2025 September Grad Newsletter (1)
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Announcement for the Month| Grants, Scholarships, & Fellowships |Events| Career & Networking| Previous Issue
Important Dates: 
| Date | Event |
| 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 |
| November 14th | Master’s and Certificate December graduation application closes |
| December 1st | PhD December graduation application closes |
| December 8th | Fall term classes end |
| December 9 – 10th | Reading Days |
| December 11th – 18th | Final exams |
| December 18th | Fall term ends |
| December 18th | Degree conferral date |
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
DEEPenn STEM 2025: Call for Volunteers
DEEPenn STEM is seeking graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to volunteer for various program sessions and activities from October 3rd to 5th, 2025.
DEEPenn STEM is a three-day graduate school preview event designed and dedicated to educating, exposing, empowering, and equipping students with the resources to pursue doctoral degrees in STEM-related disciplines. To learn more about DEEPenn STEM, visit this website. For any additional questions about the program, please email Dr. Ashley Wallace, Ph.D (walla3@upenn.edu).
If you are interested in helping with this event, please complete the volunteer survey by September 8th at 5 pm.
Interested in Taking MSE 7900 Energy, Water, and Materials for the AI Economy (Fall 2025)?
The class meets on Thursdays from 1:45 pm to 4:45 pm.
Course Description
The rapid rise of computing needed to operate the AI economy means new infrastructure and new demands for energy, water, and materials. These new demands will run up against longstanding challenges – aging grids, strained groundwater, mineral shortages, and the burden of too many warming emissions in the atmosphere.
Effective policymakers and investors are sensitive to this dynamic and are (or should be) focused on hastening the innovations necessary to meet the moment. Students will learn how to analyze these energy, water, and materials demands, from both a micro and macro perspective, and construct strategies necessary to accelerate innovation.
This course will focus on the energy profiles of different types of compute and combinations of materials; water outcomes across the lifecycle of compute (from mining for materials to inference and application); and materials substitution opportunities.
This course will also provide insight into how these issues manifest on investment committees, in corporate boardrooms, and at the highest levels of government – bringing in guest perspectives of leading practitioners on the frontier of the AI economy. In addition, students will learn how to think critically about social license and how artificial intelligence might, itself, be harnessed to improve energy, water, and materials sustainability and resilience.
Students will critically review assigned scientific papers and business case studies in group discussions. In addition, groups will be assigned to propose an innovation and investment project involving a hypothetical AI deployment – primarily along energy, water, and materials dimensions, considering the strategic perspectives of innovators, industrials, policymakers, and investors. Individual assessments will include problem sets and a midterm exam.
Turn Your Ideas Into Reality via the Engineering Studios @ Venture Lab
Bring your ideas to life at the Engineering Studios @ Venture Lab (ESVL)! Powered by Penn Engineering and located in Tangen Hall, the lab is open to all Penn students and faculty, with 3D printing, laser cutting, and expert support to turn projects into reality. Whether you’re building a course project, developing a startup prototype, or exploring new skills – ESVL is where Penn’s creativity meets engineering expertise. Open to all Penn students!
Please contact Taylor Caputo for any follow-up questions: taycap@seas.upenn.edu
Click here to register
Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships
Widjaja Entrepreneurship Fellows Program
The Penn Engineering Widjaja Entrepreneurship Fellows Program offers an immersive tech startup experience like no other. This program provides students with the opportunity to network with startup leadership teams. The Penn Engineering Widjaja Entrepreneurship Fellows Program offers an immersive tech startup experience like no other. This program provides students with the opportunity to network with startup leadership teams. Learn More Here: https://eent.seas.upenn.edu/fellows/
- Duration: January through December
- Eligibility: Juniors, Seniors, First-Year Master’s students
- Deadline to Apply: October 13, 2025
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
Pancake Mondays
GIC hosts the Package Mondays Event. Enjoy fresh pancakes while connecting with fellow students. Let’s chat about how you’re doing, how classes are going, and anything else on your mind.
