Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home” for many Black students and alumni. One of the six cultural resources centers in University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather, plan, study, laugh, rest, and just be. Makuu’s staff team provides academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities. Follow Makuu on social media to get the latest program updates!
Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home”. Housed within the Division of the Vice Provost of University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather. Makuu’s staff work daily to provide academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities. Follow our social media accounts to get updates on our programming!
Chidinma Esielem (’27), a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, investigated possible links between sleep disturbances and brain pathologies indicative of Alzheimer’s disease with mentorship from Dr. Shinjae Chung (Department of Neuroscience). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program. This summer I used
University of Pennsylvania fourth-year Florence Onyiuke, from Altamonte Springs, Florida, has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. The Rhodes, established in 1902, is highly competitive and one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. The scholarship funds tuition and a living stipend for two
Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor Dorothy Roberts has been named the 2025 recipient of the Bioethics Founders’ Award by The Hastings Center for Bioethics. Roberts is the founding director of the Penn Program on Race, Science, and Society and maintains appointments at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and
Third-year students Nafisa Bangura (left) and Angelica Dadda (right) are part of an undergraduate-led research team exploring the efficacy of CoolSeal, a pavement coating designed to reduce surface and air temperatures in urban areas exposed to extreme heat. Over the summer, the duo expanded this work by participating in a
Oftentimes the word “survive” is tossed around on college campuses, hoping students make it through tough exams and the transition to living on their own. At Makuu we help students develop the capacity to be exceptional in multiple areas. We collectively set high expectations, and we foster a supportive environment to meet them.
This space on our website will describe some of the stories and ways that we strive to thrive. We begin with a few of our recent graduates sharing their Penn and Makuu experiences.