Tag Archives: Penn Alumni

Flashback: Penn Basketball’s Zack Rosen at the Final Four

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As the NCAA Men and Women’s Basketball championships concluded this week and ended the month of “March Madness,” I looked back to Penn Basketball’s most recent “Hurrah” in the NCAA’s. Four years ago, Penn senior Zack Rosen was a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. The finalists were pictured around the Final Four host city New Orleans and recognized on court between the two Final Four games. That year Robbie Hummel of Purdue eventually won the award.

Since then, Penn Basketball is in a rebuilding effort, with this year being the first of new head coach Steve Donahue. Hopefully in the coming years, the team will return to compete in the NCAA tournament. While it was nice to see the Ivy League’s entry Yale win in their first round game this year, I hope that Penn will be once again be making regular appearances in the tournament representing the Ivy League.

Here is my original post from the Frankly Penn blog, published on March 30, 2012.

Hurrah, Hurrah! Zack Rosen at the Final Four!

By Kiera Reilly, C’93 (@KieraReilly)

This weekend, as Louisville and Kentucky, Ohio State and Kansas battle it out in the NCAA Final Four Men’s Basketball Championships in New Orleans, Penn Athletics teams will be playing Women’s Lacrosse, Softball, Women’s Tennis, Baseball, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Lightweight Rowing, Men’s Tennis, Women’s Golf and Men’s Golf. But Penn will be represented at the Final Four.

How? By virtue of Men’s Basketball senior guard and team captain Zack Rosen, who is one of ten finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The award, “is presented each year to the outstanding senior NCAA Division I Student-Athlete of the Year across ten different sports. The acronym “CLASS” stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®.”

Each of the ten finalists is profiled on the award website, and you can read about why Zack was nominated here: http://www.seniorclassaward.com/athletes/zack_rosen/.

Just this week, Zack wrote an editorial published in The Daily Pennsylvanian, thanking the students for supporting the team this year. As you can see in the comments below his piece, the fans write to thank him for bringing excitement back to Penn basketball. I for one, am a huge Penn Basketball fan, and was thrilled when the team visited southern California this year (read my earlier post about the fans that came to cheer for the Quakers). When I was on campus in February, I attended the Penn-Harvard and Penn-Dartmouth games, and it felt like old times in the Palestra – a packed house with Penn alumni and students cheering loudly for our beloved Quakers. Much of that spirit is thanks to Zack Rosen, being the best player on the court and a class act off the court.

The finalists are in New Orleans now, and participated in a service project this morning. Tomorrow, between the two final four games, the winner will be announced. In the meantime, their photos adorn a bus and a hotel in New Orleans. Pretty cool to see a Penn player receive some well-deserved national recognition.

Lowe’s Senior CLASS bus in New Orleans.

Installing the Lowe’s Senior CLASS photo on the Sheraton in New Orleans.

Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalists on the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans.

Photos from Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook page.

Congratulations Zack!

Hurrah, Hurrah, Pennsylvania!

More links

A Penn YouTube video highlights Zack.

Penn Athletics article on Zack’s trip to New Orleans.

Unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year: Zack Rosen on Philly.com.

Rosen is named second-team ECAC Division I All-Star, the only Ivy player named.

Capsule review of Penn’s season by PhilaHoops.com

Rosen dives into life with same passion as hoops on CSNPhilly.

This post was originally published on the Frankly Penn blog on March 30, 2012.

Flashback: Jacqui and Jackie at Penn Homecoming

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It’s Homecoming Weekend at Penn this weekend, and for the first time in a long time I will not be there. Today, the campus will be full of alumni, parents, friends and families walking through College Green on the way to a lecture, art show or the football game. There will be Red and Blue everywhere and hopefully crisp fall weather.

Here is a post from a few years ago, when I met two lovely women who met at Penn and returned to campus many years later, still the best of friends.

I hope everyone has a fantastic time on campus this weekend. And let’s cheer for our Penn Football team – Beat Princeton! Let’s Go Quakers!

This post originally appeared on the Frankly Penn blog on October 26, 2012.

Jacqui and Jackie at Homecoming

By Kiera Reilly, C’93  @KieraReilly

In case you didn’t know, it’s Penn Homecoming Weekend! The foliage is blooming, Locust Walk is abuzz and alumni young and old are returning to campus to experience and participate in the Arts & Culture at Penn (as well as a little Penn Football and other athletic contests – Go Quakers!).

As I sat at the Homecoming registration tent (on Locust Walk right across from the Sweeten Alumni House), I met two enthusiastic alumnae, Jacqui Schneider, CW’47, G’49, and Jackie Wiegand, CW’48. They met at Penn many years ago, and remain friends to this day. Jackie said she was the maid of honor in Jacqui’s wedding, and Jacqui was the matron of honor in her wedding.

