Alum Chosen for Penn`s Steering Committee

Philip Berkman `02 was one of two students selected in September to represent the undergraduate student voice in a 24-acre campus expansion at the University of Pennsylvania. Berkman has relevant background in urban planning and has showed original ideas that demonstrate a serious commitment to the University`s eastward expansion. The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke to Berkman about his vision for the future of Penn`s campus on September 26. Daily Pennsylvanian: What are your background experiences that make you qualified for this position? Philip Berkman: Academically, I have taken a lot of urban-studies courses that look into city development, and even specifically looking at Penn`s example of development into West Philadelphia and into greater Philadelphia in general. ... I`m a member of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and I`ve, ... throughout my three years, been in touch and in contact with faculty and administration for various projects around campus. DP: What are some of your visions for the eastern edge of campus? PB: I have tons of ideas, but I`m going into this committee completely realizing that the undergraduate needs are one of many voices that are going to have to be weighing in the eastward expansion. But I think one of the biggest draws for this eastward expansion for the entire campus ... is the connection of West Philadelphia and Penn to downtown Center City ... so a big thing for undergraduates would be to make them feel like they are part of the greater Philadelphia city. Having just said that, it`ll be important to make sure that this eastward expansion remains a part of the campus, that it doesn`t feel like an added-on module or bubble. ... We are really lucky to have such a compact, centralized campus, with so many resources so close together. Making sure that this new land expands in keeping with that centralization is important as well. I don`t know what the specifics are, [but] looking at athletic fields, looking at academic buildings, possibly housing options ... are also going to be things that we are going to discuss. DP: What do you feel is the one thing that is most lacking on the current campus, in relation to what you would like to see established in the eastward expansion? PB: I really don`t think anything is lacking on Penn`s campus. The bigger issue would be [ensuring that] what they add to the eastward expansion meshes well with the facilities and resources that we already have. DP: How are your views and visions going to represent the students at large? PB: I`m going to both bring my own views and opinions and then put a lot of energy to make sure that I act as an advocate and am able to pull and represent accurately what the general undergraduate opinion is.