Groups

Campus-based networking includes creating opportunities for students, especiallly student women, to gather and address their concerns and needs. One way in which this is accomplished is through PWC-sponsored campus women's groups. The PWC provides consultation, financial and material support, space, equipment and professional expertise to a number of student groups. Among the most active this past year include the following:

Penn Consortium of Undergraduate Women (PCUW)
PCUW is an umbrella organization of more than 20 undergraduate women's groups. Besides serving as liaison between the students and the University, their efforst include an annual campus-wise Women's Week that celebrates women's accomplishments on campus and around the world. Visit their website for more information.

Strong Women at Penn (SWAP)
A new multicultural networking group for women students. Email: strongwomenatpenn@gmail.com for more information.

1 in 4
A men's group that uses peer-education to combat issues of sexual violence. We present a one-hour program, How to Help a Sexual Assault Survivor: What Men Can Do, to any group of men including: sports teams, residence hall students, student organizations, fraternities, and off campus groups. We also perform for coed audiences from time to time under special circumstances. Visit http://pennoneinfour.org/ for more information.

New Parents @ Penn
A baby/child friendly group. Faculty, staff, students and spouses welcome! Email: salome.ricklin@mac.com for more information.

Working Parents' Association at Penn
A monthly lunchtime gathering of working parents at Penn. Email: zoeb@sas.upenn.edu for more information.

The F-Word: A Collection of Feminist Voices
The F-Word is a new literary journal on campus, created to fill the void here at Penn. Our mission is to provide an outlet for writing or art pertaining to feminism (broadly defined as respect for all individuals regardless of gender or sexual affiliation). Visit their website for more information.

Stitch Therapy
Join us for knitting, crocheting, sewing & conversation. Email: tthorpelubneuski@philasd.org for more information.

PG WISE
A career/networking group for Penn Graduate Women In Science and Engineering. Check out the website.

ASAP: Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention
A new grad and undergrad student group dedicated to raising awareness about dating violence and sexual assault on campus. ASAP is currently recruiting new members who are interested in being leaders around anti-violence issues on campus. Email: jmertz@upenn.edu for more information.

Women In Thought
http://www.dolphin.upenn.edu/pennwit/
Women In Thought (WIT) is a campus group dedicated to promoting the social and political awareness of women's issues on campus and beyond through activist activity, community service initiatives, and awareness-promoting activities. WIT aims to bring women together so that they can articulate the goals for our generation of feminism and work.

alpha Kappa Delta Phi
www.dolphin.upenn.edu/akdphi
alpha Kappa Delta Phi is the first and largest Asian interest sorority with 44 chapters (and growing) and 14 years at Penn. aKDPhi works to provide a strong network of love, friendship, sisterhood, and support for all its sisters. As a non-profit organization, service plays a large role in our sorority. Our national philanthropy is Breast Cancer Awareness. Each year we host a Breast Cancer Awareness Coffee house in the fall to raise funds for organizations such as Susan G. Komen and participate in service activities such Race for the Cure, Rena Rowan Ribbon Run and Pie-a-KDPhi. aKDPhi is officially recognized by the Bicultural InterGreek Council and is a member organization of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition and PCUW. The chapter at Penn represents a diverse group of women, unique in background, ethnicity, and personality, each of whom brings an array of experiences and individuality.

Arts House Dance Company
http://www.artshousedance.com
Arts House Dance Company [AHDC], founded in 1985, is known for its presentation of all forms of dance. Our members have been trained in one or more styles, including ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, pointe, modern and hip-hop, giving our performances a unique and varied flair. Student-run and student-choreographed, AHDC is dedicated to presenting the highest level of performance and technique.

Bloomers
http://www.bloomers-comedy.com/
Founded in 1978, Bloomers is the nation's first all-female musical sketch comedy troupe. We perform two completely student-run productions throughout the academic year, and we welcome all undergraduate women to audition for our cast, business staff, band or technical staff. Our sketch comedy material is 100% original, and we can be seen performing at various locations around campus in addition to our full fall and spring shows. Bloomers provides an incredibly fun environment to work with talented women from each class year and from all four undergraduate schools, and our active alumni network remains an integral part of our organization.

