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MAKUU Home
Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home” for many Black students and alumni. One of the six cultural resources centers in University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather, plan, study, laugh, rest, and just be. Makuu’s staff team provides academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities. Follow Makuu on social media to get the latest program updates!
Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home”. Housed within the Division of the Vice Provost of University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather. Makuu’s staff work daily to provide academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities.  Follow our social media accounts to get updates on our programming!
Makuu Events Calendar
Makuu hosts a variety of programs each year. Events such as our Senior Awards Celebration, faculty and alumni talks, and student mixers allow us to highlight Black community, while our Kwanzaa Dinner and film screenings allow us to commemorate Black culture. Follow Makuu's many events on the Penn University Life calendar.
Explore Our Events
Makuu Newsletter
If you would like to get involved with Makuu, please subscribe to our mailing list! We send out newsletters with events from Makuu and the greater community, links to exciting career and networking opportunities, and more.
Subscribe to Makuu's Newsletter
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Makuu In the News
Who, What, Why: Kara Butler on museum education
March 19, 2026
Who Kara Butler likes old things. She loves museums and history, enjoys police procedurals and soap operas (“‘The Bold and the Beautiful?’ Wow, that’s my show,” she says),—and inherited an interest in scrapbooking from her mother. Butler, a fourth-year anthropology and communication double-major from Philadelphia, also loves talking to people
Barrow Earns Second Gymnast of the Week Honor Wednesday
March 11, 2026
The Gymnastics East Conference released their weekly awards Wednesday, with junior Jordan Barrow earning Co-Gymnast of the Week. Junior Jordan Barrow (Jackson, Tenn.) was a key contributor for Penn in both meets this week as the Quakers finished second in each competition. At the Temple Quad, Barrow highlighted the meet with a 9.850 on
Centering joy in AI development and implementation
December 18, 2025
Much of the research on artificial intelligence and human emotion focuses on potential negative implications and emotional states such as depression, with less focus on joy, gratitude, and connection. But Penn Integrates Knowledge professor Desmond Upton Patton says he and collaborators envision a future where people’s experiences—from social media to banking—are shaped by systems
The Beauty of the Brain
November 24, 2025
Chidinma Esielem (’27), a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, investigated possible links between sleep disturbances and brain pathologies indicative of Alzheimer’s disease with mentorship from Dr. Shinjae Chung (Department of Neuroscience). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.    This summer I used
Strive to Thrive​
Oftentimes the word “survive” is tossed around on college campuses, hoping students make it through tough exams and the transition to living on their own. At Makuu we help students develop the capacity to be exceptional in multiple areas. We collectively set high expectations, and we foster a supportive environment to meet them.
This space on our website will describe some of the stories and ways that we strive to thrive. We begin with a few of our recent graduates sharing their Penn and Makuu experiences.