2025 Student Performing Arts Awards
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
Thanks to all who joined us at the
Student Performing Arts Awards Celebration
and Alumni Reception
Friday, May 16th @ 3pm – 5pm,
Platt House Lobby
Accessibility
Platt House’s main entrance uses a staircase. An ADA accessible entry pathway is available through the Stouffer Commons entrance, located nearby. Please reach out to our staff at platthouse@pobox.upenn.edu for help with these or any other accommodations!
Meet the 2025 Award Winners
Announcing the winner of the Stephen Goff Award:
Vivek Nair, VIPER’25
Penn Dhamaka, CityStep Penn
The Stephen Goff Award for Student Performing Arts, presented by the Mask and Wig Club, is awarded to a graduating senior demonstrating commitment and leadership in the student performing arts. The 2025 Award goes to Vivek Nair for outstanding service, commitment, and care poured into the student performing arts community.
Vivek’s four years at Penn are marked by enthusiastic involvement, leadership, and service in all things dance-related.
Holding stellar leadership positions in Dhamaka while volunteering his time as a set builder, workshop leader, and CityStep teacher, Vivek’s overall willingness to lend a hand wherever it’s needed makes him stand out as true leader in the student performing arts. Between hours dedicated to choreography, youth mentorship, and hammering away in the PAC Shop, he shows the utmost care for his fellow students and has left an indelible mark on the dance community at Penn.
Announcing the winner of the Möller Fresnel Award:
Eug Xu, C’25
iNtuitons, TAC-e, Assistant TAC-e Chair
The Möller Fresnel Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Tech Community is awarded to highlight and elevate the contributions of a technician in the senior class who selflessly supports, builds, and elevates the tech community. The 2025 Award goes to Eug Xu, in recognition of their untiring commitment and effort towards building art, stories, and community.
Eug has been the go-to person for all things fabric during their time at Penn. From creating the huge fabric drop named Harold, to tech directing, makeup designing, textile dramaturging, Eug has been an instrumental member for all groups they’ve interacted with. We are excited to honor Eug with this award!
Announcing this year's Impact Awards:
Jordyn Harris, ENG’25 and Veronica Marlotte, C’25
The Platt House Impact Award is presented by Platt Student Performing Arts House to a student who goes above and beyond the scope of their campus responsibilities to positively represent the mission of Platt House and the student performing arts community. This student voluntarily builds bridges between Platt House, the PAC Shop, the Performing Arts Council, and the wider community through continual service, model leadership, and general goodwill.
Jordyn Harris, ENG’25
Onda Latina, iNtuitons, TAC-e, Platt House Work Study
If you have ever stopped by the Platt House Lobby, chances are you have met Jordyn, prepping goodie bags or spreadsheets, leading a tour, training her peers, or helping out a student in need. In addition to being a dedicated Work Study Assistant in Platt House for all four years, Jordyn served as a quiet and effective leader onstage and behind the scenes for multiple student performing arts groups, stage managing, marketing, producing, set building, and more. She has saved productions by stepping up at the last minute to run sound or help backstage. She has helped every type of show our students produce, and she always does so without looking for praise. This is all in addition to her rigorous coursework and engagement as a student leader for incoming students, fellow engineers, and any student who needed her.
Veronica Marlotte, C’25
Stimulus Children’s Theatre, TAC-e, TAC-e Chair
Though she would not describe herself as an actor, Veronica has done every job related to theatre, some she may have even invented herself. She produced, directed, stage managed, teched, or functioned as creative support for multiple shows per semester over the last four years, often filling in at the last minute. She helped in the PAC Shop whenever help someone was falling behind. Even though planning events has never been her favorite activity, her events always brought joy and built morale. She has been exceptionally kind and thoughtful with the amount of care and intentionality she used when working with other students across TAC-e. Her concern for the wellness and happiness of community members has been inspirational.
