Before classes began in August, nearly 100 Wharton students were already in Philadelphia, racing each other throughout Center City. They held envelopes with cryptic pictures, asking each other questions about their identities, histories, and things they were excited about in the upcoming school year.
They took the trolley, bus, and subway all around the city, ranging from iconic City Hall to one of the 4,300 murals across the City of Brotherly Love. All were either Joseph Wharton Scholar (JWS) or Successful Transition and Empowerment Program (STEP) students, and the majority were first-years.
They were participating in Philly Connections, an activity developed by Dr. Utsav Schurmans, Director of Research & Scholars Programs, and a team of Undergraduate Division staff members. It was piloted during New Student Orientation and focused on introducing new students to the city through an interactive scavenger hunt.
Ayaan Jeraj, a first-year from Vancouver, participated on his third day in Philly. He says it allowed him to strengthen his relationship with his STEP mentors.
“It’s a similar premise to the Amazing Race,” he explained and said the mentors “let us figure things out, and if we needed help, nudged us in the right direction.”
‘I wish I took advantage of the city more.’
Schurmans mentioned the program was created in response to interactions with older students.
“I’ve often done an exercise where I’m talking to seniors, and the thing that I’ve often heard is, ‘I wish I took advantage of the city more,’” he said.
Inspired by a Boston University program, Schurmans says the activity familiarizes students with how to use public transit and city landmarks but he also hopes the students continue to be curious about the city and enjoy collaboration as a method for meeting and connecting with others.
While Center City is only 20 minutes from Penn, and public transit is easily accessible, first-years often opt to stay on campus.
However, STEP and program mentor Jayla Hanson, a second-year from Alabama, explains how Philly Connections did precisely what it promised: “I know it’s easy to go meet up at a dining hall, but I was surprised by how much I actually got to know somebody through doing activities, like when we were taking the train.”
Ayaan reported that one of his favorite parts was when his mentors shared stories and advice based on their experiences with the locations. As they walked, his mentors explained how they liked to spend their time in the past few years enjoying the city.
Both Jayla and Ayaan mentioned their appreciation for mentorship through STEP, and Philly Connections allowed them to bond further with their STEP mentors and mentees through Philadelphia as a tool for connection. One of the first questions starts to build this relationship: “Describe the origin story of your name.”
“I was surprised by how much I actually got to know somebody through doing activities, like when we were taking the train,” —Jayla Hanson, W’27, C’27
Each team was a small group of 4-5 with an upper-level student mentor leading them. Within each envelope, a card contained information on their next stop, and together the group deciphered the clue.
The first stop for all was somewhere on campus, for example, the Penn Women’s Center. At this stop, the group answered questions to learn about each other’s backgrounds and interests. One of the first questions was: “What’s a celebration that’s meaningful to your culture?”
After finding a destination, groups took a photo before moving on to the next, riding one of the many public-transit options to downtown Philly on SEPTA, the region’s mass-transit system. Some took historic trolleys only steps from first-year dorms while others caught a bus at an on-campus stop. A goal of Philly Connections was to demystify and allow students to use efficient and cost-effective ways to travel to Center City.
After discovering two more locations downtown, the groups returned to campus to eat lunch together. Each team shared their distinct experience, and a slideshow displayed the group photos throughout the meal.
After the students began the school year, they reported applying this experience to their Penn one.
“I went shopping with one of my friends,” Jayla shared. “He was like, ‘Do you know how to use the bus system or subway? Because I don’t know.’ Like, yeah, actually, I do know how to use it.”
Philly Connections will continue at next year’s pre-orientation with JWS and STEP. Schurmans also plans to present it at a Penn conference this summer, offering the model and its infrastructure for campus partners to replicate.
As the weather has gotten colder, first-years may be more preoccupied with hanging out with friends on campus given the newness of everything, but Ayaan, the first-year from Vancouver, now recommends that they go to Reading Terminal Market, the Liberty Bell, and other Philadelphia landmarks when they have time. He mentions that Philly Connections was the first to show him one of the most important landmarks of his East Coast and Penn experience: “I saw my first Wawa!”
—Alex Zhou, W’25, C’25
Posted: February 4, 2025
Jason Nguyen WG25
