Perspectives in Humanities was founded five years ago to enrich the undergraduate experience of students with a passion for humanistic study. A living-learning program, Perspectives in Humanities sponsors and participates in academic, cultural, community-service, and recreational events. In the College Houses, the program's students and faculty create a community that supports impromptu dinner discussions, late-night philosophizing and poetry reading, as well as organized talks. In a joint effort with the Penn Humanities Forum, fellowships to support the humanities research of six undergraduates have been awarded.

Program manager Sara Nasuti, a sophomore majoring in classics and urban studies, spoke at the inauguration of the Penn Humanities Forum. "I came to Penn in the fall of 1997 with one major goal: to obtain a broad liberal arts education. I wanted an education that would and must take place both in- and outside of the classroom, an education in which I would be an active participant, rather than a passive consumer of information. That objective led me to Perspectives in Humanities. . . . Exploration of the humanities is an essential part of any liberal arts curriculum. With the resources and dedication of organizations like the Penn Humanities Forum and the Perspectives in Humanities program, Penn has created an environment for students and faculty alike to undertake this exploration together."