Morgan Emery, C’26: Finding Confidence, Creativity, and Community at Penn

Thanks to alumni philanthropy and a strong support network, Morgan Emery is thriving at Penn

SCROLL

For Morgan Emery, C’26, Penn acceptance was the continuation of a family tradition.

Both of his older brothers also graduated from the University, and Morgan’s perception of their undergraduate experience inspired him to apply. “Seeing my brothers learn from their friends attracted me to Penn’s community. Through them, I also had the opportunity to enjoy Penn’s spirit of connection and collaboration before even getting to campus.”

A portrait of Penn student Morgan Emery, C'26, near the historic red-brick steps of Fisher Fine Arts Library.
Morgan Emery, C’26, is pursuing his academic goals and creative passions at Penn thanks to support from alumni giving.
A portrait of Penn student Morgan Emery, C'26, near the historic red-brick steps of Fisher Fine Arts Library.
Morgan Emery, C’26, is pursuing his academic goals and creative passions at Penn thanks to support from alumni giving.

Alumni philanthropy has also played a vital role in Morgan’s academic journey. Due to various medical expenses, it was essential for him to find a school that offered more substantial undergraduate financial aid, and Penn made a transformative higher education possible for him. “I was born prematurely with a disability, which required weekly physical therapy and doctor’s appointments, as well as expensive medical equipment. Due to generous gifts from loyal donors, I received scholarships that have enabled me to learn and study here. I’m so grateful for all the University has offered me so far.”

In addition to providing necessary funding, Penn has also empowered Morgan with a supportive environment to develop his strengths and pursue new passions. “Because of my disability, I was worried about being able to handle the workload, expectations, and intensity. With each semester, I’ve noticed myself improving in terms of my writing and analytical skills, and I’ve also gained the confidence to take on more classes and responsibilities.”

I have set a lot of goals for myself around my education, and alumni philanthropy is allowing me to accomplish them.”Morgan Emery, C’26

While he started with a lighter courseload as he transitioned into the college learning space, Morgan has increased his schedule to five classes per semester, and summer courses have also helped him maintain his ideal academic pace. “Scholarships have also allowed me to continue learning throughout the summer and stay on track to graduate. I have set a lot of goals for myself around my education, and alumni philanthropy is allowing me to accomplish them.”

Morgan’s dual majors in Russian and East European Studies and English (with a concentration in Cinema and Media Studies) have introduced him to inspiring professors and classmates, and he is excited to continue discovering new topics and opportunities. “Each semester, I’ve taken classes on subjects I had never encountered before, and they’ve opened new curiosities for me. I’m looking forward to continuing to uncover new areas of interest and solidifying what I’d like to do as a creator—both here at Penn and after graduation.”

Student Snapshot: Morgan Emery, C’26
Portrait of Morgan Emery, C’26

Affiliation

Class of 2026
School of Arts and Sciences
Russian and East European Studies Major
English Major (concentration in Cinema and Media Studies)

Favorite Penn Tradition

Two of the classics—throwing toast at football games and singing “The Red and the Blue.” In fact, I recently discovered that there are several verses of the song that we don’t sing anymore. I think there are five verses, and we only sing the first verse and the chorus.

Favorite Penn Class

The Animation of Disney, because I really love Disney and it has been interesting to learn about the company’s history and the history of animation. I also really enjoyed the course Writing from Photographs, in which we picked personal and historical photos and used them as the basis for creative writing projects. That was really fun and sparked my interest in both creative writing in general and creative nonfiction more specifically. I hadn’t realized before that nonfiction writing could be so creative.

Support The Penn Fund