They were looking for Van Pelt Library, so I pointed them in the right direction, but they also wondered about Bennett Hall – is it still here? Yes, it is, but now it’s Fisher-Bennett Hall, and since its renovation a few years ago, it’s in wonderful condition. Jacqui remembered a coffee shop that used to be at 34th and Walnut that’s long gone. They wondered about their old dorm. They were looking forward to seeing the woman that was the Dean for Women when they were students – she’s going to be at the Old Guard Brunch tomorrow morning.

Jackie asked about Smokey Joe’s – is that still around? Yes, it’s now at 40th and Locust Streets. She then told us that her brother took her there when she was a freshman and she had her first alcoholic drink there…I bet she’d still get carded today!

Welcome Home Jacqui and Jackie, and welcome home to all Penn alumni, who always seem to be young at heart when they return to Penn.

And, Go Quakers! Beat Brown!

Flashback: A Toast to Penn in Northern California

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Fall in the Northeast conjures images of brightly colored leaves on trees, cool nights, pumpkins and warm apple cider. Fall in California means it’s a perfect time to visit a winery!

Here is a post I wrote about a wonderful event organized by the Penn Club of Northern California – a wine tasting at the private winery of alumnus Phil Schlein – back in 2012.

Enjoy!

This post was originally published on the Frankly Penn blog on October 4, 2012.

A Toast to Penn in Northern California

By Kiera Reilly, C’93  @KieraReilly

A few weekends ago, I traveled one bright sunny Saturday afternoon to the wine country north of San Francisco. There, the Penn Club of Northern California hosted a wine tasting made possible by the generosity of Phil “Spike” Schlein, C’57.

Spike opened his family vineyards and gardens in Oakville, Napa Valley, for touring and a wine tasting. The Schlein family (Spike’s children Kathy, C’83, and Ted, C’86, are also alumni) honored the club with a similar event three years ago, and were happy to welcome local alumni again.

Spike helped facilitate the wine tasting, and shared his story of becoming a winemaker, and the history of the vineyards that he’s owned for over thirty years. Everyone enjoyed the garden setting and delicious lunch buffet. Beth Topor, W’80, vice president of membership and communications for the club, shared information about upcoming events, and club co-president Tom Eliaz, ENG’02, encouraged alumni to share their ideas for future events and to get involved with activity planning. Alexandra Feinson, C’11, undergraduate admissions counselor for Northern California, attended and spoke to the group about Penn admissions. After lunch, Spike led everyone through a tour of the vineyards.

The Penn Club of Northern California thanks Phil Schlein for opening up his winery and all the alumni who attended and contributed to our Club Book Scholarship Program. They raised $1,855 and with Phil’s generosity providing the food and beverages, 100% of the proceeds goes to scholarships for local Penn students! We also thank Arthur and Lindsay, two of their past scholarship recipients who spoke on the value of your donations. If you were unable to attend the event and would like to contribute to scholarships, click here, every dollar helps!

What a treat to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in a beautiful setting and enjoy the conversation of fellow alumni.

Here’s a toast to Penn! And a toast to Phil Schlein!

Hurrah, Hurrah!

Click here to join the Penn Club of Northern California, sign up for their email newsletter and get involved with the club. You can also find the club on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @NCPennClub.

For more information on Schlein Vineyards, click here.

This post was originally published on the Frankly Penn blog on October 4, 2012.

Flashback: It’s #PennTimetoShine

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This post originally appeared in the Frankly Penn blog on April 18, 2013.

It’s #PennTimetoShine

By Kiera Reilly, C’93  @KieraReilly

Did You Know…that Penn’s Making History campaign celebration, Time to Shine, is tomorrow? Over 14,000 alumni, students, faculty, staff and guests will celebrate on Penn Park with headlining acts Train and John Legend, C’99. The event is free, but registration closes at noon EDT tomorrow, April 19th. Register here. The show will go on, rain or shine. Please note backpacks and umbrellas will not be allowed in Penn Park.

Read the article in The Daily Pennsylvanian today about the event.

During the event, screens around the park will showcase your Instagram photos with the #PennTimetoShine hashtag. Can’t make the event? Share your Penn Pride with us – post your photo of you and your friends or your clubs on Instagram (wearing your Penn gear) with the hashtag #PennTimetoShine and you’ll be featured during the celebration (and of course you can follow along on Instagram and twitter too).

The Regional Clubs team already got into the spirit:

Penn Alumni Regional Clubs director Tara Davies' post.

Casey Ryan, C'95, post. Follow Casey on Instagram @IrishWombat

Kiera Reilly, C'93, post. Follow Kiera on Instagram @KieraReilly

Please like our photos on Instagram!

Penn Alumni (PennAlumni)

University of Pennsylvania (UofPenn)

Penn Alumni Regional Clubs team:

Tara Davies (TaraAnnDavies)

Kiera Reilly, C’93 (KieraReilly)

Casey Ryan, C’95 (IrishWombat)

This post originally appeared in the Frankly Penn blog on April 18, 2013.