Announcing the winner of the Francis Johnson Baton Award:
The Quaker Girls Dance Team
Paul Robeson High School Coaching, Young Quakers Clinic
The Francis Johnson Baton Award recognizes a student performing arts group demonstrating meaningful and consistent community service. The 2025 Award goes to the Quaker Girls Dance Team, whose “belief in the transformative power of dance and mentorship” touched the lives of young participants in their workshops and dance clinics. Partnering with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships, their work to develop inclusive, creative spaces for children in the Philadelphia area took the form of large public events and consistent, direct coaching. Thank you to Quaker Girls for their work uplifting and empowering the next generation!
Announcing the winners of the Wallace and Whinnery Summer Internship Awards:
Elliot Ross-Dick, C’27
Theatre Arts Program, Mask and Wig, Quadramics, TAC-e
The George & Jane Wallace Summer Performing Arts Internship Award provides Penn undergraduates with funds to support a summer internship in a professional performing arts or related entertainment organization. The 2025 Award goes to Sophomore Elliot Ross-Dick, who will gain first-hand experience this summer working with 1812 Productions here in Philadelphia!
Riley Eastham, C’27
UME, SPEC
The George & Jane Wallace Summer Performing Arts Internship Award provides Penn undergraduates with funds to support a summer internship in a professional performing arts or related entertainment organization. The 2025 Runner-up Award goes to Sophomore Riley Eastham, who will gain first-hand experience this summer working with PBS Kids.
Anushka Kulkarni, C’26
Theatre Arts Council student groups, Penn Live Arts Advisory Council
The Peter Whinnery Summer Arts Internship Award provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in a professional performing arts or related entertainment field. The 2025 Award goes to Junior Anushka Kulkarni, who will pursue opportunities to work in development with performing arts presenting organizations this summer.
Congratulations to our graduating seniors!
The Senior Spotlight Awards
These Seniors are awarded a Spotlight Award by their peers, in gratitude for their vision, creative excellence, and impact on the performing arts community. You inspire us. We can’t wait to see you shining your light out in the world beyond Penn!
Click on each image below to read testimonies from the peers who nominated these seniors.
2024-25: The Year in Review
Students on stage:
In the PAC Shop:
- 50 groups
- 24 sets
- 1,219 shop hours
- 147 loads of costume laundry
Programming:
Service:
In Platt House:
Community:
- Supported development of The Office of Social Equity And Community’s New Staff & Community Choir!
- 14 collaborative presentations
- Hosted 1 local dance camp for youth empowerment
Awards:
Communications:
- 39 newsletters
- 250+ posts
- Follow us @pennplatthouse and @pacshop4100
2024 Student Performing Arts Awards
Congratulations to the Class of 2024!
Please join us at the
Student Performing Arts Awards Celebration
and Alumni Reception
Friday, May 17th @ 3pm – 5pm,
Platt House Lobby
Accessibility
Platt House’s main entrance uses a staircase. An ADA accessible entry pathway is available through the Stouffer Commons entrance, located nearby. Please reach out to our staff at platthouse@pobox.upenn.edu for help with these or any other accommodations!
Meet the 2024 Award Winners
Announcing the winner of the Stephen Goff Award:
Colin Ly, C’24
Penn Glee Club Band, Penn Jazz, Penn Symphony Orchestra
The Stephen Goff Award for Student Performing Arts, presented by the Mask and Wig Club, is awarded to a graduating senior demonstrating commitment and leadership in the student performing arts. The 2024 Award goes to Colin Ly for outstanding mentorship, intentionality, and community building throughout his time at Penn.
Holding multiple board positions (Penn Glee Club Band Director and Club Peer Conflict Committee Chair, Penn Jazz Vice President, and Penn Symphony Orchestra Principal Clarinet) as well as performing in several student ensembles, pit orchestras, and bands, Colin has been instrumental in uplifting these organizations’ music and musicians alike.
Beginning college during the height of the pandemic, Colin took it upon himself to help build up his communities, seeking to make musical annotation more accessible, revitalize community service initiatives, and streamline feedback and communication within student groups. Colin has shown a deep care for the longevity of his clubs and their members, serving as a constant mentor and always willing to lend a hand, lead a room, fix a broken instrument, or jam on some sweet tunes.
