President J. Larry Jameson’s Remarks for the University of Pennsylvania's Class of 2029 Convocation

Convocation Address

By J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD

August 25, 2025

To the Class of 2029 and our newest transfer students: welcome to Penn!

As I prepared these remarks, I found myself thinking back to my own start to college. I had recently returned from a summer of camping in our amazing national parks—Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, and one close to where I grew up, in Asheville,NC—the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Deep in the Great Smokies, there is a fleeting, natural phenomenon. Each summer, fireflies light up the forest in a display so mesmerizing that people travel from all around the globe to witness it. The species in the Great Smokies—Photinus carolinus—is especially famous, and I will soon explain why.

Fireflies—or lightning bugs as some call them—are found worldwide. They exhibit bioluminescence—their abdomens blink on and off.

As a scientist and avid observer of nature, I like to draw lessons from our natural environment. For tonight, and the beginning of your Penn experience, there are three qualities of fireflies that I will share with you—the Class of 2029:

First, Illumination:

The Pennsylvania firefly, Photuris pensylvanica, is native to this region. In-season, you may see them nearby at the BioPond or further afield at Penn’s Morris Arboretum. Each flash is a signal—an expression of identity and intent.

Each of you also brings your own identity and brilliance to this community. A passion, a curiosity, a life experience and a perspective that no one else can replicate. Whether through the rigorous pursuit of research, showcasing your talents on the stage, or testing your athletic prowess, at Penn, you will have countless resources and opportunities to shine. In doing so, you will also meet plenty of new people. Which brings me to my second observation.

Connection:

Fireflies do not glow alone. Their light is a form of communication—a way to find one another in the dark. You have been connecting, even before coming to Penn, and especially this week at NSO.

This is just the beginning. Over the next several years, you will form bonds that will shape your life. I know this from speaking with countless alumni who always highlight their Penn network and friends. You will learn from faculty at the forefront of their fields. You may make a friend who becomes family. But connection is not always easy. You will encounter differences—and disagreements. That is an essential part of the Penn experience: learning how to engage across perspectives, to disagree respectfully, and grow through conversations. Finding connection in a global community is at the heart of this place.

I recently asked some Penn students what advice they would give to new students. Maddy said: “The people around you all have crazy amazing stories. You never know who you will meet and how they will change your outlook, so make the connection.” She made it a point to introduce herself to someone sitting nearby.

Well, we are going to act on Maddy’s excellent advice right now. I want us to try something: a quick activity to bring this idea to life before I continue my remarks. Please listen carefully.

You may be sitting with people you already know. When I ask you: please stand up and greet someone nearby you have not met yet. Say hi, exchange names, maybe share where you are from. I will come down and join you too. Alright, here we go.

Please take your seats.

Do you feel that? That is the power of new connections, and it can lead to something even bigger. Which brings me to my third point:

Purpose:

A firefly’s adult life is brief—sometimes just a few weeks—but purposeful. Every moment counts.

Out of 72,000 applicants, you are here because we saw something extraordinary in you. Your purpose at Penn is not nearly as prescribed as a lightning bug’s—which is a good thing. Instead, let me put on my white doctor’s coat for a moment as Dr. Jameson, and give you a formal prescription: embrace the unexpected. That is a key purpose of all Penn people.

Try out for a play. Take a class that scares you a little. Go to a party and keep your phone in your pocket. Another student I spoke with last spring, Rafi, suggested, “When you make unexpected connections and step into the unknown, wonderful—even groundbreaking things—can happen.”

Here is some brilliant—and groundbreaking—proof, and yes, it involves fireflies.

At Penn, researchers have harnessed the enzyme that makes fireflies glow. It is called luciferase. Luciferase is used to track engineered T cells in CAR T therapy, a pioneering, lifesaving cancer treatment invented here at Penn. By adding luciferase to these engineered immune cells, scientists can watch them in real time during lab experiments. This bioluminescent tracking helps make treatments more precise, more effective, and safer for patients.

I want to wrap up by returning to the Great Smoky Mountains, to that dazzling display of thousands of Photinus carolinus lights. What I did not share earlier is that this species is famous because they do something rare: they blink in perfect unison. Most fireflies blink individually. But Photinus carolinus blink together.

That is the potential I see in all of you. You have your own rhythm and brilliance, but together you are capable of something extraordinary. At Penn, that coming together is our greatest strength. We solve problems not by working alone, but by syncing up—across disciplines, backgrounds, and ideas. Collaboration is not just encouraged—it is our superpower.

You will likely experience setbacks and know moments of doubt. But you will also have enormous support here and experience no end to discovery, joy, and growth.

As you begin your journey, remember: Illumination. Connection. Purpose.

Here is to your brilliant beginning. Welcome to Penn!