2025 August Grad Newsletter
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Announcement for the Month| Grants, Scholarships, & Fellowships |Events| Career & Networking|Previous Issue
Important Dates: 
| Date | Event |
| August 22nd | Engineering Master’s and PhD New Student Orientation (New Student Orientation) |
| August 26th | Fall term classes begin |
| August 26th | PhD December graduation application opens |
| September 1st | Labor Day (no classes) |
| September 9th | Course Selection period– last day to add courses and last day to drop courses to receive a full refund for graduate students. |
| September 22nd | Master’s and Certificate December graduation application opens |
| October 6th | Drop period ends: the last day to drop a course |
| October 27th -Nov 10th | Advance Registration for Spring 2026 |
| November 3rd | Last day to withdraw from a course for the Fall term |
Fall 2025 Semester Advising Hours
| Day of the week | Time | Location |
| Mondays | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
| Tuesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-person, Towne 109 |
| Wednesdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | In-person, Towne 109 |
| Thursdays | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST) | Virtual |
| Fridays | No Advising |
* Information with Zoom links for virtual advising days (Monday/Thursday) is emailed to students throughout the semester. If you are unable to attend scheduled advising hours, additional times may be available by appointment only. Please email to request an appointment.
Announcements for the month
Graduate Student – New Student Orientation
NSO brings together new master’s and PhD students. The program features presenters
from Penn Engineering and offices around campus. The schedule is as follows:
• Opening Remarks (Dean Kumar, Dean Loo, and Brad Richards)
• ISSS Overview
• Student Financial Services Overview
• Payroll Overview
• Wellness Overview
• Campus Resources Overview (Graduate Student Center, Career Services, Penn
Libraries, Weingarten Learning Center)
Additionally, each program holds its own NSO session focusing on registration,
departmental policies, and the advising process, as well as time spent with current
students. Most sessions host a lunch or other event with food for their new students.
Friday, August 22, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Annenberg Center – Zellerbach Theater
Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships
University Research Foundation Award
The University Research Foundation (URF) is an intramural funding program that provides up to $75,000 for research projects and up to $5,000 for conference support. The URF provides seed funding for up to one year for research activities that are expected to lead to external sponsorship and/or peer-reviewed research publications. Conference support grants are faculty-developed events that take place on Penn’s campus.
During Fall 2024, the OVPR reviewed 83 applications (over $4.2 million in requests) from across campus. Four review panels consisting of 33 faculty reviewers assessed proposals in four categories: Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Biomedical Sciences. A total of 56 new projects were recommended for funding, totaling $2,595,003.
The next cycle for the Fall 2025 URF program will open in late August, with a proposal deadline of October 9, 2025.
Internships & Volunteer Work
- Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (CURF) – supports summer research opportunities for undergraduate students
- Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) – supports independent research related to contemporary India as well as summer internships in India.
- Civic House Community Engagement Internship – funding to support academic year-long undergraduate internships at selected community partner organizations
- Penn Global Research & Internship (GRIP) Award – provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad over the summer
- Platt Performing Arts Internship Award – provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in professional performing arts or related entertainment organization
- Real Arts@Penn Internship Prize – offers internship prize specifically designed to help with costs associated with unpaid & underpaid internships in a creative field
- Summer Research & Internship Funding for Highly Aided Students – Highly Aided students are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in funding for unpaid or underfunded opportunities for two summers
- Startup Internship Award – Venture Lab – to support students interning with startups over the summer
- Penn Wharton Innovation Fund – offers funding for students in support creating a new startup venture
- Weingarten Center Scholarships – scholarships for internships or work experience that relate to academics and career goals for students with disabilities
- Annenberg School for Communication –Communication majors interested doing a public service internship this summer have an opportunity to apply to Annenberg in Public Service (AIPS), which provides financial support for students doing un- or under-paid Comm related public service internships up to $5,000.
- Penn Emergency & Opportunity Fund – Students can seek and receive support for needs including, but not limited to: academic or pre-professional opportunity, such as conference participation or travel to reach an internship/job, graduate school exam prep or application fees and more.
