I've got rhythm . even after Penn

Have you ever dreamed of breaking into the performing arts industry? Five alumni have done just that and shared their experiences with students yesterday at the Platt Student Performing Arts House 2008 Alumni Performing Arts Career Symposium. The five College alumni panelists featured included David Hilder '89, Gabriel Mann '95, Eduardo Placer '99, Lillian Ringel '07 and Jennifer Weber '00.

Steve & Barry's CEO back at Penn

Houston Hall in the early 1980s was home to more than just study rooms and a cafe. It was also home to the first Steve and Barry's retail store. Barry Prevor, a Wharton alumni who is the co-founder and co-chief executive officer of the retail chain Steve and Barry's, spoke to students yesterday at Steinberg-Dietrich Hall as part of the Jay H.

Technology raises questions for bioethicists

Next time you watch Meet the Parents, the lie detector test used on Ben Stiller will be out of date - some companies are now replacing the old polygraphs with new imaging techniques. Yesterday Paul Wolpe, chief bioethicist for NASA, senior fellow of the Penn Center for Bioethics and Sociology professor, spoke to students about emerging brain imaging technology and the underlying ethical and legal implications of these innovations.

Student describes Thanksgiving's origins

Family, food, Black Friday and traffic jams are just some of the things commonly affiliated with Thanksgiving. Beyond that, though, the upcoming holiday has a long history dating back to the first American settlers. Attendees of "Thanksgiving 101," a lecture held at the Graduate Student Center yesterday, learned about the historical origins of Thanksgiving and the facts and fictions behind the holiday.

The lesser-known Ben puts on 'exciting' show

Penn students did not generally express enthusiasm for the Social Planning and Events Committee's choice to have Ben Kweller as the headlining fall performer, but those who attended the concert would beg to differ.

Cheap cuts and frugal facials

Thanks to the recent opening of the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute, students can get pampered on a budget.

Governor Rendell signs health care reform bill at Penn

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell made an appearance at Penn's School of Nursing last Friday to sign five bills as part of his Prescription for Pennsylvania health-care reform package. This legislation will directly broaden the scope of nursing practice in Pennsylvania and aims to curb soaring health-care costs while making care more accessible to low income individuals and families.

Read and ride for a good cause

Books and bikes? While it may seem like an unlikely combination, two activists in a '70s style mini-bus are taking their cause national. The multi-colored bus that houses Books on Wheels was on Penn's campus last Sunday at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church for a community event called Bike Church.

Swing into the summer groove

So you think you can dance? With the recent surge in popularity of shows such as Dancing with the Stars and So you think you can dance?, Penn Latin and Ballroom Dance is catering to student interest this summer and is heating up Houston Hall with its own repertoire of moves.

A Japanese-American's return to her roots

For many students the only exposure they have to Japanese culture is sushi and anime, but this summer rising College junior Aya Nakanishi is immersing herself deep into that nation's customs. Nakanishi, along with rising College senior Gurpreet Kalra, is about to embark on a month-long journey to Japan to participate in the 59th Japan-America Student Conference.

Some students eschew the beach for a chance to help out others

For many Penn students, summer is the time to kick back, relax and bask in the warm weather. But not for everyone. This summer various Penn students are staying in Philadelphia in order to give back to the community. Joe Meissler, a rising College sophomore, spends his summer days raising money for cancer research by playing guitar for the Philadelphia-based ska band, The Brasshole Fiasco.

New beauty school opens on campus with a Penn touch

What's housed in the orange and green rubik's cube looking building on 40th and Chesnut streets is no longer a puzzle. The building called the Hub houses the posh Jean Madeline Aveda Institute. A bit out of place, but not remotely out of style, this bold architectural modernity is the latest of Penn's efforts in rejuvenating 40th Street, a project that has since included the additions of FreshGrocer and the Bridge Cinema.

What if Joan Osborne were one of us? But eating breakfast in bed

By Bianca Gonzalez The Summer Pennsylvanian biancag@nursing.upenn.edu You can wake up every morning to breakfast in bed with Joan Osborne's new CD that she promoted recently in Philadelphia. An acclaimed singer-songwriter, Osborne, made an appearance on May 22 at downtown music retailer F.

Dermatology research may give some hope to balding men

For future generations, toupees and brush-overs may become a thing of the past. Dermatologists from Penn's School of Medicine announced last week that they were able to regenerate hair follicles in laboratory mice - leaving open the possibility that further research could one day remedy male-pattern baldness.