WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Can’t Catch A
Break
Penn’s winter break will be almost a week shorter than last year’s JACOB WINICK Staff Reporter
JULIO SOSA | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
T
his year Penn students will enjoy the shortest winter break in years, with finals ending on Dec. 22 and spring classes beginning on Jan. 11. That gives students a break that’s almost a week shorter than last year’s, when finals ended on Dec. 18 and spring classes did not begin until Jan. 13. While students are fuming about the shortened winter break, Executive Director for Education and Academic Planning
Rob Nelson explained that scheduling breaks can be extremely difficult. In determining the dates for winter break, the Council of Undergraduate Deans had to weigh consistency with flexibility. “One of the main reasons the dates came out the way they did is because we really want to have the spring term always start on a Wednesday,” Nelson said. “That way everything from there, from how far you got until the Martin
Gutmann’s declaration that Penn is a ‘sanctuary campus’ sounded like a promise to do something radical, but it wasn’t.” - Alec Ward
PAGE 4
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Luther King holiday to when spring break starts, happens on a similar pattern every year.” Nelson also explained that they could not simply add days to winter break without subtracting them from summer like other colleges can because they have to follow Pennsylvania state law, which requires every class to meet at least 14 times a semester and prohibits having more weeks in the spring term than in the
fall term. These laws apply to all colleges in Pennsylvania, public and private. “Schools like Harvard can simply shorten their school years, like we used to do, because Massachusetts does not have so many requirements,” Nelson said. “It’s a very difficult situation where we are trying to maximize all our breaks, but are bumping up against these state laws, which don’t give us much flexibility.” The markedly shorter break has lead
students to complain that they will not have enough time to rest after finals, and that the especially late end to the term makes traveling home for the holidays incredibly difficult and expensive. College sophomore Liqhwa Ncube said that having finals until Dec. 22 is especially hard for international students who want to get home before Christmas SEE WINTER BREAK PAGE 6
FMC Tower shifts Phila. development west Penn has a 20-year lease in the tower LAUREN SORANTINO Staff Reporter
The developers of University CIty’s new FMC Tower are keen on setting the tone for the future of real estate development in University City. With luxury suites and elevated green spaces, the FMC tower near Walnut and 30th streets is a part of a three-building project called Cira Centre South, which features an elevated urban green space called the Cira Green and the neighboring Evo skyscraper. FMC stands for Food Machinery Corporation, the specialty chemical company who will be an anchoring tenant in the tower. The tower’s developer, Brandywine Realty Trust, calls the Cira Centre South project, “Philadelphia’s first vertical neighborhood” on its website. According to Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services, “the FMC Tower will serve as a dramatic model of pioneering urban development in Philadelphia.” Builders broke ground on the FMC Tower in May 2014, and the project is fast approaching completion. Standing at 730 feet tall, the tower is the sixth tallest building in Philadelphia. Upon completion, it will feature a combination of office, retail and residential space vertically stacked like a neighborhood. The top 19 floors will house 268 luxury apartments and extendedstay suites, while the bottom floors will feature office and retail space.
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Penn has been involved with the Cira Centre South project since its inception. The University signed a 20-year lease to occupy the roughly 100,000 square feet of office space in the FMC Tower for four relocated offices.
Along with the FMC Corporation, the University of Pennsylvania will be a main tenant. Penn has been involved with not only the FMC Tower, but alsothe entire Cira Centre South project since its inception. According to FRES, the
University is a “longstanding partner” in Cira Centre South’s development and owns the ground upon which the FMC Tower sits. Penn signed a 20-year lease in the FMC Tower and will occupy approximately 100,000 square feet of office
space. According to FRES Director of Portfolio Management Laura Park Smith, the University has relocated four departments from various locations around campus into the FMC SEE FMC TOWER PAGE 3
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Q&A with new Panhel President Caroline Ohlson Panhellenic Council names president for 2017 KELLY HEINZERLING Contributing Reporter
The Penn Panhellenic Council recently named College junior Caroline Ohlson as president for 2017. A member of Chi Omega, Ohlson sits on the executive board of Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention, is a Penn Anti-Violence Educator and is a member of the Order of Omega, a leadership honor society for Greek life. She has previously served as Philanthropy Chair of her sorority and Vice President of Service and Philanthropy of the Panhellenic Council. The Daily Pennsylvanian met with her to talk about her plans for the coming year. Daily Pennsylvanian: What originally drew you to sororities at Penn? Caroline Olson: I didn’t know that I was necessarily going to join a sorority when I first came here in the fall of freshman year. And I think that’s a pretty common narrative for a lot of women at Penn that end up in sororities. I think it’s really once you meet someone who’s really interested in it, and they convince you to rush, and then you rush and you see what a genuine community it is here at Penn and that each chapter provides something really unique and really provides a community and a home. DP: What’s your favorite moment since being involved with
greek life? CO: That’s a tough one there have been so many. I think it would have to be Bid Night my freshman year. It’s just such a powerful moment because you’re sitting in this group of 50 other freshmen who’ve gone through this week of recruitment with you…it’s just so powerful to feel the connection to the community that immediately and it really only grows from there. DP: What is unique about greek life at Penn? CO: Penn students are unbelievably involved in everything that they do…[a]t Penn people who join greek organizations — it’s not their only commitment, and it’s not necessarily their primary commitment. I think that one thing that makes Penn’s greek life unique is that it appreciates and is enriched by the other involvement that all of its students have and becomes a supplementary community and supportive community for all those students as opposed to just their primary involvement on campus. DP: What made you decide to run for president? CO: I served on [the Panhellenic] Council for the past year and that gave me a lot of insight into all of the great things that I saw Council doing. But I also saw a big disconnect between Council and the rest of the community and a lot of potential for growth in the relationship that Council and the administration had with the rest of the community. I really wanted to play a role in bridging that gap
COURTESY OF ALDEN TERRY
The Penn Panhellenic Council named College junior Caroline Ohlson as its president for 2017. Ohlson is currently a member of the executive board of Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention.
and showing the community that the Council really is there to be allies and advocates for them, and to also work to spend more time listening to the members of the community and listening to their needs and finding out how we can connect the resources that we have in [Penn’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life] and with the administration to what people actually want out of their experience. DP: Do you have any specific ideas yet about what you want to accomplish in your term? CO: One of the things I really want to focus on is building a stronger, more united community.