Bi-weekly on Mondays from September 8th
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The GIC Living Room | 3708 Chestnut St
Grad Cafe Series
The Grad Cafe series through the Grad Center, in collaboration with other campus partners, features resources and tips that will help you successfully navigate your academic experiences at Penn. Campus partners share best practices to benefit all graduate and professional students. Healthy snacks, coffee, and tea are provided. We encourage you to BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug)!
Wednesdays, 11:00 am (starting from August 27th)
Click here to register
GRFP Interactive Writing Workshop
Current Penn graduate and professional students applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) are invited to participate in this two-hour interactive writing workshop. You will learn basic grant writing skills, information about writing for the GRFP specifically, and have the opportunity to workshop your ideas for your proposal.
Tuesday, September 9th
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday, September 17th
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Click here to register
Shelter Health Outreach Program (SHOP)
The Shelter Health Outreach Program (SHOP), a student-run organization that connects Penn students with Philadelphia’s unhoused community through consistent, meaningful volunteer work. We aim to empower individuals experiencing homelessness to track their own health and seek primary care.
As part of our commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive community, we’re actively reaching out across campus to connect with students who might not have heard about us before. Your perspective, background, and experiences matter to this work.
Next Steps:
- Fill out our interest form to join our email list and stay updated on interest meetings and recruitment.
- Follow us on Instagram @shop_upenn to see our work in action.
Fall 2025 Conversation Partners Program
The Conversation Partner Program gives people in the Penn community the opportunity to practice a language and make connections across cultures. Program participants will be asked on the application if they have a preference to meet with their partner virtually or in person. We will make matches accordingly.
Participants can apply directly online at the links below. The Fall 2025 application is currently open and the priority deadline is September 12th. Participants will receive an email notifying them whether or not they have been successfully paired by September 16th.
After the priority deadline, we will accept applications on a rolling basis until the middle of November. If matched, they will receive the contact information of their partner along with an orientation packet.
The application for fluent English speakers who want to practice another language can be found here.
The application for people who want to practice English can be found here.
You can also find more information about the Conversation Partners Program here.
Fall 2025 Wellness Updates + Resources for Students
We’re excited to share important Wellness at Penn updates, resources, and events for the Fall 2025 semester. Please help us spread the word within your communities. For your convenience, we’ve created a full communications kit with ready-to-use flyers, Instagram posts, and digital screen images, all available here in this Box Folder. Included is information about the following:
Mental Health Support Services
Peer Support: Students can connect with trained peers through Peer Wellness Coaching or join Togetherall, an online, anonymous mental health community.
Let’s Talk: Informal, drop-in conversations with counselors at locations across campus — no appointment needed.
Mantra: Free access to the teletherapy and other mental health resources.
Group Therapy: Specialized groups led by Wellness counseling staff to support shared experiences and foster community.
Asynchronous Health Education Programs
Be Aware: An online program to help the Penn community recognize signs of stress, distress, and crisis, and tools to help out for themselves and others.
Vibe: An email-delivered sexual health education program.
Refresh: An online sleep program to improve rest and recovery.
Key Fall Events and Other Programs
Send Silence Packing: Tuesday, September 10 – A powerful display to raise awareness about the impact of suicide.
Flu Clinic: October 15-17 – Free flu shots for the Penn community.
SUPER Recovery Community: Meets weekly on Mondays at the Wellness office at 3535 Market Street, Mezzanine.
Health Alert: Increase in Flu Cases
We’ve seen an unexpected rise in flu cases on campus, particularly in the College Houses. To support prevention and care, we’ve included additional flu resources in the communications kit. Please encourage your communities to take precautions, stay home when sick, and take advantage of the upcoming flu clinic. As a reminder, students can call if they’re not feeling well 24/7 for guidance and support at 215-746-WELL (9355).
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 and 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