Announcing the winner of the Möller Fresnel Award:
Michael Lentskevich, W’24
List of memberships here
The Möller Fresnel Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Tech Community is awarded to highlight and elevate the contributions of a technician in the senior class who selflessly supports, builds, and elevates the tech community. The 2024 Award goes to Michael Lentskevich, honoring his 4 years of dedicated and impassioned advocacy, mentorship, and support to students in the tech booth and on the stage.
Michael has been lighting shows for practically every PAC group since his first semester on campus. Michael also stepped in this year to serve as our PAC Tech chair, and has hosted a multitude of tech trainings for all skill levels. He has elevated any production he worked on. Thank you, Michael, for all you did for the PAC Community!
Announcing the winner of the Francis Johnson Baton Award:
The University of Pennsylvania Glee Club
After School Arts at Penn, Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Ronald McDonald House, and engagement with High Schools in West Philadelphia
The Francis Johnson Baton Award recognizes a student performing arts group demonstrating meaningful and consistent community service. The 2024 Award goes to the Penn Glee Club, who poured exceptional thought, labor, and intentionality towards community building through aid, service, and outreach on campus and throughout Philadelphia. This work, their activities have included free and fund-raising performances for children at local schools, families in medical centers, and the participants of the After School Arts at Penn program at Platt House.
We thank the Glee Club for sharing the power of their collective voices to bring healing and joy to our city!
Announcing the winners of the Wallace and Whinnery Summer Internship Awards:
Jessica Leckart, W’25
Wharton Media and Entertainment Club, Not Mister Purple, Reach at Penn, Social Planning and Events Committee
The George & Jane Wallace Summer Performing Arts Internship Award provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in a professional performing arts or related entertainment organization. The 2024 Award goes to Junior Jessica Leckart, who will gain first-hand experience this summer working with BBC Studios in New York City and building a future career in media and entertainment.
Molly McCaffrey, C’26
Theatre Arts Council student groups, Penn Live Arts Advisory Council
The Peter Whinnery Summer Arts Internship Award provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in a theatre arts related field. The 2024 Award goes to Sophomore Molly McCaffrey, who will pursue development, production, and arts administration work in New York and Philadelphia this summer.
Congratulations to our graduating seniors!
The Senior Spotlight Awards
These Seniors are awarded a Spotlight Award by their peers, in gratitude for their vision, creative excellence, and impact on the performing arts community. You inspire us. We can’t wait to see you shining your light out in the world beyond Penn!
Click on each image below to read testimonies from the peers who nominated these seniors.
100+ students travel to Broadway for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Black Penn on Broadway!
On October 8th, Platt House took the charter buses with over 100 students, staff, and alumni on an all-day trip to Manhattan to attend the matinee showing of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. The all-Black cast features Nana Mensah, C’05, and Kalyne Coleman, C’14. Along with their castmates, they delivered not only a stunning performance but also a thoughtful, deep, and powerful post-show talkback with the student audience.
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- Read about Nana Mensah (C’05)
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- Read about Kalyne Coleman (C’14)
Signups for the trip had overwhelmingly fast and enthusiastic response from students interested in attending, but there were still some folks who weren’t able to give up their Sunday to travel with us. Platt House hosted a live-stream of the play on November 14th for those who couldn’t be there in person!
This trip was co-sponsored by:
Africana Studies
The African American Resource Center
Makuu: The Black Cultural Center
Platt Student Performing Arts House
Penn Performing Arts Initiative
Penn Theatre Arts Program
The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation
UMOJA
W.E.B. Dubois College House
and
Penn Women’s Center
with additional support from The Campaign for Community.
New Student Performing Arts Center on the Horizon
A brand new building is coming! Penn’s Board of Trustees has approved the design of the new student performing arts center. We in Platt House and the PAC Shop look forward to beginning the exciting journey of programming for this new space, and working with our students to help shape the use and priorities in this building. We are so excited to have this needed space arriving so we can expand the possibilities for all student performances and rehearsals on campus!
Check out this article from article from Penn Today for a peek at the incredible design (Steven Holl Architects) of this new facility, which will be operated by our wonderful partners at Penn Live Arts.
