Future Leaders

Penn Social Policy & Practice students were front and center in the political scene last month.

(L-R) Emma Steiner, MSW'06, Aaron Perlstein, Governor Ed Rendell,
Lisa Gottesman, SW'07, Autumn Simpson, SW'07.
Back row: Kara Mergl, SW'07, Sally Garfield

A group of first and second year students attended a rally at Temple University on Saturday, October 21, which featured appearances by local politicians including Governor Ed Rendell, Joe Sestak, Lois Murphy, Robert Brady, Allyson Schwartz, and Mayor John Street. The highlight of the rally, however, was Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Kara Mergl, SW’07, recalled that in addition to encouraging people to vote, he noted the strides that have been made to counteract racism and how this led to his election as a senator.

The following day, Governor Rendell was out and about during the Eagles football game. When he stopped into a South Philadelphia sports bar during halftime, SP² students and friends who were there to watch the game had their photo taken with him.

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