With LOVE from Philadelphia
The GRAD program was born in Philadelphia in a first-year graduate Physics & Astronomy office by a handful of newly-minted grad students at the University of Pennsylvania. They identified a significant barrier to entry for graduate programs, particularly for first-generation college students who may not have the resources necessary to apply for grad schools. Year by year, GRAD blossomed into a community of students, both undergrad and grad, across Philadelphia. Many undergraduates from our program have gone on to Mentor students of their own to help them navigate the process of graduate applicaions.
Our logo pays homeage to Philly's LOVE statue. We maintain the statue's iconically-italicized second letter, which in our case is R, to highlight the emphasis we put in ensuring our students' Readiness for graduate programs.