Melissa Pappas
The Benjamin Franklin Scholars (BFS) program at the University of Pennsylvania is an interdisciplinary initiative designed for students across all four undergraduate schools: Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Nursing and Wharton. These scholars are passionate about broad intellectual exploration and integrating knowledge across disciplines.
Graduating as a Benjamin Franklin Scholar requires maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40, completing the required BFS seminars and presenting a “Ben Talk” on their most intriguing research findings in their final spring semester. This comprehensive approach supports critical thinking skills and the ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines while contributing meaningfully to the world.
Four Penn Engineering students in the Class of 2025 graduated from the BFS program: Julia Dase (MSE), Ainsley Rexford (bachelor’s and master’s degrees in MEAM), Jonathan Wu (bachelor’s in ESE) and Lizzie He (bachelor’s in CIS), also a Joseph Wharton Scholar who graduated from the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology and studied Finance in the Wharton School. All have had their own experiences in the program that have set them up for success in their future endeavors.
A cornerstone of the program is the BFS Seminars, which are small, discussion-based classes that delve into complex topics without extensive prerequisites, allowing any inquisitive mind, BFS student or not, to join the conversation. These seminars promote independent thinking, stimulate research and enable curiosity to thrive. Students are required to complete at least three BFS seminars upon graduation.
“The BFS seminars allowed me to explore concepts outside of my major with a group of people from diverse backgrounds,” says Rexford. “They challenged me to think across disciplines and more broadly about the real-world impact of the topics discussed.”
“Through both the Joseph Wharton Scholars program and the Benjamin Franklin Scholars program, I took classes I never would have otherwise, like a pantomime acting seminar and an urban studies course on geography,” adds He. “These seminars encouraged me to pause and view the world through a more humanistic, societal and ethical lens, pushing me to reflect more deeply on the purpose and broader impact of everything we do; something I likely wouldn’t have done without BFS.”
As part of the program, BFS students are encouraged to interact, collaborate and participate in various extracurricular activities that provide a well-rounded balance alongside their academic pursuits. It’s not only a program to set students up for success in their careers, but also in their endeavors as it relates to the life they want to lead.
For these graduates, their future looks bright. Each of them have secured roles in engineering or consulting in prestigious companies, carrying the ethos of the Benjamin Franklin Scholars program into the workforce.
To learn more about the BFS program and how to apply, visit The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships webpage.