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One of the biggest values of Panhellenic is community and sisterhood, and I really want to emphasize that across the sorority boundaries. So work on uniting all of the different sororities and helping the women in the chapters to realize that when they join a Panhellenic organization, they’re not just joining their chapter, they’re joining a community of 1,500 women on our campus and almost 4 million women nationwide. So I really want to work on uniting that, but also uniting the Penn Greek community to the rest of the Penn community and work on collaborating more with
other organizations and showing our support of the Penn wider community for all of the amazing other events that other groups on campus are doing. DP: There’s recently been a lot of dialogue on campus about sexism since the OZ emails. What do you plan to do as president to further this discussion? CO: A lot of my other involvement is in violence prevention work and at the Women’s Center, so this is something that I personally really care a lot about. Like I mentioned with wanting to connect other communities to the Panhellenic community, I hope
to really work to connect the violence prevention community and the Women’s Center community to everything that’s going on with Panhellenic. One thing that’s always really made me feel connected to Panhellenic is that first and foremost [it’s] seated as an organization, especially on our campus, that’s meant to empower women. It’s one of the largest women’s organizations in the country and it’s really a platform and opportunity for all of us women who care about these things to work together and to use the community that we have and the voice of influence that we have on campus to try to combat these things. DP: Is there anything you want to tell freshman girls who are planning to rush this coming semester? CO: The biggest thing I would say is to come in with an open mind and to really try to go into the recruitment process with the attitude that joining the Panhellenic community is, at the end of the day, the most important thing of the rush process, if that’s what feels right for the person rushing. So it’s not about coming in and wanting one particular chapter, they’re all really wonderful chapters that offer different things and I think coming in with an open mind and using it as an opportunity to meet as many people as possible and learn what it would be like to be in a sorority, if that’s the right fit, is the best way to get a good experience out of it. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
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NEWS 3
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Fattah’s sentence to be determined Chaka Fattah will be sentenced on Dec. 12 CARL-EMMANUEL FULGHIERI Staff Reporter
Former congressman and 1986 Fels Institute of Government graduate Chaka Fattah could serve the same amount of time in prison as he did in Congress — at least, that’s what federal prosecutors have in mind. Government lawyers filed their suggestions for Fattah’s sentencing with the court on Monday, recommending that the convicted Democrat serve 17 to 21 years in prison, according to The Associated Press. Fattah, 60, was convicted on counts of racketeering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges on June 21, resigning his seat in the House of Representatives two days later. He represented
CHAKA FATTAH
Pennsylvania’s second congressional district — which includes Penn — since 1995. “His myriad crimes have only further undermined public confidence in the integrity of public officials and the Congress in particular,” government lawyers wrote in Monday’s filings. The memo was not readily available online on Tuesday, but was quoted substantially by news
outlets. Following a year-long investigation and a trial that lasted several weeks last summer, Fattah was found guilty for stealing funds from a nonprofit to repay an illegal campaign loan, misdirecting federal grant money, utilizing campaign money to pay his son’s student loans and accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from a donor seeking an ambassadorship. “This court should impose a sentence that reflects the seriousness of Fattah’s willingness to sell his office, participate in criminal attempts to influence the electoral process and undermine the public’s confidence in its elected representatives,” the memo added. The eleven-term congressman’s lawyers are expected to file their own set of recommendations on Wednesday, before
SEPTA revamps majority of Regional Rail schedules Some lines see changes in times, others stay the same BENJAMIN DUKAS Contributing Reporter
SEPTA will be implementing a new train schedule for its Regional Rail lines, according to a Philly Voice report. Starting on Sunday, Dec. 11, all but three of SEPTA’s Regional Rail lines will begin running on new schedules. The Cynwyd, Glenside Combined and West Trenton Lines are unaffected by the switch. According to SEPTA’s website,
“For most Regional Rail Lines, there will be adjustments to Weekday Train run times which will mean some Trains will depart earlier or later than regularly scheduled.” The Lansdale/Doylestown Line will see the most major changes, with the alteration of 20 train schedules and the addition of one new train. The new train, #504, will leave from 30th Street Station at 7:33 a.m. with service to all stops until Lansdale except Elkins Park. The 20 changing trains, both inbound and outbound, will leave earlier or later than their current times by two to
20 minutes. In addition to Lansdale/ Doylestown, three other lines will see over a dozen changes: Fox/ Chase, Manayunk/Norristown and Paoli/Thorndale. The scheduling shift comes at the end of a year of rapid change for SEPTA riders, who have been affected by a weeklong strike and were introduced last month to a new payment system. The initiative is part of the “Regional Rail Service Improvement Program,” an effort by SEPTA to fix both short-term and long-term problems facing trains and to keep riders informed.
the former congressman’s sentencing on Dec. 12, according to a Dec. 6 Philadelphia Inquirer article. The sentencing hearing next week will bring an almost definitive end to the Fattah’s once accomplished political career that included targeting millions in federal dollars toward research and education in the district. Before resigning, Fattah lost a bid for his 12th term in Congress to State Rep. Dwight Evans in the April Democratic primary. Evans currently represents Pennsylvania’s second congressional district after winning a special election on Nov. 8. Fattah’s son, Chaka Fattah Jr., is serving a five-year prison term after being convicted of bank fraud in November 2015. U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III presides over the case.
FMC TOWER >> PAGE 1
building, including the Office of Investments, Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of General Counsel and the Office of Risk Management. FRES managed the design, furniture specification and construction process for these spaces, Smith added. According to Philly Voice staff writer Michael Tanenbaum, the FMC Tower mirrors the type of building styles University City will see in the future. “The University City innovation district, expected to unfold in several phases over the next 20 years, will eventually include several new skyscrapers in the vicinity,” Tanenbaum wrote in a Philly Voice article. According to Brandywine Realty Trust’s website for Cira Centre South, this vertical neighborhood continues “the Renaissance of Philadelphia” and functions as an “active
embrace of today’s live, work, play social dynamic.” “The architectural elements of the FMC Tower at Cira Centre South forever change the skyline of the city, dramatically presenting the building as the gateway to University City,” according to the website. Brandywine Realty Trust’s website and FRES also highlighted the tower’s sustainability, citing its “sustainable LEED Silver certified design.” In the long term, the FMC Tower figures into a more massive $3.5 billion Schuylkill Yards project planned in a partnership between Drexel University and Brandywine Realty Trust, according to Tanenbaum’s article. The developers hinted that with the completion of the entire Cira Centre South project their influence will extend beyond University City to the greater Philadelphia area. Cira Center South is “shifting Philadelphia’s center of gravity” west, according to the project’s website.
