Explore the 2018 Provost's Theme Year website and learn about local resources, faculty and fellow students doing research in innovative fields, related courses, and events.

Learn about The Bridge of San Luis Rey, discover the author, and look up additional resources.

Opportunities for students and faculty to engage in casual conversations over a meal help break the ice, foster good relationships, and even improve what goes on in the classroom. Penn’s Take Your Professor to Lunch program was created a number of years ago to support this goal, and students and faculty alike have taken part and commented on how much they enjoy it. In Spring 2018, the Offices of the Provost, New Student Orientation & Academic Initiatives, and Business Services are currently working together to expand TYPTL, opening it to more members of the Penn community, and offering additional opportunities.

NSO is just a week, but the First Year Experience continues all year long. Join your fellow freshmen for a number of activities meant to ease the transition into college and provide a fun venue for making new friends and learning about out great university and what it has to offer.

Penn’s Second Year Experience (SYE) program is designed specifically to address the unique needs of second-year students. SYE highlights existing programs and creates new events. It features collaborations between faculty, staff (both academic and student affairs), and student leaders such as the Class Board 2021 to provide support for Career Development, Engagement in Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Activities, Selection of Academic Opportunties, and On and Off-Campus Living.

Preceptorials are non-credit seminars led by faculty and some distinguished guest lecturers, available to Penn undergraduates in Fall and Spring semesters (and to incoming freshmen during NSO) to supplement the curriculum. The program is designed to foster an interactive, conversational experience with no grades or tests. The goal of Preceptorials is learning for learning's sake in an experience often outside the classroom. To see the listing of the 2018 Preceptorials, click here.