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While University City is part of West Philadelphia, Penn, Drexel, and other universities make it a point to set boundaries between themselves and the larger West Philadelphia community. In West Philly, there are gatherings in Clark Park and all down Baltimore street, but many students don't know about this. Most students tend to stick between the Pine & Chestnut and 33rd & 40th streets, the predominant locations of campuses. The shops between these blocks get the most service from my community
The most common sense of belonging in my community is not to Philadelphia but to the University. I feel like not many students are that invested in Philadelphia's overall health and safety as a city because they see it as a stepping stone or simply a background for their college experience. Because of this, I think Penn, as one of the largest contribution of inhabitants of the city, breeds a certain ignorance in not making more of an effort to connect the Penn community to Philadelphia itself.
As a student of the University of Pennsylvania, my relationship to the economic community around me is somewhat complicated. On one hand, I am part of University City and contribute directly to the book stores, food halls, and other associated services directed by Penn. Penn is one of the largest landowners in Philadelphia and also one of the largest employers, but beyond that there are many restaurants, stores, and shops that rely on either the university or its student base for business.
While a lot of students may not be in touch with the rest of the Philadelphia community, I do think that some students are very passionate and care about Penn's relation to Philly, as there is now a movement to encourage Penn to pay PILOTs and contribute back to the West Philly community. I am interested to see how the culture in the student community changes, and therefore, how voting priorities and engagement change, in the coming years.
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