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OPINION Stars and stripes
SMALL TALK | It’s possible to love America and critique it at the same time WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 VOL. CXXXII, NO. 119 132nd Year of Publication COLIN HENDERSON President LAUREN FEINER Editor-in-Chief ANDREW FISCHER Director of Online Projects ISABEL KIM Opinion Editor JESSICA MCDOWELL Enterprise Editor DAN SPINELLI City News Editor CAROLINE SIMON Campus News Editor ELLIE SCHROEDER Assignments Editor LUCIEN WANG Copy Editor SUNNY CHEN Copy Editor NICK BUCHTA Senior Sports Editor TOM NOWLAN Sports Editor WILL SNOW Sports Editor TOMMY ROTHMAN Sports Editor JOYCE VARMA Creative Director ALEX GRAVES Design Editor
On Nov. 9, the American flag stood at half-mast at Hampshire College as a “reaction to the toxic tone of the monthslong election.” The following night, though, the flag was burned by an unidentified individual or group of individuals. The flag was quickly replaced and the college’s board of trustees decided to continue to fly it at half-mast in order to “mourn deaths from violence in the U.S. and around the world.” But within a week of this incident, Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash declared that the flag would be taken down altogether. This caused an immediate backlash from veteran groups, and on Nov. 27, close to 400 veterans held a peaceful protest at the school demanding that Hampshire bring back the flag. Lash justified the removal by saying that for many students the flag is “a powerful symbol of fear they’ve felt all their lives because they grew up in marginalized communities, never feeling safe.” This mirrors sentiments shown when
students at Occidental College vandalized a Sept. 11 memorial by throwing out 2,997 U.S. flags that were planted by the school’s College Republicans. The anonymous perpetrators claimed that the flag represents an “exclusionary, nationalistic narrative.” It is completely justified to be upset with the current state of the country as symbolized by the flag, but it’s important that people, particularly those on the left, critique the reality of America, not the idea of America. The country that we hope for as prophesied in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence is one where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness reign. There’s a valid case that America has not lived up to those principles, but instead of proclaiming the United States a lost cause, we need to ensure that we hold the country to these values by enacting the changes necessary to get there. This is why Hampshire’s decision to permanently take down the flag troubles me. Of course, as a private institution,
the college has every right to choose whether or not it will raise the flag, but it must understand the message it sends as result of that decision. Many people in this country have a
racism in the criminal justice system by kneeling during the national anthem, he may have actually cast movements like Black Lives Matter in a worse light to many Americans. The
... the American flag can become a symbol of that better America rather than the one that has disappointed so many of us.” strong bond with the flag and what it symbolizes, and instead of deriding them for it, we need to respect that. Burning a flag or refusing to respect the national anthem are actions born out of frustration, but are not productive in the fight for actual change. When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose to bring attention to the incredibly important issue of
vitriol his cause received in response was probably not worth the extended media attention. To many at this moment, the American flag reflects a country divided, founded in an era when slavery was legal and only property-owning white men had any political power. However, the symbolic meaning of the flag can change as the country changes. As we become more inclusive
and start to gnaw away at the divisions that plague us, the American flag can become representative of a future, better America rather than the one that has disappointed so many of us. It’s time to redefine what true patriotism is. A common stereotype propagated in smug articles like Rich Lowry’s “Yes, Liberals Are Less Patriotic” is that fewer liberals, according to Gallup surveys, feel proud to be American and believe the United States is the greatest country in the world. However, those who critique our country and push it to be better may be the most patriotic of us all, since they fight to fix the nation’s flaws rather than settling for complacency. When liberals bring patriotic imagery such as the flag or the national anthem into their critiques of America, they are creating a distraction from their message and evoking unnecessary backlash from those who cherish the concepts behind those symbols. Some may respond that people who get so worked up over a piece of cloth
ALESSANDRO VAN DEN BRINK and a song are the problem, but we have no business determining how emotionally attached those individuals are allowed to be to the country’s flag and anthem. So I urge Hampshire College to bring back the flag. Instead of viewing it as emblematic of an imperfect American project, view it as a reminder that there’s still so much work to do, but it’s worth it. ALESSANDRO VAN DEN BRINK is a College junior studying economics, from New York. His email address is alevan@ sas.upenn.edu. “Small Talk” usually appears every other Wednesday.
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BEN CLAAR is a College sophomore from Scarsdale, N.Y. His email is bclaar@sas.upenn.edu.
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Lawful and awful
WILL AGATHIS Sports Associate ANDREW ZHENG Sports Associate
FAIR ENOUGH | Gutmann’s “sanctuary campus” statement is all smoke and mirrors
KAREN WHISLER Design Associate PAOLA RUANO Design Associate LUCY FERRY Design Associate ANNIE ZHOU Design Associate PAOLA RUANO Design Associate ZACH SHELDON Sports Photo Editor-elect CINDY CHEN Photo Associate TIFFANY PHAM Photo Associate PRANAY VEMULAMADA Photo Associate JEFFREY CAREYVA Social Media Associate CANDY ALFARO Social Media Associate DYLAN REIM Social Media Editor-elect CYRENA GONZALEZ Social Media Associate ALESSANDRO CONSUELOS Social Media Associate
LETTERS Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com. Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The Daily Pennsylvanian as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinion of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the DP’s position.