2023 Student Performing Arts Awards
Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
Join us at the
Student Performing Arts Awards Celebration:
Saturday, May 13th @ 2pm,
Platt House Lobby
Announcing the winner of the Stephen Goff Award:
Jess Lin, C’23
PAC Executive Board, iNtuitons Experimental Theatre, Front Row Theatre Company, Penn Glee Club, Penn Players
The Stephen Goff Award for Student Performing Arts is awarded to a graduating senior demonstrating commitment and leadership in the student performing arts. The 2023 Award goes to Jessica Lin, marking 4 years of impactful contributions through and beyond board roles within iNtuitons Experimental Theatre the Penn Glee Club, two terms as Tech Chair for the Performing Arts Council, and initiator of the DEI Chair Coordinator Position within PAC-Exec.
We congratulate Jess on the deep and meaningful impact she has had on the student performing arts community, not only in her work with individuals and groups seeking support but for the structural changes her work has initiated.
Announcing the winner of the Fresnel Award:
Walli Chen, C’23
Bloomers Comedy; PAC Tech
The Moller Fresnel Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Tech Community is awarded to highlight and elevate the contributions of a technician in the senior class who selflessly supports, builds, and elevates the tech community. The 2023 Award goes to Walli Chen. as Tech Director of Bloomers Comedy and a lighting and sound technician whose creative and technical expertise has been a gift to at least a dozen student performances across campus.
In addition to work in the Shop and behind the booth, Walli has served as Bloomers’ External Social Chair, a tutor in the ASAP After School program, and drumline section leader in the Penn Band.
Announcing the winner of the Baton Award:
The Penn Band
Singers, Musicians, and Comedians (SMAC); The Performing Arts Council
The Francis Johnson Baton Award recognizes a student performing arts group demonstrating meaningful and consistent community service. The 2023 Award goes to The Penn Band, whose members engaged in exceptional outreach to bridge the gap between campus and the wider Philadelphia community, working with children and underrepresented communities, and bringing visibility through music and energy to social justice events on campus.
Announcing the winner of inaugural Impact Award:
Tommy Christaldi, C’23
PAC Executive Board, Penn Players, ASAP After School Program, PennArts, Kite & Key
This year marks our first ever Impact Award, recognizing a positive and supportive connector for the student performing arts and the larger community. We are honored to present this award to Tommy Christaldi, whose work as an enthusiastic tour guide and mentor, willingness to talk to anyone at anytime about performing arts, and ability to connect with peers made him a friendly face of the community and a true ambassador for the student performing arts on campus.
Announcing the winners of the Wallace and Whinnery Summer Internship Awards:
Evan Golinsky, C’24
Undergraduate Media & Entertainment, Cinema & Media Studies
The George & Jane Wallace Summer Performing Arts Internship Award provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in a professional performing arts or related entertainment organization. The 2023 Award goes to Junior Evan Golinsky, who travels to Los Angeles this summer to join the Motion Picture Talent department at Creative Artists Agency.
Avery Bloomberg, C’25, W’25
Penn Records, Penn Music Mentoring, Penn Symphony Orchestra, Samba Ensemble
The Peter Whinnery Summer Arts Internship Award provides The Whinnery Award provides one Penn undergraduate with funds to support a summer internship in a theatre arts related field. The 2023 Award goes to Sophomore Avery Bloomberg, seeking positions this summer in a nonprofit music mentoring organization, in songwriting and music production, and music licensing.
Congratulations to these two students embarking on new journeys! We look forward to hearing from them in the fall about their experiences.
Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
Senior Spotlight Awards
These Seniors are awarded a Spotlight by their peers, in gratitude for their vision, creative excellence, and impact on the performing arts community. You inspire us. We can’t wait to see you shining your light out in the world beyond Penn!
Click on each image below to read testimonies from the peers who nominated these seniors.
