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Service in the 21st Century

Academic & Community Service. Penn students have long upheld the University's service mission, and today they experience the unique challenges and rewards of bringing together academic technology and the local community. Examples of public service initiatives that hinge on the use of technology can be found in abundance here. As part of the community service initiative, Penn students work to narrow Philadelphia's digital divide. Students also build connections with local Philadelphia communities by collaborating with the West Philadelphia Data Warehouse or by wiring schools and community centers while on College House IT scholarships. Through the creation of a non-profit consultancy, CommuniTech, our students assist neighborhoods in need by supplying them with computers and teaching technology skills to residents. Student leaders have even taken important steps to protect the environment with their Computer Recycling Technology Partnerships.

Our students have not only shared their technical expertise outside the boundaries of the University campus, but have extended their endeavors across continents as well. Penn students and faculty have set up computer laboratories and technology programs in Ecuador, India and Pakistan, and Mali, receiving over a million dollars in outside grants and sponsorship for their innovative efforts.

Here on campus, students are also using technology to build connections and support systems within the Penn community. Each year, the Undergraduate Assembly recruits volunteers for its student-run Legal Services Online program, assisting fellow undergraduates in the proper handling of legal issues. Students also help other students who are under stress or in need through the Reach-a-Peer Online volunteer service. On campus, students are channeling their technical skills through projects at the Center for Community Partnerships, The Civic House, and in academically-based community service courses.

Penn's Public Technology Leadership. The University's service mission is also exemplified in the public sphere by many of its own leaders. Emeritus Professor David Farber, former Federal Communications Committee (FCC) chief technologist and Penn's preeminent Internet researcher, established the Internet Society and the Electronic Frontier Foundation and has helped advance the national discourse on social and ethical issues posed by technology. Technology also facilitates creative vision: Gary Hack, Penn Design dean, was a member of the team that won the competition and prepared the design guidelines for redeveloping the World Trade Center site. As technology continues to evolve, so do members of the Penn community, building a new model of public service in the 21st century.