2016 will not, I suspect, go down in the history books as one of humanity’s great success stories. Zika, North Korean nukes, Brexit and Trump all combined to make it an altogether pretty grim trip around the sun. In academia, not unrelatedly, it was the Year of the Presidential Statement. Vaguely-worded missives flew as four-stripers around the country attempted to quell protests, mollify distraught students and generally show the world what nice, normal, well-meaning people they really are. The latest local manifestation of this phenomenon, of course, was Amy Gutmann’s recent statement declaring Penn a “sanctuary campus.” Even in a genre defined by wishy-washiness and obfuscation, this specimen stood out for being not only particularly hollow, but outright misleading as well. The centerpiece of Gutmann’s note was her commitment not to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on campus without a warrant. Practically and legally, this is meaningless. If ICE ever bothered coming to Penn to apprehend or gain information about an undocumented
student, they would almost certainly obtain a court order authorizing it first. Presented with such a document, Penn would have no choice but to furnish whatever information or facilities access the order described. The only circumstance in which Penn’s refusal to cooperate could possibly matter is if ICE agents sought the voluntary turnover of student records or consent to enter a school-owned building. If Penn values the privacy and personal integrity of its students, it should refuse such requests as a matter of routine — and not expect kudos for it. As far as “not allow[ing]” ICE agents access onto campus, well, there is nothing legally or practically preventing a plainclothes agent taking a stroll up Locust Walk just like anyone else. The commitment to keep extending certain benefits to undocumented students was equally empty. Promising to keep offering grant-based financial aid to those “who apply as international students” constitutes nothing more than a commitment to keep accepting international students. A student residing illegally in the United States who applied as
an international student from their home country would be evaluated on the same needaware basis as a student actually residing in that country and would compete for aid from
will advocate for comprehensive immigration reforms, it’s inappropriate for the University to adopt official political positions. It adds up to this: Gut-
Gutmann’s declaration that Penn is a ‘sanctuary campus’ sounded like a promise to do something radical, but it wasn’t.” the same smaller pool. Continuing to allow students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status to participate in work-study is hardly more revolutionary, as DACA grants work permits to qualifying individuals. DACA, however, is a highly controversial program implemented unilaterally by this administration, and as such can be unilaterally rescinded by the next. If Trump were to dismantle DACA, undocumented Penn students would lose workstudy eligibility, and there would be nothing Penn could do to stop it. As for the claim that Penn
mann’s declaration that Penn is a “sanctuary campus” sounded like a promise to do something radical, but it wasn’t. It was a promise only to continue doing, for the time being, what the current, unstable law already allows. Unfortunately, however, the student body seems as a whole to have interpreted the missive as just the opposite: a commitment by Penn to actually shield students from immigration enforcement. This is mostly not an unfortunate accident or failing on students’ part; it is a predictable consequence of the way the message was worded. With its language of
“sanctuary” and “refusal,” the letter sounds — deliberately so, I suspect — like a commitment to shield undocumented students from the law. But if you read it rigorously (a difficult enough task that I had to consult two different lawyers to make sure my interpretation was correct) it is simply no such thing. Whether it would be morally desirable, under some future set of circumstances, for Penn to go further is a different and thornier question. Personally, I can imagine an extreme but plausible situation in which immigration policy became so draconian that I would support defiance of it. But I frankly doubt that, faced with the loss of federal funding, Penn would have the backbone to do the right thing. None of this is to say that there cannot be a place at Penn for students whose parents brought them into the country unlawfully. These so-called “Dreamers” face tremendously difficult circumstances which they had little or no part in creating. In my view, they deserve our nation’s compassion. In the present moment, when a man who loudly rejects the notion of extending that compassion has been elevated to the na-
ALEC WARD tion’s highest office, they face an especially unenviable and, I am sure, frightening situation. It does them no good, however, for Penn to issue vague, misleading statements providing false reassurance. Even to the extent that Gutmann may have provided some comfort to students facing genuinely concerning circumstances, falsity renders that reassurance unproductive. Preparing to do what is morally right requires frank recognition of the circumstances as they are, not the collective indulgence of fantasies about our own virtue and its capabilities. ALEC WARD is a College senior from Washington, D.C., studying history. His email address is alecward@ sas.upenn.edu. Follow him on Twitter @TalkBackWard. “Fair Enoug h,” u suall y appears every Wednesday.
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NEWS 5
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Veterans ‘begin again’ with Wharton D.C. visit A Management 100 class raised over $4,000 for vets JAE SIM Contributing Reporter
Although large groups touring Washington, D.C. are commonplace, this one was a bit different. On Saturday, Nov. 26, a group of Wharton students took 36 veterans, all members of the Veterans Upward Bound program, to the nation’s capital, where they spent the day touring the city and visiting important sites.
VUB is a federally funded program that aims to assist lowincome veterans in becoming first-generation college students. Through the program, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, soldiers have the opportunity to take classes at universities, and often receive assistance with applications and financial aid. The undergraduates, who connected with the VUB through their Management 100 class, organized, fundraised and led the trip to Washington, D.C, a task that took several months. “The trip was about showing
veterans who had experienced setbacks, who lacked opportunities, that they deserved the chance to begin again,” Wharton freshman Tom Yuz said. The group raised money for the trip in a number of ways, including reaching out individually to over 150 different corporations, and coordinating with Copabanana, a popular restaurant near campus, to hold a Veteran’s Weekend fundraiser. In all, they raised over $4,000 — about double the cost of the trip. The remainder of the money will go toward scholarships for veterans, the group said.
The group visited the White House upon arrival, and the veterans were able to take a guided tour before spending time at several of the museums in Washington, including the National Air and Space Museum. The last spot on the tour was the Arlington National Cemetery, a place the veterans were able to connect with. “We had four veterans, each from a different branch of the military, walk with the guard to participate in a wreath laying ceremony, which many said was the most uplifting experience of the trip,” Yuz said.
On the trip, as well as during planning, the students were able to interact with some of the nation’s heroes, many of whom are in their 60s. “On the bus ride to D.C., we all sat next to a veteran, which meant we had three hours to sit next to someone and get to know them,” Wharton freshman Megan Kyne said. This intimacy also led to moments of vulnerability between the groups. “One veteran shared how, while serving, he had an accident that left him with brain damage,” Kyne said. “After
returning, his wife left him and he lost his job, but he’s with the VUB in order to get a job and hopefully see his family again. We shared a lot of intimate moments like that.” Although the trip has passed, the students and the veterans have planned a reunion, to share their experiences and photos from the trip. “For our [Management 100 group], even though it was a lot of work, we could see the direct impact of it,” Kyne said. “It wasn’t really about the grade as much as the relationships we formed through the project.”
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It’s Finals Season
The Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School
Presents the 16th Annual
Real Estate Career Fair Friday, January 20, 2017 Houston Hall 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Open to all Penn/Wharton undergraduate & graduate students interested in pursuing a job or internship in real estate Meet professionals in all areas of the industry, including: development, finance, management, and many more. A great opportunity to find summer intern or full-time positions in real estate. Questions? Contact Ron Smith: smithrk@wharton.upenn.edu; 215-746-4709.
Pick up the finals issue on December 13th.
The Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center gratefully acknowledges the Jeff T. Blau Endowment for Student Placement, which has helped make this event possible.
6 NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
What lies in Hillary Clinton’s political future? Experts weigh in on Clinton’s life after election ALEX RABIN Contributing Reporter
In the wake of this year’s emotionally charged election — which rocked the media world and stunned Penn’s campus — both the public and the media have turned their attention to 1968 Wharton graduate and President-elect Donald Trump. However, while Trump prepares to enter the White House and hold office for the first time, the decades-old political career of his opponent lies in uncertainty. As news and rumors of Trump’s cabinet appointments saturate news and social media, Americans are left wondering what Hillary Clinton’s political future will look like. “[I] think this is probably a pretty crushing blow for her,” said Matthew Levendusky, a professor and graduate chair of Penn’s Political Science Department .
