Opinion Columns
Jessica Gooding | My DP cords are closest to my heart
In her senior column, columnist Jessica Gooding reflects on how she has been able to find a platform for advocacy at Penn and through the DP.
Isabella Simonetti | Learning about compassion and the truth through the DP
In her senior column, former Daily Pennsylvanian president Isabella Simonetti looks back on her time at the DP and how it helped her learn about compassion and the truth through journalism.
Caroline Magdolen | We hit 200 million COVID-19 vaccinations. Now comes the hard part.
Columnist Caroline Magdolen urges Penn students to become vaccine ambassadors for their communities at home to help the U.S. reach herd immunity.
Isabella Glassman | Women’s issues don’t end when the news stops
Columnist Isabella Glassman argues that all of us need to be having conversations about women's issues, even when the news isn't covering them.
Emily Chang | Penn should extend the pass/fail policy for one more semester
Columnist Emily Chang argues that Penn should keep the pass/fail policy in effect for the 2021 fall semester.
Varun Saraswathula | Give your vaccinated friends a hug (Consensually, of course)
Columnist Varun Saraswathula digs into when vaccinated individuals are able to hug their friends again.
Taja Mazaj | Penn’s zero-emissions promise is meaningless
Columnist Taja Mazaj argues that Penn needs to be more assertive in combating climate change, saying that "milquetoast compromises won’t cut it" when the planet is at stake.
Lexi Boccuzzi | What is the future of American conservatism?
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi examines the complex outlook of the Republican party and right-leaning youth in a post-Trump era.
Caroline Magdolen | Using random housing assignments to build a stronger community
Columnist Caroline Magdolen argues that Penn should move to a randomized College House sorting system to break down stereotypes associated with the different on-campus living options.
Alex Eapen | Penn, We need action — not emails.
Columnist Alex Eapen argues that the University does little to respond directly to student advocacy and, instead of lip service, should actually focus on implementing the changes students would like to see.
Taja Mazaj | Penn: It’s time for financial transparency
Columnist Taja Mazaj urges the university to be more fiscally transparent, especially when it comes to using students' tuition and fee dollars.
Emily Chang | Housing selection was a mess. Here’s how we fix it.
Columnist Emily Chang discusses the difficulty of the college house matching process for rising sophomores and how to fix it.
Andy Yoon | Some lessons from pandemic life, one year later
Columnist Andy Yoon reflects on a year of pandemic life and suggests some permanent changes that may make our lives more healthy.
Daniel Gurevitch | The college admissions process needs an overhaul
Columnist Daniel Gurevitch offers his assessment of the college admissions scandal uncovered by operation Varsity Blues and how colleges can do better when admitting students.
Varun Saraswathula | On a struggling campus, honest conversations about our mental health can be a path for hope
In a special feature, columnist Varun Saraswathula examines the state of mental health on campus and assesses how we, as a campus community, can improve it.
Daniel Gurevitch | Foreign donations to Penn threaten our integrity
Columnist Daniel Gurevitch urges the University to reevaluate its donations policies and be more transparent in disclosing donations from foreign sources.
Surayya Walters | It’s time to improve the state of women in leadership
Columnist Surayya Walters offers three things we can do to improve the experiences of women in business.
Isabella Glassman | How to resist anxiety and pressure this internship season
Columnist Isabella Glassman urges Penn students to prioritize their passions and interests instead of getting sucked in to a LinkedIn-fueled pit of finance and consulting gigs.
Lexi Boccuzzi | On the frontline of our pandemic: local politics
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi argues that the future of the pandemic revolves as much on local governments as the federal government.