Hill College House
All incoming students, regardless of school, live together in Hill College House in their first year. They will room with another BFS student, and there are BFS events in the House throughout the year. Many students go on to live with fellow BFS students after the first year.
BFS Events
The BFS program hosts various events for students throughout the academic year. These events engage students through their four years and facilitate living and learning experiences. From a traditional whitewater rafting trip in their first week to commencement and convocation Dinners, pre-registration dinners, masterclasses hosted by renowned faculty, and monthly informal events organized by the Undergraduate Advisory Board, BFS events help form a tight community within the larger Penn community.
BFS Peer Mentor Groups
The BFS program’s Peer Mentor Groups (PMG) connect first-year students with their upper-class peers and cultivate familiarity with the program. In the summer before their first semester on campus, incoming BFS students are assigned to small groups whose diversity reflects the diversity of BFS itself. Guided by a sophomore, junior, or senior Peer Mentor, each PMG participates in BFS-wide events, such as Convocation, while also engaging in smaller gatherings and socializing within their group. These relationships within and beyond students’ majors or schools sustains a connection that extends through and beyond graduation while advancing a principle BFS value of collaborative cross-disciplinary intellectual exploration.
BFS students may apply to be Peer Mentors in April, starting from their first year onwards. They will be informed of their selection in June and given the names of their mentees in August.
BFS Undergraduate Advisory Board
To unite scholars from different classes and schools across Penn, the BFS Undergraduate Advisory Board was established to foster a sense of community within BFS. The board collaborates with the Academic Coordinator to create events for the community, on and off campus. These events are varied and typically educational, with recent events such as:
- Study Breaks
- BFSuppers (Community Dinners)
- BFScreens (Movie Nights)
- Cultural excursions into Philadelphia include visiting the Orchestra, Art Museum, etc.
- Trivia Nights
- Alumni Panels
Profiles of current BFS UAB board members are listed below.
Griffin Pitt
Griffin Pitt, Class of 2026, is studying the economics, development and cultural impact of water infrastructure in the College of Arts and Sciences. She serves as the 2024 President of the BFS UAB. Outside of BFS, Griffin is an SNF Paideia Fellow, member of the Penn Women’s Rowing team, and a student researcher at the Penn Water Center. She enjoys eating breakfast at Hill College House, biking along the Schuylkill River Trail, and SABS-ing on Locust.
Arthur Li
Arthur Li, Class of 2026, is studying cell biology but has had a keen interest in Classical Studies and Philosophy at least high school, which is why he was drawn to BFS. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. He encourages interested students to reach out to him at arthurli@sas.upenn.edu with any questions about ISP, BFS, pre-med at Penn, or anything else that you think he might be able to help with.
Collin Schnieder
Collin Schnieder, Class of 2026, is studying Political Science with an IR concentration. He is particularly interested in conflict and security studies, especially in Africa, and has conducted undergraduate research in that field. He is the Vice President for Arts and Culture on the BFS undergraduate advisory board. Outside of BFS he is a 2024 College House Research Fellow, sits on the International Relations Undergraduate Student Association board, and is involved in Curling and Club Swim.
Daria Haner
Daria Haner, Class of 2026, is double majoring in Biological Anthropology and Earth Sciences with a minor in Data Science and Analytics. She grew up between Minneapolis, MN, and Istanbul, Turkey. She has been a member of the BFS Undergraduate Advisory Board since freshman year, works at the Penn Museum Gordion Archives, and is also a member of Penn Quiz Bowl. Beyond academics, she enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy books, traveling, and sampling Philadelphia's fantastic food scene.
Hannah Shumsky
Hannah Shumsky, Class of 2026, is on the Pre-Med track, pursuing a Neuroscience major and a minor in Religious Studies. She is originally from Arlington, VA. Outside of her role as VP of Social Event Planning for the BFS UAB, she is president of Sigma Kappa, a member of Club Tennis, a photographer for the Daily Pennsylvanian, and a leader of the PennArts pre-orientation program. She has been involved with research through PURM - she studied medieval Jewish books last summer under the direction of Professor Joshua Teplitsky. For fun, she enjoys watching professional baseball and hockey and loves running along the Schuylkill river trail.