WINTER BREAK >> PAGE 1
begins. Ncube is from Zimbabwe, and to get home, she has to make connections in Qatar and South Africa. “In my country the holiday actually starts on the Dec 22. The
“It’s certainly hard to imagine her running for office again...given the way this election played out, I would find it hard for Democrats to coalesce around her. That said, she will still be a person on the public stage, even if she just stays involved with the Clinton Foundation.” Professor Marc Meredith, the undergraduate chair of Penn’s Political Science Department, emphasized that regardless of her long-term plans, Clinton might initially keep her distance from the public. “I think there’s not much to be gained right now from being in the public eye,” he said. “You don’t want to come off as seeming like a sore loser, so...there’s got to be some time between the election and when she’s out there.” Many have compared Clinton to Al Gore, the Democratic candidate in the 2000 election who also won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. College junior and political science major Alex Cohn theorized that two
flight is exponentially more expensive because of that,” Ncube said. “They should really make break before the holidays so that people like me can get home and spend time with their families. I won’t even get there until Christmas.” While Penn has the highest
candidates’ post-election futures might also resemble one another. “When we look at Al Gore... his big thing is climate change, and he’s really taken that on,” Cohn said, adding that he thinks
Clinton will get involved with child advocacy work. Meredith and Levendusky both agreed that Clinton will most likely focus on the causes important to her, although it is unclear
how quickly she will want to reenter the public eye. “It seems as if she has a genuine passion for healthcare and education, so I would think to an extent she wants to get involved
in things where she’s had a focus, but it’s really hard to know,” Meredith said. “I think we’re about to have a big battle over the future of healthcare that will be quite prolonged, and she might find that her voice is important in that discussion.” Both professors said although Clinton likely wants to avoid direct involvement in the Democratic Party’s next steps, it is consistent with her character to persevere as a longstanding advocate for change. “I don’t know her personally, but from talking to people who know her and have worked with her, it does seem like she genuinely believes in what she said in her concession speech: do the most good you can for the most number people you can, for as long as you can,” Levendusky added. “That’s something she genuinely believes in and believes in trying to produce that kind of change, so I suspect she will continue to work for that for the years to come.”
percentage of international students among Ivy League schools, it has the shortest winter break. Harvard, for instance, gives students over a month off. College sophomore Francesca Reznik believes the University didn’t considering that buying plane tickets for Dec. 23 is nearly
impossible, even though the vast majority of Penn students are not from the Philadelphia area, “This is the only time [of] year I can see my family in Mexico, but since the break was so shortened and pushed back, I’m not going to be able to go,” Reznik said. “The plane tickets were
three times what’d they’d normally be and even if I went I’d have way less time.” Still, students feel that winter break is now far too short for them to spend enough time at home. “By shortening winter break and having finals go so late,
your ability to get a mental break which people need at Penn is really diminished and I find that really hard,” said College sophomore Isabella Essex. “I’m on the rowing team, so I have to come back even earlier and it was hard to explain to my parents that I’d only be with them for 10 days.”
CARSON KAHOE | PHOTO EDITOR
As President-elect and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump prepares to enter the White House, the political career of Hillary Clinton lies in uncertainty.
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NEWS 7
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Stereotypes are exaggerated in tweet interpretation, study shows
Participants predicted characteristics from tweets BEN FUNG Contributing Reporter
Tweet the words “love,” “OMG” and “cute,” and people are more likely to think you are female. Tweet the words “ebola,” “sports” and “war,” and people are more likely to assume you are male. However, both of these assumptions would be wrong, according to a recent Penn study. Penn researchers analyzed how people interpret the language of tweets in a study about stereotypes. In their study, entitled “Real Men Don’t Say Cute,” 3,000 participants read 120,000 different tweets and were able to predict the gender, education level, age and political orientation of the tweet’s author 68 percent of the time. The study was published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science in November. Just by looking at the text of a tweet, participants could identify
the gender of the tweeter 76 percent of the time, whether the person was above or below 24 years old 69 percent of the time and the person’s political orientation 82 percent of the time. Only in guessing education level did stereotypes lead people astray — participants correctly guessed whether the tweeter had no degree, a bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree only 46 percent of the time. “The main message is that people are mainly correct but that stereotypes are inaccurate in the sense that they are always exaggerated,” said Daniel Preoţiuc-Pietro, a postdoctoral student at Penn’s Positive Psychology Center and one of the lead researchers of the study. Both Preoţiuc-Pietro and fellow lead researcher Jordan Carpenter, now a postdoctoral student at Duke University, were involved in the World WellBeing Project of the Positive Psychology Center. The project is a three-year-old interdisciplinary collaboration between statisticians, psychologists like Carpenter and computer
CARSON KAHOE | PHOTO EDITOR
In a Penn study called “Real Men Don’t Say Cute,” researchers found that people over-exaggerate stereotypes when interpreting tweets.
scientists like Preoţiuc-Pietro, all using big data to analyze language.
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Preoţiuc-Pietro said the study represents a novel approach — rather than asking people to
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participants always over-blew them, assuming they held true far more than they actually did. “The most useful aspect is making people aware of their stereotypes in order to intervene,” Preoţiuc-Pietro said. “People are usually not aware of these things, but they should be, because that is the first step of correcting these incorrect stereotypes.” Preoţiuc-Pietro said the research will also be helpful in the field of computer science and artificial intelligence. For example, a computer scientist could program educational software for children to use language that they would perceive as more youthful, making it more relatable. “Our studies indicate the power of big data methods to quantitatively compare actual and perceived behavioral tendencies across groups,” the study said. “Using social media text to unobtrusively measure both behaviors and perceptions of those behaviors can reveal surprising, important features of people’s stereotypical beliefs and their levels of correctness.”
