Dear Friends,We have just finished another exciting year with some outstanding academicand athletic achievements, capped by the historic run <strong>of</strong> ourwomen’s lacrosse team. Much <strong>of</strong> our energies have been dominatedby the Campaign for <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong>, which has been aptly named “TheTime is Now.” The Campaign kick-<strong>of</strong>f event at Homecoming was a culmination <strong>of</strong>many years <strong>of</strong> planning, organizing, and lobbying so that <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> can maximizethis special opportunity. You are probably aware that we are going to raisemore than $100M to fortify our position as one <strong>of</strong> the most comprehensive athleticsand recreation programs in the country.There are many ways our friends can participate in this venture, and engage orre-engage with <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong>. Obviously, a campaign <strong>of</strong> this magnitude requiresphilanthropy in ways never seen before. To date, many individuals have embracedour plans for endowment, annual giving and capital projects as we have alreadyraised more than $70M. On behalf <strong>of</strong> our student-athletes—past, present andfuture—THANK YOU! There are, <strong>of</strong> course, other ways to get involved and participate. If you are interested in joiningour <strong>Sport</strong> Boards, the support groups for our intercollegiate teams, and working with the coaches <strong>of</strong> your favoriteteams, contact the Athletic Development Office at 215-898-4717. We have begun a career mentoring program thathas generated a great deal <strong>of</strong> excitement. More information on the program is available on the opposite page. Ifyou want to learn more about special initiatives or other specifics <strong>of</strong> our campaign, visit <strong>Penn</strong><strong>Athletics</strong>.com and clickon “The Campaign for <strong>Athletics</strong>.” You will also be able to follow our progress in creating new and refurbished facilitiesthrough our website.As Athletic Director, I spend much <strong>of</strong> my time visiting and speaking to our friends and alumni. It will come as nosurprise to know that they are not bashful in voicing their feelings, suggestions and concerns. I spend some part<strong>of</strong> every day thinking about or working on the elements <strong>of</strong> this campaign because I know what a difference it willmake. I <strong>of</strong>ten muse on what <strong>University</strong> leaders were contemplating a century ago when the bold decisions to buildthe Palestra and Franklin Field were made. Could they have imagined the impact these facilities would have on<strong>Penn</strong>, the city and the nation? I truly believe that what we are doing now, while not quite as dramatic, will impact thelives <strong>of</strong> students at <strong>Penn</strong> for decades to come and fortify our strength as one <strong>of</strong> the world’s leading institutions.Thank you for your interest and participation. I look forward to sharing with you our progress in the year ahead.Best Regards,Steve Bilsky
Welcome to the <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong>Mentoring NetworkWe are very happy to introduce the <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> Mentoring Network.For alumni, this platform will allow you to re-connect with formerteammates, meet other former <strong>Penn</strong> Athletes, and help current studentathletesfi nd internships, jobs, and advise them in their post-collegiateaspirations.For current student-athletes, this platform will help you fi ndlike-minded <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> alumni, who have been where you are todayand are willing to help you as you move forward in your pr<strong>of</strong>essional life.To get started visitpennathletics.careercore.comthen follow the instructions in the right column <strong>of</strong> this pageWhile you watch the membership <strong>of</strong> our network grow, fi ll out your pr<strong>of</strong>i leand check out what else the <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> Networking site has to <strong>of</strong>fer.You can post advice as well as “Roadmaps” (hypothetical plans for peerstrying to get into certain industries and careers). You can also use the“Prepare” tab at the top to fi nd valuable career planning resources.Finally, as we are in this beginning process, let us know if there is anythingabout the site or process that you think needs changes or can bebetter.If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact DonSnyder C’06 at snyderdg@upenn.edu. Current student-athletes maycontact Brad Latimer at blatimer@dolphin.upenn.edu.Getting Started At the top right, click “Not Registered” tostart the process. Fill in the fi elds <strong>of</strong> member registration,including your education and work history. Once you are into the CareerCore base,click on the “Connect” tab at the top <strong>of</strong> thepage. On this page, under “My Networks,” click“Add,” then on the search page type “<strong>Penn</strong><strong>Athletics</strong>.” It will ask you to verify your class/year Once you do this, our staff will verify thatyou are affi liated with <strong>Penn</strong>, and you willbe approved. Fill in the fi elds <strong>of</strong> <strong>Penn</strong> Network registration,including what sports you are affi liatedwith at <strong>Penn</strong>. Spread the word to your teammates,coaches, and fellow alumni! The moremembers, the more effective this programwill be.Volunteer Spotlight: Giving Isn’t Always MonetaryName: Doug Pires C’05<strong>Sport</strong>: Sprint FootballOccupation: Financial Advisor, Smith BarneyResidence: New JerseyAfter graduating, former sprint football player Doug Pires C’05 wanted a way to stay in touch with andgive back to the program, and got involved with <strong>Penn</strong>’s newly established <strong>Sport</strong> Boards. Each sport boardis designed to connect people who want to become more personally involved with their particular sportand <strong>Penn</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> overall. Each board has three primary objectives—development, alumni relations andmentoring/networking. He has been integral in organizing the mentoring aspect <strong>of</strong> the sprint football sportboard.“When I was in school I didn’t realize how important networking was,” said Pires. “In my job, and in a lot <strong>of</strong>other fields, the connections you have can really give you an edge. The other great thing is that it just takesa person giving their time. For recent grads who may not have a lot <strong>of</strong> money yet, it is a fantastic way to stillsupport <strong>Penn</strong>.”With the introduction <strong>of</strong> CareerCore, <strong>Penn</strong> student-athletes and alumni will have the opportunity to findone another in an exclusive and casual setting. Whether for socializing or networking, the new mediumstreamlines a process Pires was managing by hand this winter.Pires compiled a database <strong>of</strong> alumni willing to be mentors and started pairing them with current studentathletesaccording to their interests. Now with CareerCore, that process is simplified while providing moreoptions for alumni to connect not only with current student-athletes, but with one another.“I think the true strength <strong>of</strong> getting more people enrolled on CareerCore is helping alumni that are alreadyworking find that next step,” said Pires. “After all, we are all <strong>Penn</strong> grads, and by staying involved we canhelp fellow grads. Our <strong>Penn</strong> experience can last beyond the four years we were there.”