Samantha Hsiung

Dec 10, 2024 | thedp.com | Samantha Hsiung

The overturning of affirmative action in 2023 has continued to impact Penn’s admissions processes throughout the past year. In 2024, Penn saw a change in the racial makeup of its student body with a decrease in the percentage of students from historically underrepresented groups in higher education. The University also maintained the practice, first implemented for the Class of 2026, of releasing sparse information on the racial breakdown of its admitted classes. Jan.

Dec 2, 2024 | thedp.com | Samantha Hsiung

Penn recently issued a statement recommending that Penn international students return to the United States before 1968 Wharton graduate and president-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025. The announcement, posted on the International Students and Scholar Services website, is directed at Penn community members who hold J-1 and H1-B visas and plan to travel internationally over winter break.

Nov 11, 2024 | thedp.com | Samantha Hsiung

Around 30 students rallied outside Penn Hillel on Nov. 10, calling for more media attention towards antisemitic attacks happening in the United States and abroad. Penn Israel Public Affairs Committee and Hillel co-organized the rally to advocate for Israelis who have been held hostage in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. They also rallied for the victims of recent attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam.

Nov 7, 2024 | thedp.com | Samantha Hsiung

Around 30 Penn students and faculty walked out of class and held a teach-out at Clark Park on Nov. 4, protesting the University's execution of a search warrant at an off-campus house belonging to pro-Palestinian student activists. Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine hosted the walkout in conjunction with Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine.

Nov 6, 2024 | thedp.com | Emily Scolnick |Samantha Hsiung

On an Election Day with high stakes for Pennsylvania and the country, Penn students flocked to the polls and participated in voter engagement efforts across campus. Students demonstrated strong voter turnout across all campus polling stations, far surpassing 2020 in-person vote totals. Throughout the day, campus groups including Penn Leads the Vote and Penn Democrats set up on Locust Walk, encouraging students to cast their ballots.