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describe the stereotypes they hold, the researchers asked people to use their stereotypes in judging isolated tweets. This method reduces bias in the way people represent themselves and reveals implicit biases, reversing the way researchers had been looking at the problem, he said. “In face-to-face interactions, people simultaneously use information from multiple channels to categorize others, which makes it ambiguous what cues were most important,” the study said. “Using social media language lets us isolate a single channel within the context of everyday life, allowing us more certainty that the identified stereotypes are real.” In the study, participants largely assumed that femininesounding language belonged to liberals, that tweets related to technology or sports were written by men, that tweets about personal matters were written by women and that people who hold doctoral degrees did not use foul language. Many of these stereotypes were supported by the data, but
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016 Penn Law Lecture: 5:00-6:00 p.m. in The Fitts Auditorium, Golkin Hall (lower level) Reception: 6:00-6:45 p.m. in The Davis Student Union (adjacent to Fitts Auditorium) 3501 Sansom Street • Philadelphia, PA 19104
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
Behind the scenes, managers boost Penn hoops HOOPS | Students
orders deferentially and without question. Translation: big egos need not apply. Well, the pay must be good, right? Nope, it’s nonexistent. This job necessitates special sort of applicant: motivated, dedicated and passionate about the game. “I by no means think of it as me working for someone. I think of it as me just being a part of the team, and I think that’s a testament to how the coaches and the players treat us.� Colvin said. “It’s fun for me to get to the gym an hour early and help the players shoot, and it’s fun for me to stay an hour afterwards to help with any logistical stuff that the coaches might need. Just knowing that you’re playing a role in something bigger than yourself always makes it all worth it.� “Sometimes there are things you are asked to do that you don’t necessarily want to do, but you do them,� said Joseph Cesare, a senior who has
embrace dirty work GRIFF FITZSIMMONS Sports Reporter
It’s early on a Saturday morning. While you’re asleep, Garrett Colvin is hard at work. He’s taken on the responsibility of being one of the few, the proud, the Penn basketball managers. Student managers are a rare breed. Seldom seen or heard, they’re the unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes of the basketball program, without whom the team could simply not be successful. The work? It’s unpredictable and often thankless. Managers are tasked with anything from setting up equipment to coordinating food orders to mopping up the players’ sweat. They must be ready to solve problems on the fly, as well as follow
HIGGINS
ANANYA CHANDRA | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR
While not receiving the same glory as athletes or coaches, Penn basketball’s student managers still play a key role in their programs
been with the team since the fall of his freshman year. “At the end of the day, it’s because you’re all going for this common goal.� Colvin and Cesare’s selfless attitude seems to be universal; They fall in love with being part of this team.
ranked third and the women are just outside the top ten. I’m willing to bet that most students here are unaware that we even field those teams. While that kind of ignorance can claim many fathers, Penn Athletics certainly plays a role in those programs’ lack of notoriety. I understand that my argument is complicated by the fencing team’s few competitions at home in comparison with Penn’s basketball teams, one of which plays at home nearly every weekend. Nevertheless, there is a much greater incentive for students to make the trek down to 33rd Street if they know they can see some of the best athletes in the country do their thing. This is not to say that the athletes in the University’s high profile programs don’t still deserve your support or are not talented in their own right. They most certainly do and most certainly are. But the athletes who sacrifice just as much for far less praise could use some ego-boosting and rowdy student sections, too.
>> PAGE 10
drubbed 82-57. The result was to be expected – the Wildcats currently hold down the top ranking in Division I college hoops while we are battling for fourth in a conference of unranked teams. It was heartening to see the Palestra so full that night – I haven’t seen it so energized since the Ivy League title playoff between Harvard and Yale in 2015. But how many of those fans that made their first trip down to the Cathedral of Basketball that weeknight will ever come back? Why not choose to promote a winter program like squash or fencing instead? The bouts and matches tend to be shorter, on average, than an entire basketball game, the courts are the same distance from the heart of campus as the Palestra, and the athletes are some of the best in the nation. Penn’s men’s and women’s squash teams are No. 6 and No. 2, respectively. The men’s fencing team is
Whether this “resolution� for Penn Athletics gets fulfilled in 2017 comes down to the students just as much as the institution itself – empty seats are filled by people, not clever pregame promotion tweets. So, as a personal response to Ellie’s question, I want to attend a game for each of Penn’s 31 varsity programs before I graduate. In my three-and-a-half years of working for The Daily Pennsylvanian, I’ve already written about 26, so I’m almost there. I’d like to challenge whoever is reading this column to try to match my total. The fall sports season is already over, but there is still time to see 23 teams in action. So make it your resolution – for 2017 or for the remainder of your time in college. Maybe you’ll lose a little precious time in the library, but trust me, you won’t regret it. LAINE HIGGINS is a College senior from Wayzata, Minnesota and is senior sports reporter at The Daily Pennsylvanian. She can be reached at dpsports@thedp.com.
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each other’s talents and always have fun out there.� With their next duel set just past the New Year, Salah will look to capitalize on an experience of a lifetime, and take aim at an Ivy League title.
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are super close, and we’re actually good friends as well,� she said. “But when we go on the court, we always try to have the best time possible, and whoever shows up the better player that day wins. We both understand
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MARK SHTRAKHMAN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Already a dominant force for Penn women’s squash, sophomore Reeham Salah decided to take her talents to the national team.
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Penn teammates yesterday for training, though she’ll take her well-earned recovery time. “I think just taking it easy this week is best, because I don’t want to overexert myself. Then next week when I go home I’ll get some intense training there, and then come back to Penn and have another intense week before the match. I think all of us just pushing each other, like the men’s pushing the women’s team or vice versa, will really help,� she said. When the Quakers face the Crimson, it will be a bit of a reunion for the two teams’ aces. Harvard’s number one, fellow sophomore Sabrina Sobhy, joined forces with Salah in France, and the two have a unique bond as competitors. “Sabrina and I have been rivals since we were seven years old, so it doesn’t really change things. On the team together, we
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People are initially drawn to the position, though, for many different reasons. Some, like Cesare, simply enjoy being involved with a sport they love. “This is what I do for fun,� he says. Others are ex-players, looking to help out with a program that
said Austin Rahmin, a sophomore in his first year with the team. “My dream one day is to go into coaching, and there’s no better place to learn than from these coaches. They’re amazing.� The legacy of the manager at Penn goes back further than you’d think. Here’s a little-known anecdote: in the late 50’s while serving as a student manager during his undergraduate years, Jon Huntsman, Sr. actually suited up during a road game against Cornell. After one player fouled out and two others were injured, the Quakers, who began the game with an alreadydepleted seven-man lineup, were hopelessly shorthanded. The team put in Huntsman, who soon after got into a scuffle over the ball and promptly went to the line. He knocked down one glorious free throw, the bench went nuts, and Huntsman would go on to describe it as his greatest experience at Penn.
