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!
A University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School clinic filed a brief supporting a preliminary injunction that would halt the removal of a slavery exhibit at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park. Filed in April alongside the Legal Defense Fund, the brief was submitted on behalf of two Pennsylvania organizations:
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School professor Cara McClellan is set to receive an award in honor of her civil rights work this weekend. McClellan, the director of the Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic, was nominated for The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia’s 2026 Presidential Award of Courage. The organization —
Penn Biology professor Ala Stanford broke ground on a new imaging center in North Philadelphia on Monday. The specialized healthcare facility is sponsored by the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity, two organizations founded by Stanford. The center will provide direct access to
Who Kara Butler likes old things. She loves museums and history, enjoys police procedurals and soap operas (“‘The Bold and the Beautiful?’ Wow, that’s my show,” she says),—and inherited an interest in scrapbooking from her mother. Butler, a fourth-year anthropology and communication double-major from Philadelphia, also loves talking to people
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.