Hey, Y'all! My name is Griffin, and I’m a member of the Class of 2026 from North Carolina. I am interested in water studies and learning how to build and manage equitable water infrastructure. I am President of the Benjamin Franklin Scholars Undergraduate Advisory Board where I serve as a junction between the BFS student body and Penn administration. I am a 2026 Fellow in the SNF Paideia Program, and a rower on the Penn Women’s Rowing Team.
I found ISP a source of tremendous inspiration, integrating unexpected classes together like Classics and Evolutionary Biology or Ancient Philosophy and Cognitive Science/Neuroscience. Through my time in ISP, I learned that integration can take many forms, subjects, and interests. I entered my Penn freshman year tentatively—having never taken a Classics or Neuroscience class before—but I found an enthusiastic community of staff and fellow students eagerly engaging in the pursuit of knowledge.
My fondest memories of ISP include our lectures and office hours with the Professors, but also the engagement and critical thinking that happened organically outside of the classroom, usually around a Hill dinner dining hall table.