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has become a part of who they are at Penn. Jameira Johnson, a sophomore, is one such manager on the women’s team. “Earlier this year, I made the decision to contribute to the team in the best way that I could,� she said. “For me, that was changing my role to be off the court and more behind the scenes. I love my teammates and my coaches and I do whatever I can to better our program.� Many managers, alternately, see a future for themselves in the sports management industry down the road. The program sees many students, Wharton or otherwise, who are interested in a career in sports management or coaching. “I grew up a big Penn fan so to be part of the program is a privilege. Brad and the coaches really do a great job making us feel part of the team, and for me this is kind of what I want to do with the rest of my life,�
52 Martial arts award 38 Does a slow burn 53 Landfill emanation 41 Swords or cups, 54 Much in tarot coffeehouse music 43 ___’Pea 55 Diez minus siete 46 Much of North Africa 59 Upper limit, for short 47 Take away 60 Facebook, on an 50 Viking Ship iPhone or Galaxy Museum city 61 Prefix with 51 Night, in Nantes classical 36 Knit item at a social
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SPORTS 9
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Sophomore fencer has sights set on Tokyo Games
FENCING | Yoo coming
off All-American berth MOSES NSEREKO Sports Reporter
In Penn history, 24 fencers have represented their school at the Olympic Games. If sophomore Justin Yoo has anything to say about it, he will be the 25th come the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “Hopefully down the road, [Tokyo] 2020 would be a blessing,” he said, “To make the Olympics, that would be amazing, but realistically, I am just trying to focus on smaller goals to make larger goals.” Though modest, the sophomore epee has enjoyed a successful collegiate career so far. It’s hard not to be excited about his trajectory after a stellar freshman year. Among the titles he claimed last year are an NCAA Regional championship,
second-team All-American, and a gold medal at the United States Collegiate Squad Championships. In total, the Los Angeles resident notched 46 dual match wins in his rookie season. In a way, Yoo’s freshman year success could have been predicted. After all, he is an Olympian in his own right. In 2014, Yoo earned a fourth-place finish in the individual epee competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, falling to eventual silver medalist Linus Islas Flygare from Sweden. Other highlights from that year included winning a silver medal at the Cadet World Championships, immediately followed by a bronze at the Junior World Championships. But even with that type of pedigree, Yoo, like the rest of campus, isn’t impervious to the effects of finals season. “School has started to get heavier, and I have to devote
more time to school work,” the sophomore joked. “I think that after winter break, I can come back and fence stronger for the team.” Unlike the rest of campus, Yoo’s winter break will not be highlighted by relaxation. He will spend his winter break at the Los Angeles International Fencing Center (LAIFC), a powerhouse club in the USA Fencing community. Among the epee coaches that teach under LAIFC are Eric Hanson, member of seven US World Championship teams, and Gago Demirchian, a three-time national champion for Armenia. For Yoo, winter training at LAIFC will be nothing less than intense. “Every day I go...and we’ll train. Sometimes [my coach] will take me to the beach with other students and we’ll run two miles on the sand, then we’ll train back at our fencing club and normally spar each other
and do [more] weights and conditioning.” Winter break training is just one of those things Yoo feels he needs to make inroads on those “smaller goals.” Another thing the sophomore will look to add to his collegiate schedule: national competitions. He hopes to attend more senior World Cups, typically events where elite fencers like 2016 Olympian Jason Pryer can be found competing. For Justin, he hopes to make the men’s national team in the future, but, with fencing, you never can be certain. “It’s really hard to tell the future,” Yoo said. “Fencing is such a random sport where something magically can click, and then you can start fencing better, or you can get injured, and then, you’re out of the season for a year, while other people are progressing.” With illness and injury affecting his teammates last season, Yoo is no stranger to
Quakers look for their first home win
W. HOOPS | Team riding the Big 5 opener on Nov. 22.
two game win streak TOMMY ROTHMAN Sports Editor TONIGHT
La Salle (4-4) 5:30 p.m.
The Palestra
Penn women’s basketball, playing far better of late, will look for far better results in its second Big 5 contest. The Quakers (3-3) will be at home on Wednesday night to take on La Salle (4-4) for some midweek action at the Palestra. Penn lost three of its first four games to begin the season, including a 57-53 loss to Saint Joseph’s in
But since then, the Red and Blue have played terrific basketball, winning their last two games 64-47 and 63-39. La Salle comes in hot as well, having won four of its previous five games. Between the two teams, Penn has won four straight head-to-head matchups and five of the past six, but the Explorers lead the all-time rivalry 33-10. The Quakers will be led by the red-hot duo of senior center Sydney Stipanovich and junior forward Michelle Nwokedi, each of whom have four double-doubles in the first six games. Stipanovich in particular should be a source of intimidation in the eyes of La Salle, as she had 21 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in last season’s 78-68 Penn victory. That last matchup came on La
Salle’s home court, but just because the Quakers are at home doesn’t mean things will be any easier for Mike McLaughlin’s squad; the Red and Blue are 0-2 on their home floor this season. For La Salle, the biggest threat is clearly Amy Griffin, the star junior who is averaging 20.1 points per game this season. Griffin’s scoring comes from inside as she rarely shoots the three, so the matchup between her and Penn’s two shotblocking studs in Stipanovich and Nwokedi will be one to watch. These are non-conference games, but with Big 5 glory on the line, neither team will take this contest lightly, especially not a Penn team that needs to prove itself after a rocky start. And for a team with NCAA Tournament aspirations, such as the Quakers, every game counts.
LUKE YEAGLEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior guard Kasey Chambers is averaging 5 ppg this year.
ARABELLA UHRY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
After a dominant debut season for Penn men’s fencing, sophomore Justin Yoo plans to take his game to the international stage in 2020.
the unpredictability of fencing. Still, if he can avoid the roadblocks he described, don’t be
LAFAYETTE >> PAGE 10
games, though, I just like getting them over with.” The two teams come in sharing a good amount of each other’s schedule. Villanova — 25-point victors over the Quakers — handed the Leopards an 88-48 shellacking in Lafayette’s season opener. Penn is already the third Ivy League team the Leopards will have taken on this year, falling to Cornell, 82-75, and Princeton, 71-55, just before Thanksgiving. Over the years, this Lafayette matchup has become a permanent fixture on Penn basketball’s annual schedule. The familiarity of the styles of play for coaches and players that have been involved in these games brings a new element of strategy to the week of preparation. “What we need to be careful of is that, because we know what
surprised to see Justin wearing the Red, White and Blue in 2020.
is coming because we have faced Fran and his team before, we must be careful to not overload these guys with information,” Donahue said. “When it comes down to it, we are trying to do similar things offensively and defensively; it’s what players execute it better.” Additionally, the Quakers come in looking to avenge last season’s loss in game that that saw them getting crushed for most of the contest, before cutting the lead to just six points at the final buzzer thanks to a flurry of second-half shooting. “They handed it to us last year, so this is our revenge game,” Silpe said. “So we are going to come in hot, come in ready, and take what’s ours.” The Red and Blue have three more games before taking more than two weeks off for finals. Lafayette offers the first chance for the Quakers to build a little bit of momentum heading into that break.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
PHILLY TO TOKYO
THEY MANAGE
Sophomore fencer Justin Yoo is striving to compete in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
Penn basketball relies on a corps of managers to keep things ticking over smoothly
>> SEE PAGE 9
>> SEE PAGE 8
JUMP
STARTING
THE SEASON M. HOOPS | Struggling Lafayette
awaits team in need of a big win MATT FINE Associate Sports Editor TONIGHT
Lafayette (3-4) 8 p.m.
