The Philadelphia Center

July 26, 2022

Dear campus community,

At Albion, we have chosen to invest in the Philadelphia Center (TPC), an off-campus study destination for undergraduates to gain valuable experience through a wide range of internship opportunities and coursework offered by faculty at the Center. It offers semester-long programs throughout the academic year and an eight-week program in the summer.

Started in 1967 under the leadership of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, the program — which has transferred ownership and operations a few times in its history — has benefitted from participation by students from colleges throughout the GLCA and beyond. With more than five decades of involvement in providing experiential learning opportunities in an urban setting, TPC has more than 800 internships in a diverse set of fields.

The academic and co-curricular transformational experiential learning opportunity students receive at TPC sets them apart academically, socially and professionally. Currently, we are exploring opportunities to develop a partnership with another institution in the ownership of The Philadelphia Center, maintaining its rich 55-year history of experiential learning.

The Philadelphia Center, reimagined through a partnership with another institution, integrates urban living, academic study and professional development with every student’s experience. Using the city as a classroom, the Center provides social and academic support through thought-provoking seminar courses. TPC brings expanded experiences for students — a wider range of academic programming and meaningful internships to prepare students to meet the challenges of tomorrow and beyond.

It is our hope that a partnership with another institution will allow even more students to experience all The Philadelphia Center has to offer in and out of the classroom. Today, we are reaching out to nearly 100 colleges and universities across the country to gauge interest. It is our hope that during the fall semester, we will find a partner willing to work with us on this worthwhile opportunity.

We will update the campus community as we have news.

Warm regards,

Joe Calvaruso, ’78
Interim President