Student Perspectives on the University in the 21st Century

Undergraduates from English Professor Zita Nunes's course Community Writing: Post-COVID University will present their work as part of the America 250 at Penn series, leading up to Penn's 2026 commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Community Writing course combines theory with practice. Thinking through nonhierarchical approaches to writing in community with each other, students learn how to develop community-appropriate approaches to writing outside the classroom, generating ideas about how to harness the power of education for personal and social change.

The event will begin with an introduction by Professor Zita Nunes followed by student presentations:

• Rema Bhat, “Locust Walk: A Genealogy”
• Nathan Zhang, “Running Against Penn Face”
• Hannah Dastgheib, “Art is a Ribbon Around a Bomb: A Journey Through Shame, Racism, and Hope in Penn’s Archives”
• Sophia Fitzsimonds, “Renovating History: David Rittenhouse Laboratories”
• Hayle Kim, “A Handbook for Student Activism at Penn” 
• Franklin Cheng, “Save Philly Chinatown: A Call to Action”

Sponsored by America 250 at Penn; the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts; the Netter Center for Community Partnerships; and the Department of English. No registration required.