Catalyzing Change: Henry Coshburn and the Power of Mentorship

The family of Henry Coshburn (ChE’57) converged on New York’s Harlem from points north and south. His father’s ancestors traveled south from the shores of Lake Champlain, in upstate New York, while some of his mother’s forebears—including the religious leader and civil rights advocate William B. Derrick—emigrated from Antigua before settling in Flushing, Queens, while others traveled north from Virginia, where they had been enslaved.

Coshburn grew up in Harlem just after the neighborhood transformed into the Mecca of Black America. From 1910 to 1930, the Black share of Harlem’s population rose from 10% to 70%, giving birth to the art, poetry and music of the Harlem Renaissance, and also to Coshburn, one of the first Black graduates of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Chemical Engineering.  Read More

Engineering Changemakers: Honoring Cora Ingrum and Donna Hampton

In the 1970s, the United States found itself trying to untangle from the tumult of the previous decade. Despite the civil rights marches, anti-war protests, and social rebellions of the 1960s, progress was seemingly stalled, in particular, progress towards racial equality.

Amidst this backdrop, leadership at the University of Pennsylvania was stirred into action, says Charles Wardlaw of the chemical engineering Class of 1975.  Read More

Exposure to Engineering

In 2008, Penn GEMS held its inaugural camp, which was the brainchild of Penn Engineering’s Advancing Women in Engineering (AWE) group. The camp was originally intended to inspire participation in the sciences for middle school girls. Though the target audience has been expanded, GEMS’ mission has remained steadfast: to provide hands-on experience to middle school students who are interested in many engineering disciplines including bioengineering, nanotechnology, computer science, and materials science. The program is overseen by Penn Engineering’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which prioritizes outreach efforts at the School and K-12 level to expand the pipeline of future engineers who reflect the diversity of the U.S. and the global community.  Read More

Penn Engineering’s First Community STEM Field Day

As part of the School’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM, Penn Engineering’s community outreach team hosted its inaugural STEM Field Day on Thursday, April 20. Held at Penn Park, the event served as a culminating activity and end-of-year celebration for students in Penn Engineering’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s Fife-Penn STEM & CS Academy and Heights Philadelphia Middle Grades Academy after-school programs. Read More

'STEM Goes Red' with Penn

On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, Penn Engineering’s Community Outreach Team, under the leadership of Chanda Jefferson, Director of Community Engagement and Outreach, joined the American Heart Association’s STEM Goes Red initiative at Lincoln Financial Field. Hosted by the Philadelphia Eagles, Penn Engineering served as the STEM breakout session sponsor. Read More

Bolstering Environmental Education in Cobbs Creek

For the last year, with support from a Projects for Progress (P4P) award, a team from Penn has collaborated with Center staff and the Cobbs Creek community to enhance resources to support similar learning opportunities at the CCCEC. Their goal is to promote equitable access to STEM education for residents of the Cobbs Creek neighborhood. “Now more than ever, our society understands the value of green spaces and of STEM education, and the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center provides both for West Philadelphia families and students,” says President Liz Magill.  Read More

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dedicates New Suite to Foundational Figures

On December 3, 2021, ODEI cut the ribbon on its new suite in the Towne Building, featuring a conference room and study space dedicated to two of its foundational figures: Ms. Cora Ingrum, ODEI’s former Director, and Ms. Donna Hampton, the office’s longtime administrative assistant. Read More