The Palestra
Penn basketball knew that its opening set of non-conference games to start the season would be challenging. The Quakers were right. Faced with matchups against a host of solid opponents, including a talented Miami team as well as defending NCAA national champion and currently No. 1-ranked Villanova, the Quakers (2-4) have shown improvement, but not the anticipated results quite yet. For Wednesday’s game against Lafayette (3-4), Penn is hoping a win would jumpstart the team into a successful rest of the season. “We have had a couple tough road losses and we were right there in some of them. I
Let me expLaine
Penn Athletics’ New Year’s sports resolutions
W. SQUASH | Helps Team
USA to fifth-place finish
Sports Reporter
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ast Wednesday night, I stood crammed in the aisle of a coach bus carrying 50some members of the swim team nine hours across the state to an invitational meet at Kenyon College. Somehow, every single swimmer neglected to bring DVD’s, so we spent the ride studying and talking amongst ourselves a little more than usual. Around hour six, my teammate Ellie Grimes started asking the people sitting around her what one thing they wanted to do before graduating college. The ensuing responses were mostly light-hearted and germane to borderline-illegal activities. But the question got me thinking: before I graduated from Penn, what did I want to do as a student, as an athlete, as a friend? In lieu of my last column of 2016 being a recitation of my resolutions for second semester senior year, I’d like to expand the prompt from Ellie’s initial phrasing to encompass
ARABELLA UHRY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Penn fencing, while not the most popular, boasts some of the nation’s best teams, and could be a PR focal point for Penn Athletics in 2017.
the sports community at Penn. What did I want from Penn Athletics before I graduated, as both a member of a varsity sports team and as a (partially) objective observer as a sports writer? I want a slightly different PR strategy from the University. Currently, most students are only tangentially aware of what sporting events take place on campus each weekend. Given the current level of sports apathy at Penn, this is equally true for the marquee sports, such as football and men’s and women’s basketball, as it is for non-revenue generating sports like mine. I would argue, however, that
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the University has the most fans to gain from the lower profile athletic teams. Consider last Tuesday’s PennVillanova men’s basketball game as a case study. 7,787 fans descended on the Palestra to watch our Quakers take on the defending national champions. For context, just 503 fans were present the previous Tuesday for the women’s basketball team’s Big Five game against St. Joseph’s. Despite matching red “Beat Nova” t-shirts given out at the pre-game Fan Fest and an electric home atmosphere, Penn got SEE HIGGINS PAGE 8
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Salah competes against worlds’ best for USA GREG ROBINOV
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think we just need to take the next step forward,” said sophomore guard Jake Silpe. “We have had great preparation since the Temple loss and we are playing great as a team. Things are going to click.” Penn coach Steve Donahue is pleased with how is young team has looked, but he is ready to start seeing victories. “One of the biggest hurdles in gaining confidence and getting ready for the Ivy League season is having some success,” he said. “At the same time, I’m still trying to evaluate so many new bodies that we have and giving guys that have played well in practice the opportunity to see if they can help us in games.” This week’s game will also be unique opportunity for Donahue to face off against a longtime coworker and friend, Lafayette head coach Fran O’Hanlon. The two were assistants together at Penn in the 1990s under then-head coach Fran Dunphy, who is now at Temple, who edged out the Quakers last Saturday. “I stay in touch pretty regularly throughout my coaching career,” Donahue said. ”[O’Hanlon] is probably my closest friend in the business. I actually don’t like playing these
Sometimes Red, White and Blue comes before Red and Blue. For Penn squash phenom Reeham Salah, that was the case when she joined up with Team USA for the Women’s World Team Championships last weekend in Paris, France. Up against top talent from around the globe, the sophomore held her own, helping to guide the U.S to a fifth place finish — its highest to date. The squad notched impressive wins against Wales, Canada and third-ranked Malaysia, in which Salah took down world No. 17 Delia Arnold in a 77-minute five game nail-biter games. Though she is no stranger to international competition, this was Salah’s first time on the world stage at the senior level. “It’s a whole different experience playing on the senior tour. I’ve always played Junior World Championships, but never senior, so watching players that I watched growing up, and actually playing against them is really inspirational,” she said.
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Recounting her most memorable moments, she pointed to the quarterfinal match against powerhouse Egypt and being star-struck with her opponent. “My favorite player on tour is Raneem [El Weleily] and she’s ranked number two in the world,” she said. “Growing up, she was always my favorite player, and then playing with her was such an experience because you’re finally on court with someone you idolized your whole life, so that was a very surreal moment for me.” Aside from the memories, Salah will be taking a wealth of experience home with her to enhance her collegiate game and the rest of the team, something Penn coach Jack Wyant is excited about. “Reeham took her game to the next level, going from junior to senior level,” Wyant said. “Squash, like a lot of games, when you’re around someone with so much talent it makes everyone better. And for her, the opportunity to play against the top-ranked women in the world gives her an incredible chance to improve.” While the current squad certainly benefits from her competing in tournaments like this, on the larger scale, her
successes overseas are vital to the future of the program, especially recruiting, as Wyant noted. While there’s no question having a top-tier player like Salah puts Penn on the map, he added that when she’s on the circuit with some junior players, she can get others interested in playing for the Red and Blue and pull in other future superstars. Fans will have to hold their breaths for a bit before Red and Blue squash is back in action, as the team is next slated for Harvard on Jan. 14. This extended break was fully intentional, Wyant explained, and meant to give his international players the opportunity to represent their countries in Paris. “We purposefully built in the lull, since we knew we’d have players in this about a year ago,” he said. “We didn’t travel with the men’s team last weekend for matches. It is our job to develop the players academically and also athletically, so we’re willing to accommodate them with the schedule, which is not the case at some other programs.” Salah is ready to get back into the swing of things, only taking Monday off before rejoining her SEE SQUASH PAGE 8
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