Penn fetes Rosenthal

By JEWISH REVIEW

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Portland native Andrew J. Rosenthal received the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club Award of Merit 2009-2010 on behalf of the Penn Alumni Club of Philadelphia, of which he has been president since 2007.

The son of John and Marti Rosenthal of Portland, Rosenthal graduated from Penn four years ago with a bachelor’s degree in bioethics and health policy in an individualized program.

“I was thrilled to have our efforts recognized at the university level,” said Rosenthal.

Having just graduated four years ago, he said he was especially pleased to be able to have an impact on his university so soon. He said he has had positive feedback from “the old guard,” people who graduate more than 50 years ago. He said it was also nice to sit next to James DePriest, a fellow Penn grad and the former conductor of the Oregon Symphony, which Rosenthal said he grew up enjoying.

In addition to being president of the Alumni Club of Philadelphia, he also serves on the executive committee of Penn Alumni, an overseers’ board for the University of Pennsylvania and the global network of more than 250,000 alumni.

He currently works at the University of Pennsylvania in the positive psychology center and runs his own startup company happier.com.

Rosenthal was in Portland last month for a party to launch the new Web company, which he described as a personal trainer for your happiness. Happier.com includes four free tests that anyone can take to evaluate their current level of happiness and their life skills. Those who join the site can use more than a dozen tools and tests to measure, track and improve their happiness.  For information on his company, visit happier.com or call 1-888-HAPPY05.

The citation for the award reads in part: “The Penn Club of Philadelphia is the preeminent Penn alumni club and fully deserves to win the 2009 Alumni Club Award of Merit. Led by Andrew Rosenthal, an inspired and intensely driven club president, along with a creative, talented and tirelessly-dedicated board, the club succeeds in their mission ... to connect alumni to each other, to the University and to Philadelphia. ...There absolutely is no other Penn Club like this Philadelphia Club.”