Panhellenic Council
www.upennpanhellenic.org
The Panhellenic Council is the umbrella organization for eight campus sororities, including Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Delta Tau and Sigma Kappa. The mission of the University of Pennsylvania Panhellenic Association is to provide an organization through which the member sororities work collaboratively in the efforts to unite and promote the entire Greek System, to contribute positively to campus life, and to effect change constructively within the community. To achieve such aims, the Panhellenic Council strives to implement programs that will cultivate exceptional qualities of leadership, promote high standards of moral integrity and scholarship, encourage the appreciation of pluralistic society, and explore issues that effect women so that the membership can achieve strength through growth and enable them to meet the challenges of the future. Events include a semi-annual Greek Week, the Rena Rowan Ribbon Run 5K, a New Member Dues Scholarship, and Formal Recruitment.

Penn for Choice
www.dolphin.upenn.edu/p4c
Penn for Choice is committed to the cause of reproductive freedom on campus, across the US, and throughout the world. We are a dynamic member-driven organization, promoting awareness of reproductive issues and rights through coffeehouses, debates, educational forums, and speaking events. We meet weekly to discuss choice issues in the news, plan events, and share our concern for the persistent erosion of reproductive rights. All pro-choice members of the Penn community are invited to join in the fun.

Penn for Life
www.pennforlife.com
Penn for Life is a human rights group that recognizes that the first and most fundamental human right, from which all the others logically follow, is the right to life. Penn forLife is nonpartisan and has no religious affiliation. Our activities are geared toward raising consciousness about the inviolability of human life from conception to natural death, and making Philadelphia a more supportive place for women and children. We have created the College Parents Fund, volunteered at a pregnancy center, and raised money for homeless women and children.

Penn Women's Biomedical Society
www.dolphin.upenn.edu/pwbs/
The primary goal of Penn Women's Biomedical Society is to provide undergraduates with information pertaining to graduate education and careers in the biomedical field. PWBS welcomes undergraduate women from diverse backgrounds and interests to (a) promote high achievement in science, (b) provide a supportive environment for women to engage in educational science-related activities and (c) serve as mentors to kids in the community. Throughout the year we hold interview, admissions, and research panels.. Additionally we organize volunteer activities at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Ronald McDonald House. Last year we participated in the both the March of Dimes to help raise money for premature babies as well as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund walk. In addition to these events, we also plan trips to the Franklin Institute and Mutter museum. Through our Faculty Chat program, PWBS offers students the unique opportunity to interact with female science and engineering professors in a personal, non-classroom setting, where a variety of topics are discussed.

PENNaach
www.pennaach.com
PENNaach is the University's premiere all-female South Asian dance troupe. Founded in the fall of 1997, the group was created to promote awareness of South Asian dance by showcasing varied dance styles including the classical, folk, and film forms. Throughout its history, the group has strived to preserve traditional styles and to creatively fuse them with alternative styles of dance. PENNaach's diverse repertoire include but is not limited to the bharatnatyam, kathak, garba, bhangra, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, film, and drama genres.

Queer Women's Discussion Group
www.vpul.upenn.edu/lgbtc/programs_services/qwomen.php
Queer Women's Discussion Group (QWDG) is a confidential, informal bimonthly meeting of lesbian, bisexual, queer and questioning women. Through topical discussions and shared experiences, women offer support to one another regarding the ins and outs of queer life at Penn and in the surrounding Philadelphia community.

Shebrews
http://pennhillel.org/penn
Shebrews provides a forum where women can explore social issues affecting their community. Run through Hillel, it provides programming for Jewish women of all backgrounds. Programs are run throughout the semester and range from things like a "Girls Night In" and a discussion with Jewish professional women about life in the corporate world. We hope to provide an outlet for Jewish women to feel comfortable, establish close bonds, and celebrate being strong women.

Sigma Psi Zeta
http://www.dolphin.upenn.edu/sigmay/
Sigma Psi Zeta is a multicultural, Asian-interest, community service oriented sorority established at Penn in the spring of 2004. Our mission has been to instill leadership and independence in our members, all of whom are actively involved in various pre-professional, performing arts, and advocacy groups on campus. Since our establishment at Penn, the sorority has been actively involved in the Philadelphia community through the adoption of Lutheran Settlement House, a local shelter for battered women, as our primary beneficiary agency.