Events
AI Research Mixer 2025
Please join us for a full day of faculty talks, poster presentations, and networking opportunities with members of ASSET, IDEAS, Warren, DDDI, and Penn AI to learn about the wide range of AI research happening here at Penn. All Penn community members who have an interest in AI are welcome!
Catering will be provided throughout the day, including a light reception following the final talks.
Friday, September 9th, 2025
8:00 am -5:00 pm
Click here to register
Weekly Organic Produce Distribution
Current graduate and professional students and Family Center members who identify as food insecure are welcome to stop by the Grad Center first floor for free, fresh produce straight from Penn Farm to help combat food insecurity! All produce is provided first-come, first-served and available until supplies run out! We encourage you to bring your own produce bags or a container.
Thursdays
12:00 pm -1:00 pm
Welfer Common Room, Penn Graduate Center
New Student Resource Fair
New graduate and professional students are encouraged to stop by Houston Hall during our annual New Student Resource Fair! Here, you can connect with dozens of University resources, services, and programs available to Penn students. In addition to gaining important information, you’ll have an opportunity to win prizes and enjoy light refreshments and entertainment throughout the building.
Tuesday and Wednesday, August 19 and 20th
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Houston Hall
Graduate Financial Education Webinar Series: Debt Management (Online)
Learn how to build a budget, explore different debt management strategies, and create a plan for reducing your debt and improving your credit score.
Financial Education Series Offering by Penn and PNC Bank
Thursday, August 21, 2025
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Click here to register
The Asian Pacific Islander Graduate & Professional Student Community at Penn Preceptorial
Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH) and Pan-Asian Graduate Student Association (PAGSA) Program invite all graduate/professional students to “The Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Graduate/Professional Student Community at Penn Preceptorial”
We are excited to welcome AAPI graduate/professional students to the Penn community! Come learn about PAACH & PAGSA, how to get involved, play games, and enjoy FREE food.
Monday, August 25
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
ARCH Room 208 (3601 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104)
Click here to register
Career & Networking
Setting Goals and Expectations for a Career Fair – for Master’s students
Career-fair season is here, which means it’s time to prepare your pitch, write your resume, and start researching future employers. If you’re looking to stand out in your internship or job search, join Beyond Graduate School for “How to Navigate Career Fairs With Confidence,” an intensive boot camp designed exclusively for master’s students. This virtual boot camp will help you prepare for upcoming career fairs and meetings with employers. You’ll learn how to introduce yourself, communicate your value, craft standout applications, and build your network. During the week-long boot camp we’ll talk about:
WELCOME VIDEO: How a Career Fair Fits Into Your Job Search
Sept 8 (2 – 2:30 pm ET): Setting Goals and Expectations for a Career Fair
Sept 9 (2 – 2:30 pm ET): How to Be Your Best Professional Self
Sept 10 (2 – 2:30 pm ET): The Risk of Using AI in Your Job Docs
Sept 11 (2 – 2:30 pm ET): Beyond Career Fairs: Why a Job Search Takes 6 – 9 Months
Take the guesswork out of career fairs and walk in with the confidence and strategy that gets results. Register to attend: https://institutions.beyondgradschool.com/webinar-september-career-series/
Upcoming Career Fairs
CAREERLINK
Opportunities in a wide range of industries, including Consulting, Communications/Marketing, Consumer Products, Education, Finance, Government, Healthcare, Insurance, Manufacturing, Nonprofits, Real Estate, Retail and more! Open to all on-campus students, postdocs, and alumni served by Career Services.
In-Person: Friday, September 5, 2025
Click here for more information
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY CAREER DAYS
Two days, two formats, both for exploring internships and full-time early career opportunities in industries and professional paths specific to engineering and technology.
More information coming soon
Virtual: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
In-Person: Thursday, September 11, 2025
Click here to register
VIRTUAL ALL-INDUSTRIES CAREER FAIR
Virtual Event: Friday, September 19, 2025
Click here to register
