Penn GSE hosts a vibrant mix of annual events, speaker series, and distinguished lectures that bring leading thinkers and change‑makers to campus. These gatherings spotlight timely research, urgent educational issues, and diverse perspectives, connecting ideas across communities and disciplines.
Our annual events also mark important moments—Commencement, Homecoming, Alumni Weekend—celebrating shared milestones while gathering globally recognized voices who inspire dialogue and action.
Annual Events
Penn GSE Commencement
The Penn GSE Commencement is an annual celebration of our graduates’ achievements and milestones. Find out everything you need to know before attending.
Higher Education Leadership Conference
An annual conference organized by alumni, staff, and faculty of the Penn GSE Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Ed.D. program that recognizes catalytic leaders in higher education while diving into the field’s most vexing contemporary challenges.
Alumni Weekend & Education Alumni Awards
Each year, Penn GSE recognizes the extraordinary impact of our community with the annual Education Alumni Awards, distinctions that honor outstanding contributions to Penn GSE and the field of education made by members of our community. These awards are given out each year at the Celebration of Educators during Alumni Weekend.
Speaker Series & Lectures
Every year, Penn GSE welcomes leading researchers and policymakers to discuss their cutting-edge work and share ideas with the School community.
Constance E. Clayton Lecture Series
The Annual Constance E. Clayton Lecture honors Dr. Connie Clayton, who earned her Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Penn GSE in 1981. Dr. Clayton, who began her career in Philadelphia as a teacher, went on to serve as Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia from 1983 until her retirement in 1993, where she was known for tackling the district’s difficult budget without cutting student services, attracting local businesses to help equip schools with better resources, and establishing schools as the center of their communities. Learn more about the Constance E. Clayton Lecture on the Resilience Empowerment Collaborative website.
International Educational Development Program (IEDP) Speaker Series
IEDP offers a year-long International Speakers Series that brings leaders from across the development spectrum. Over recent years, leaders have come from such organizations as the World Bank, Unicef, UNESCO, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Aga Khan Foundation, World Vision, Vanderbilt University and Columbia University Teachers College.
Nessa Wolfson Colloquium
The Nessa Wolfson Colloquium is an annual event to honor the memory of Nessa Wolfson, the founder of the Language and Literacy in Education group at Penn GSE, and to welcome new and returning students to the Educational Linguistics Division each fall. It is the longest continuously-running colloquium series at Penn GSE.
Visiting Scholars Speaker Series: Diverse Perspectives in Education
Each year, a number of scholars from all over the country are invited to Penn GSE to give lectures and share their research with faculty and students, as part of the “Visiting Faculty Scholars” series. Events typically include research presentations by leading scholars followed by group discussions and are open to all faculty, staff, and students. View the Visiting Scholars Speaker Series.
Steven S. Goldberg and Jolley Bruce Christman Lecture in Education Law
The biennial Steven S. Goldberg and Jolley Bruce Christman Lecture in Education Law provides a platform for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the broader community to learn from some of the most pressing issues in the field today and work towards increasing equity and social justice in education.