Leo Sulga
Leo Solga, Class of 2026, is studying political science and statistics with an interest in Spanish and Portuguese. He is from just outside of Philadelphia, Lower Merion, PA. Outside of the BFS UAB, Leo is a Perry World House Fellow and a member of the Undergraduate Assembly. He is also a Resident Advisor (RA) at Hill College House. Leo is interested in local courts, complicated board games, and canned fish.
Denise Sanchez
Denise Sanchez, Class of 2027, is considering a double major in Cognitive Neuroscience and Creative Writing, with a minor in Urban Education. She serves as Secretary for Aspiring Educators at Penn, a math and literacy tutor through the Penn GSE tutoring initiative, and will be a research assistant in the Changing Brain Lab at Penn this summer. Outside of class, Denise loves to journal, ski, swim, collect CDs, and take her dog for a walk in her South Philadelphia.
Alexandra DiMauro
Alexandra DiMauro, Class of 2027, is considering double majoring in Astrophysics, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. In addition to the BFS UAB, she is a part of the Women in Life Sciences club, Society of Physics Students club, and a peer mentor. Outside of school she is a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and enjoys hiking, and playing piano.
Jaylin Carter
Jaylin Carter, Class of 2028, is a student in the School of Nursing and is contemplating a minor in Medical Sociology. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. In the future, she sees herself joining the Penn Figure Skating Club and potentially a theater organization as that was what she majored in during high school. Regarding her career for post-grad, she sees herself either working in the NICU or Radiology Oncology. For fun, Jaylin loves indulging in romcoms, mystery and horror films. Her favorite movie at the moment is Everything Everywhere All at Once!
Laurel Caruso
Laurel Caruso, Class of 2027, is studying art history and statistics. Aside from being a member of the BFS board, she is a coxswain on the Men's Heavyweight Rowing team, the social chair of Penn's pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, the events director of Penn Appetit, and on the social media committee of the Daily Pennsylvanian.
Zaid Alsubaiei
Zaid Alsubaiei, Class of 2027, is on the pre-PhD track, pursuing a mathematical economics major and a minor in logic, information, and computation. He is from Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Outside his role as a member of the BFS UAB, he is a mathematics tutor for the Weingarten Center, an opinion columnist for The Daily Pennsylvanian, and a research assistant on a political science project that evaluates the impact of economic diversification and social policies in the Middle East. Recreationally, Zaid is a big fan of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks hockey team and enjoys hitting the gym with his friends.
Amanda He
Amanda He, Class of 2026, is a Nursing major pursuing minors in Anthropology and Nutrition. She is from Little Rock, AR. Outside of the BFS UAB, she is the Vice President External of Sigma Psi Zeta and a member of SNAP, APANSA, and Community Champions. She has been involved in research through GRIP, studying the connection between Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome at Trinity College Dublin. For fun, she enjoys hiking, cross-stitching, and watching movies.
Ellen Choi
Ellen Choi (she/her), Class of 2027, is intending to major in Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track. Coming from a small beach town in Florida, she enjoys the distinct seasons at Penn. Outside of the UAB, she is the Wellness Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board (DAB), Outreach Chair of Penn for UNICEF, and an active committee member of Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club (WUHC), Wharton Korean Undergraduate Business Society (WKUBS), and Penn Student Agencies (PSA). In her free time, Ellen enjoys golfing, swimming, and playing the violin.
Ashwin Laksumanage
Ashwin Laksumanage, Class of 2027, is studying Economics and Political and Moral Philosophy in the College. He is a member of the Philomathean Society, Penn Debate Society, and Without a Net Improv Comedy Club.
Ezra Dubowitz
Ezra Dubowitz, Class of 2027, is studying Biology and Health and Societies on the pre-med track in the College. His other academic interests include anthropology and the history and sociology of science. In addition to serving on the BFS UAB, he conducts research at the Levy Lab in Penn’s Microbiology Department, volunteers with Service Link, competes on Penn Men’s Club Soccer Team, and is involved with other community service-related initiatives on campus and around Philadelphia. His hobbies include hiking, reading, spending time with friends and family, camping, and running.
Faith Amolo
Faith Amolo, Class of 2028, is a Nursing Major from Nairobi, Kenya. Aside from being part of the UAB board, she is involved in Family Connects as a volunteer, a member of the Minorities in Nursing Organization, and many other interesting clubs at Penn. For fun, Faith loves to do art, sing, and go for late-night walks with friends.