Washington, the world was flipped upside down,” she said. “When women get mad, everything changes.”
Jane Goodall
Famed primatologist Jane Goodall spoke at the Philomathean Society’s Annual Oration on Sept. 29. After greeting the audience with a traditional chimpanzee call, she discouraged students from "living for money," and instead use their intellect for the interests of future generations.
Elizabeth Banks
Actress and 1996 College graduate Elizabeth Banks visited Penn to rally for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Sep. 25. The visit was organized in part by Penn for Hillary.
Banks, who hosted much of the 2016 Democratic National Convention, talked about about growing up poor, coming to Penn on scholarship and using Planned Parenthood's services. She also said that Clinton was her long-time role model.
Elizabeth Warren
In one of the many Democratic campaign rallies on campus this year, former Penn professor and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke on Sept. 9 to a packed auditorium in the Penn Museum. In her speech, Warren spoke in support of Clinton and then-Pennsylvania Democratic senatorial candidate Katie McGinty. She also criticized Trump, calling him "a small, insecure money-grubber who will never be president of the United States,” and spoke about student loan debt.
Steve Forbes
Invited by College Republicans to speak about the economy, American publishing executive Steve Forbes addressed audiences at Penn on April 18. The editor-in-chief of Forbes criticized efforts of House Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and propose a border adjustment tax.
Kenan Thompson
“Saturday Night Live” cast member and television star Kenan Thompson spoke in Irvine Auditorium on Mar. 28 for an event hosted by the Social Planning and Events Committee. Thompson spoke about his humble upbringing and start in the entertainment business, as well as how the current political climate has energized comedy writing at SNL.
Anna Kendrick
Actress, singer and newly published author Anna Kendrick sat down with psychology professor Angela Duckworth on Nov. 18 for SPEC Connaissance's fall event.
Kendrick spoke about her book “Scrappy Little Nobody,” explaining how the word “scrappy” was a nickname she was given for her hard work aimed at making it in Hollywood. She spoke about feeling lost at the beginning of her career and advised Penn students to be open and patient when finding their paths in life.
Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin came to the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology on April 7 for SPEC Connaissance's fall event. He spoke about his new book, "Nevertheless: A Memoir," did impressions of Trump, shared his experiences struggling with addiction and encouraged Penn students to read and travel. Baldwin was also spotted in Van Pelt Library last year.
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