From WikiCollegiate

Throughout its nearly 75 years of existence, Penn Student association at Penn has retained its mission: Provide real-world business and managerial experiences for students and assist them in financing their educational costs. In addition, PSA provides essential goods and services to the university community at reasonable prices. We are always seeking ways to better serve our vital role at Penn and welcome your feedback.

What services would you like us to offer?

What feedback do you have for existing services we provide?

What We Do

We provide products and services through the following agencies:

• First Laundry
  * PSA Store
  * Promotional Programs
  * Publications
  * Bartending Academy
  * Publicity Services
  * Water Cooler Services
  * Williams Café
  * Video Vault
  
  

Managers & Directors

Bartending Director - Belen Desmaison

Belen comes directly from Llamaland (Peru) and that is probably the reason why she is always cold in Philly. She is a junior in the College majoring in Architecture and minoring in Fine Arts and Art History. If you ever see a girl in Locust Walk running because she's late for class and carrying a huge portfolio, several pieces of wood, a t-square and a large tube all at the same time that's probably her.

First Services Director - Stephen Kneubuehl

Steve comes all the way from Rock City, Illinois where he grew up among the cows and pastures. He lived in a barn next to a cheese factory where his family has a secret recipe for processed cheese packaged in jars, aerosol cans, and squeeze bottles. When Wharton accepted him as part of Penn's geographical affirmative action policy, Steve quickly accepted enrollment and now plans on concentrating in OPIM and finance. Steve has a strong interest in flight, and he even learned to fly planes out of a run-down airport in the middle of a corn field. He now has his own pilot's license and spends most of his time with his head in the clouds.

H R Director - Robby Harding

Robby is a junior from London, England. He is in the college, concentrating in economics and math. He loves playing sports, such as football (aka soccer) and cricket.

robertlh@sas.upenn.edu

PSA Store Director - Mary Robin Kreamer

Mary Robin Kreamer is a junior in the college of arts and sciences concentrating in international relations. She is from South Philly, but is horrible at getting around on septa. However, she loves philly and will gladly give directions to walk where ever you need to go.

store@pennstudentagencies.com

Publicity Manager - Emily Ozan

Emily is a senior from Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Communications major and French minor in the college. She spent a semester abroad in Paris and is also a tour guide for undergraduate admissions. She enjoys playing tennis, listening to music and watching Grey's Anatomy.

Video Vault Manager - Sarah Dickerson

Sarah is a junior in the College majoring in Communications. She was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Central High School, class of 264! She loves baseball and attends as many Phillies games as possible.

Web Initiatives Director - Artem Shtatnov

Artem is a junior in Wharton who is planning on concentrating in Finance and OPIM. He is from a 300 year old suburb of Philly that is ironically called Newtown. He enjoys swimming, reading, and not being bored.

artem@pennstudentagencies.com

Williams Cafe Director - Eric Fernandez

Eric Fernandez was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is proudly of Cuban descent. Although he is a junior in the Wharton School, he participates in fun activities such as Penn Basketball games and does frequently go out at night, to parties, not business seminars. He hopes to concentrate in Management, to learn how to get other people to do things for him, and he also hopes to concentrate in Marketing, simply because too many already concentrate in Finance and ruin the curve. Otherwise, you can find him beating Robby Harding in any Playstation game imaginable. Plus, if you cannot understand his convoluted, Miamian English that has ?spanglish? words and excessive hand motions, just ask him to speak English, he'll understand.

History

During the thirties, Self-Supporting Students grew and thrived under FDR's National Youth Administration, an early incarnation of what is now the Federal Work-Study Program. Penn Student Agencies made its first appearance on July 1, 1933. It is on that date where a reference to "Self-Supporting Students" appears on an organizational chart that details different student aid options. The University of Pennsylvania Placement Service's 1935-36 Annual Report elaborates upon the structure of the Self-Supporting Students. At that time, PSA (then "Self-Supporting Students") consisted of three agencies: the Dorm Laundry Agency, the Parking Squad and the Trunk Moving Squad.

The forties reflected a pull back in university attendance due to World War II. A document from the Student Aid department dated March 1, 1943 and entitled "For the Duration of the War Emergency" lists ten student agencies: Car Parking, Service Stands, Dorm Laundry, Medical Laundry, Railway Express, Trunk Moving, Photography, Tutoring, Magazine and Newspaper.

By the beginning of the fifties, the Self-Supporting Students were now referred to as the Associated Agencies and reported gross income of $50,000 annually. The Birthday Cake, Stationary, Coat Checking at the Palestra, Furniture, Auto Linen and Desk Blotter agencies were added during a period of growth in the middle of that decade. In 1959 Car Parking was folded into the University and has since been a separate department.

The sixties saw the advent of corporate partnerships. The Associated Student Agencies collaborated with Tiparillo Cigars and Mennen After Shave to distribute and promote products on campus. Additionally, there was a short-lived Embossograph Agency that produced posters. In 1964, agency workers manned the phones to call in vote tallies for various precincts from Pennsylvania's central control point during the Johnson-Goldwater election. In 1969, the Associated Student Agencies, now located in the lower Quad, invested $40,000 in new linen with the expectation that the newly constructed high rises would create increased demand. Instead, with laundry rooms located on every other floor, wash-and-wear sheets became the next big thing and the Associated Student Agencies realized a financial loss. However, the creation of the Student Snack Agency brought in a new revenue source and the Associated Student Agencies moved forward.

In 1972, the Associated Student Agencies relocated its offices to 3609 Locust Walk. Then, in 1974, they relocated again, this time to 301 Logan Hall. During the seventies, the student directory began publication and the Apparel Agency manufactured clothing for various Penn departments. In 1975, citing marketing reasons, the organization's name was changed to Penn Student Agencies. In 1976, the Publications Agency printed The Student Bicentennial Guide to Philadelphia. At the same time, the entire city saw an onslaught of bicentennial related merchandise and a smaller than anticipated tourism turnout. This made for another financial disappointment. Yet, the Catering Agency, Bartending School and Bus Agency all brought about large successes. By 1977 the PSA budget had expanded to $300,000 annually and maintained a workforce of 180 students.

In 1985, PSA reported the following agencies: Professional Services, Newspaper, Catering, Travel, Linen, Publications, Small Ventures, Product Line, Commissaries and Distribution. That year also saw the debut of the Penn Calendar, customized Penn Banners and a partnership with Art Carved (now Balfour) for class ring sales; all of which continue to the present day.

In recent years, Williams Cafe and the Video Vault have opened their doors. Other new ventures include partnerships with PhillyCarShare and Kaplan.

Throughout its history, PSA has evolved to keep-up with changing market demands. However, one thing remains constant; PSA has consistently worked towards achieving its mission of providing part-time employment to students and useful products and services to the University of Pennsylvania community.