Penn Global Seminars Mamma Mia 4… ish

PGS: American Race: A Philadelphia Story

Veronica, one of the PGS Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

My friends will envy me for ten days. They think I get to live out their Mamma Mia fantasies in Greece. I too am a guilty movie-musical aficionado. Their enthusiasm slowly wanes when I gush about my privilege to engage with global leaders firsthand in Athens – from the UN to large NGOs like the Hellenic Red Cross to grassroots organizations like We Need Books.

Each week of my second semester at Penn, my global seminar “American Race: A Philadelphia Story” explored the relationship between race and an important topic: faith, education, health, media to name a few. Tuesdays had an international focus, led by Professor Chang-Muy, former UN high commissioner for refugee law and international lawyer now at Penn Carey Law School. Thursday had a Philadelphia focus, led by Professor Khan, director of the Asian-American Studies Program at Penn and a distinguished faculty leader of the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community. Thanks to the diligent involvement of our professors in the tight-knit fabric of the Philadelphia world of social impact, we met guest speakers who were experts in issues key to human rights.

Never would I have expected to firsthand interact with a:

• Foreign service officer
• MFA, Professional actor from the show “Zooman and the Sign”
• Act 135, Philadelphia housing policy lawyer
• Penn graduate turned Rhodes scholar investigating sex trafficking in solo Greek men
• Art historian and archeologist who knows the ins and outs of Greek history
• Dean of Penn Nursing

The breadth of guest speakers got incredibly personal with their stories, and the role of human rights from their day jobs to lives. We even receive internship opportunities in our mailboxes of how we can be a part of their work. Don’t be mistaken – the true teachers of the class have always been my thoughtful professors and classmates.

Two professors means double the trouble, double the knowledge, and double the fun. The contrasting backgrounds of and playful banter between Professor Chang-Muy and Dr. Khan leant to productive conversations. Scattered tables around the classroom each Tuesday, we dissect readings of legal vocabulary literally written by Professor Chang-Muy himself. One large linear table and I know that it's Thursday, discussing published leading scholars of American race who probably happened to cross paths with Dr. Khan at some point.

This class is full of leaders from all walks of Penn who want to be present, and who I have truly grown to know. While I am still discovering my place at Penn, central themes of race and impact unite us. From Kite and Key tour guides to Student Government directors to a capella rock stars, the small seminar style has gleaned our desire to make Penn its best. This has allowed me to bond with my classmates in a way none of my other courses as a freshman have. We share snacks in each class. I made the class my family’s hummus recipe; we’ve made each other birthday cake. We’ve laughed over what kinds of linen pants to bring to Athens, and gossiped over Greek island beaches in our search histories. Friends who are about to explore another continent together inexplicably care for each other.

Two weeks before flying at the Philadelphia airport, we dined at the University Club through Penn’s Mentor Meals program. Grabbing gyro on the street or kicking back in Tavernas, we cannot wait for many more meals together. As we stroll through the Acropolis or hike through Aegina’s ruins, my next time in Greece will be far from a Mamma Mia rewatch.