Jameson updates campus community on ‘Penn Forward’ initiative progress

Penn President Larry Jameson provided an update to the University community on the progress of the “Penn Forward” strategic framework on Wednesday. 

In the April 15 email, Jameson announced that the University will proceed with nine key initiatives centered on building trust, strengthening Penn’s discovery efforts, and extending its global reach. These nine programs were chosen from a pool of 30 ideas put forward by the strategic framework’s six working groups. 

“With Penn Forward, we asked our community to think ambitiously and practically about how Penn can evolve for continued excellence,” Jameson wrote. “We are seizing this moment to shape the future of our exceptional University.”

An accompanying website listed all nine initiatives: the Penn Experience, Penn Quaker Commitment, Penn Health Advantage, Penn Works Better, Penn Partners for Impact, Penn AI, Penn Learning for Life, Penn San Francisco, and Penn Global. 

The projects outline efforts to redesign tuition and financial aid, position Penn as a “national leader in artificial intelligence,” and expand the Wharton School’s San Francisco campus. 

Penn Quaker Commitment is aimed at reinforcing trust between Penn and its students and families by simplifying costs and providing “clear” and “predictable” tuition costs. The emphasis comes after the University first announced the Quaker Commitment in 2024, raising the income threshold for families eligible to receive full tuition scholarships from $140,000 to $200,000 with typical assets.  

Penn Learning for Life, Penn San Francisco, and Penn Global are all aimed at expanding the University’s reach to beyond West Philadelphia.