The Pan-Asian American Community House, Makuu, and La Casa Latina are located in the ARCH building.
Credit: Jesse Zhang
As students arrive on campus for their first semester at Penn, many are navigating not only academic life but also integration into new communities.
The University offers a wide range of offices, resource centers, and student organizations dedicated to providing support and a sense of belonging for students of all backgrounds. Here are some groups to know:
Credit: Anna Vazhaeparambil
Pan-Asian American Community House, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center, and La Casa Latina are located in the basement of ARCH.
Affinity and cultural groups
At the heart of Penn’s cultural advocacy landscape is the 7B — a coalition of student organizations that represent minority groups on campus. The 7B includes the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, Lambda Alliance, Latinx Coalition, Natives at Penn, Penn Association for Gender Equity, UMOJA, and the United Minorities Council.
In May 2022, the 7B came to an agreement with the University to expand the cultural resource centers housed in the ARCH building’s basement at 3601 Locust Walk. The expanded space now spans all four floors of the ARCH building and offers student organizations access to study rooms, social areas, and office spaces.
The ARCH is home to three of Penn’s cultural resource centers: the Pan-Asian American Community House, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center, and La Casa Latina.
Other cultural resource centers across Penn’s campus include the LGBT Center located at 3907 Spruce St., the Penn Women’s Center at 3643 Locust Walk, the Greenfield Intercultural Center at 3708 Chestnut St., and the Spiritual and Religious Life Center at 240 Houston Hall.
The various centers will host open houses, welcome dinners, and receptions throughout the end of August and September — all of which are available for new students.
Credit: Alekha Choksey
The Shleifer Family Penn First Plus Center is located in College Hall.
Support for first-generation, low-income students
Beyond cultural groups, Penn also offers specialized support for FGLI students.
The Penn First Plus office supports students who are the first in their families to pursue a four-year baccalaureate degree or come from modest financial circumstances. This center reports to the deputy provost and collaborates with the University Life, Student Engagement, and Financial Aid departments.
P1P oversees programs such as the College Achievement Program, which provides personalized support, academic guidance, educational workshops, and cultural enrichment opportunities for students from their first year through graduation.
Participants are assigned a professional academic counselor and a peer mentor to assist in the college transition process. They are also invited to attend a variety of events — including museum visits, theater performances, musical events, and cultural dinners — at no cost.
The Shleifer Family Penn First Plus Center — one of P1P’s offices — is located on the garden level of College Hall, offering lounge space, study rooms, meeting areas, and free printing. Academic counseling team members in PennCAP are based in suite 240 of Hamilton Village.
Credit: Borna Saeednia
Columnist Anvi Tuteja argues that Penn’s Forerunner pre-orientation program offers a strong model for how the university can better support its international student community.
Resources for international students
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International Student and Scholar Services supports Penn’s community of more than 11,000 international students, scholars, and employees from over 137 countries. The office provides guidance on immigration, employment authorization, United States border entry, and integration into the Penn community.
ISSS also oversees initiatives such as the International Student Advisory Board, International Student Table for Advocacy & Relations, International Partners Outreach Group, and Building International Student Integration Group — all of which aim to gather feedback, advocate for policy improvements, and design new initiatives to further support the needs of international students on campus.
ISSS will host several events during International Student Orientation, which began on Aug. 18 and will continue through Aug. 22.
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