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- Theo Abalogu
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- Carson Abt
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- Ennie Akinwunmi
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- Grace Bancroft
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- Devi Bass
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- Evan Bean
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- Drew Beatty
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- Esther Beren
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- Mars Berger
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- Tejaswi Bhavaraju
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- Gabrielle Bioteau
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- Mya Bojarski
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- Erin Boyle
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- William Brooks
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- Dustin Brown
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- Trinity Brown
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- Abbie Chan
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- Letitia Chan
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- Walli Chen
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- Annie Cheng
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- Grace Choi
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- Zeeanne Choi
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- Tommy Christaldi
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- Dana Cohen
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- Eli Cohen
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- Owen Crise
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- Anisha Devas
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- Anna Do
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- Manny Dodson
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- Vikram Dugar
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- John Fath
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- Camryn Fetzer
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- Jack Franklin
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- Ariana Freire
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- Konstantinos Gkatzonis
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- Mia Ginzburg
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- Zoe Goldstein
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- Allegra Greenawalt
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- Sara Hansson
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- Cassie Hartmann
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- Natalie Heller
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- Rebecca Hennessy
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- Natalie Ho
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- Lauren Hollis
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- Jonathan Huang
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- Cristle Ike
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- Sammi Janower
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- Erin Koithan
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- Hunter Korn
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- Jacob Lewin
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- Sam Lien
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- Vanessa Liew
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- Jess Lin
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- Julia Lottman
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- Suzanne Martiska
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- Rose McDonald
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- Morgan McGroarty
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- Ishani Mehta
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- Mary Grace Meredith
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- Elena Miller
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- Carlos Montes
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- Bilal Morsi
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- Laila Norford
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- Swaib Okita
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- Edith Oteng
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- Amanda Palamar
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- Reeya Patolawala
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- Nicholas Peile
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- Caitlyn Pelletier
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- Julia Polster
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- Marcus Ramirez
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- Dylan Radley
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- Aalia Rasheed
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- Leslie Roman
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- Charlie Ross
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- Ryan Sathianathen
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- Carly Seligman
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- Tara Shilkret
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- Lauren Shanos
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- Morgan Singer
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- Sylvia Tang
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- Sophie Thorel
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- Will Turner
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- Julian Valgora
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- Leah Van Dyke
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- Blake Velick
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- Akshitha Vijay
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- Lanie Walsh
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- Kat Wang
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- Robby Witten
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- Nancy Zhu
Wallace Award Winner Tejaswi Bhavaraju shares his summer highlights
Our winner of the 2022 George & Jane Wallace Summer Performing Arts Internship Award shared a peek at his summer experience interning with Jumpcut Media!
Teju is the recipient of a $3000 stipend to fund his summer internship experience, which for past awardees has been used to cover transportation, wardrobe, or living expenses for paid and unpaid work in the performing arts and entertainment industries.
Black Arts in the Spotlight
We’re reaching across Philadelphia to gather up some of the Black joy, Black experiences, and Black art happening near you! The Black Arts Series is a platform for artists at Penn to connect, inspire each other, and perhaps – collaborate! This effort centers on supporting and spotlighting student performing arts groups, particularly those who have been hard hit by membership drops during virtual and remote activities of the pandemic. Visit the Black Arts Series page to learn more.
SPAN returns to the stage
After two years of virtual presentation, the annual Student Performing Arts Night returned to the Zellerbach stage this fall! Our students held on to the benefits of digital accessibility by livestreaming to show to over 600 screens across the globe, reaching audiences from Peru to Malaysia. The show kicked off an energetic audition season for our 60+ PAC and Independent student performing arts clubs.
Missed the show? Watch this recording of SPAN 2022, courtesy of Penn Live Arts and University Life.
Anniversary Celebration 2022
Platt House's 15th Anniversary
May 14 2022, 2:00-5:00pm | 3702 Spruce Street, Philadelphia
Student performances, refreshments, and guided tours through a pop-up gallery of Performing Arts history.
The PAC Shop's 25th Anniversary
May 14 2022, 4:00-6:00pm | 4100 Locust Walk, Philadelphia
Shop tours, reunions, and refreshments surrounded by the memorabilia of 25 years of stagecraft at Penn!
You chipped in to help us throw the party of a decade!
Memory Lane
Founders Form for students
Join us to greet our alumni
Share your Group Swag
Photos from this event
