Passport program aims to teach diversity at U.
Aditi Dubey
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: News
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The University unveiled its Cultural Passport, a venture designed to promote cultural awareness in Philadelphia, with a small ceremony Oct. 11 at Paul Peck Alumni Center.
These passports are given out by the Pennoni Honors College and the Center for Civic Engagement to all the University freshmen enrolled in the University 101 sequence. Through these passports, freshmen receive free admission to some of the most popular museums, science centers, theaters and performing halls in Philadelphia.
"We are connecting a great university with other 'educators' in the region," Dean of the PHC, Mark Greenberg, said. "It encourages students to experience art, music, scientific and technological achievements, theater and history for themselves."
Some of the participating institutions that have agreed to partner with the University on this project include the Franklin Institute, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Museum of Art, World Café Live and Mutter Museum. These institutions were picked out from an array of vendors based on their reputation, accessibility via public transport and appeal to students. Out of the over 30 institutions that were contacted, 19 agreed to participate. Those that refused to participate did so because of capacity and other such issues.
"We did it because Drexel's incredibly popular and most of our patronage is from people under the age of 35, which is incredible for any museum," Development Coordinator of the Mutter Museum, Margaret Patton, said.
Cultural Passports have been modeled on passports used by the National Park Service. At NPS, the passport of every visitor is stamped, which serves as a souvenir of the visit. Cultural Passports will be similarly stamped when the students use them to visit these institutions.
"This is a great venture to introduce out of state and international students and acquaint them with the city. We are proud to be emulated by Drexel," National Park Ranger for the NPS, Robert Leone, said.In previous years, the students in the Honors College exclusively enjoyed free trips to most of the places of scientific and cultural interest in the city. This year, however, University President Constantine Papadakis suggested the cultural passport program for all 2,500 freshmen. A Web site is currently being developed by the Honors College where all the participating institutions can submit their announcements on upcoming events and information and where students can print out e-tickets for these events.
These passports are given out by the Pennoni Honors College and the Center for Civic Engagement to all the University freshmen enrolled in the University 101 sequence. Through these passports, freshmen receive free admission to some of the most popular museums, science centers, theaters and performing halls in Philadelphia.
"We are connecting a great university with other 'educators' in the region," Dean of the PHC, Mark Greenberg, said. "It encourages students to experience art, music, scientific and technological achievements, theater and history for themselves."
Some of the participating institutions that have agreed to partner with the University on this project include the Franklin Institute, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Museum of Art, World Café Live and Mutter Museum. These institutions were picked out from an array of vendors based on their reputation, accessibility via public transport and appeal to students. Out of the over 30 institutions that were contacted, 19 agreed to participate. Those that refused to participate did so because of capacity and other such issues.
"We did it because Drexel's incredibly popular and most of our patronage is from people under the age of 35, which is incredible for any museum," Development Coordinator of the Mutter Museum, Margaret Patton, said.
Cultural Passports have been modeled on passports used by the National Park Service. At NPS, the passport of every visitor is stamped, which serves as a souvenir of the visit. Cultural Passports will be similarly stamped when the students use them to visit these institutions.
"This is a great venture to introduce out of state and international students and acquaint them with the city. We are proud to be emulated by Drexel," National Park Ranger for the NPS, Robert Leone, said.In previous years, the students in the Honors College exclusively enjoyed free trips to most of the places of scientific and cultural interest in the city. This year, however, University President Constantine Papadakis suggested the cultural passport program for all 2,500 freshmen. A Web site is currently being developed by the Honors College where all the participating institutions can submit their announcements on upcoming events and information and where students can print out e-tickets for these events.
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