>>28983308Don Ricardo Harrison, Jr., director of the Provostโs Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) in the Division of the Vice Provost for Student Engagement (VPSE), died unexpectedly on April 9. He was 39.
A native Philadelphian, Mr. Harrison attended Philadelphiaโs Fitler Academics Plus elementary school and graduated from Philadelphiaโs Central High School. He earned his bachelor of arts in sociology, with a focus in race and ethnic diversity, from Pennsylvania State University in 2006.
Mr. Harrisonโs work at Penn spanned from 2004 to 2012, then from 2016 until his death. He began his work with SMP in 2008, the first year VPUL was assigned responsibility for the program. SMP began in 2006 as a summer college preparatory program for Philadelphia 10th and 11th grade public and charter school students.
Mr. Harrison was central to increasing and expanding the programโs offerings and served as the late Gail Obertonโs right-hand partner in the growth and enhancement of SMP. He created a college prep guide and brought a variety of innovative approaches to recruitment of participants, support to school partners, and creative joint activities for students. At Penn, Mr. Harrison received a Penn Models of Excellence Award in 2013 for the Summer Mentorship Program Team.
a mentor. diploma in sociology focus on race and ethnic diversity: he had to know the type of violent irresponsible behavior a lot of poor blacks have with guns. what a fucking clown. maybe he made positive differences but he couldnt learn the lession for his own retarded ass. kind of pisses me off