for
Active Listening
Active Change
CogWell @ Penn is a student group at the University of Pennsylvania committed to building a campus-wide network offering skill building in peer support for the array of stresses students face- from everyday academic and social challenges to more severe crisis situations.
OUR CORE VALUES:
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Promoting the power of just listening
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Helping people be a supportive friend
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Fostering Empathy
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Practicing Self-care
A PROFESSIONALLY LED COGWELL TRAINING is offered each semester to empower students to recognize when someone is struggling and develop the skills needed to effectively and compassionately offer support .
Training participants can volunteer to become CogWell Student Leaders and facilitators of Active Listening Trainings to groups on campus.
Upon request, CogWell trained Student Leaders are available to facilitate a one hour PEER-TO-PEER ACTIVE LISTENING TRAINING for any campus group.
WHO WE ARE
Allie Schlager is junior studying psychology. Cogwell, specifically our active listening training sessions, has revolutionized the way I listen to and interact with my friends and family. Because of Cogwell I have a developed a better understanding of what it means to truly support someone!
Allie Schlager
Co-President
2021
Allison Gelfarb
Co-President
2021
Allison Gelfarb is a junior from Westchester, New York, studying nursing and healthcare management. She joined Cogwell to encourage a warm, welcoming environment for Penn students, and spread mental health awareness. Allison’s favorite part of Cogwell has been leading active listening sessions with greek life. Outside of CogWell, she teaches health classes to West Philly students as part of the Penn Health initiative, and is secretary for her sorority, Sigma Delta Tau. In her free time, Allison loves walking down the Shuykill River Path with friends, snow skiing, and spending time with her 4 siblings.
Samantha Linn
Treasurer
2022
Samantha is a sophomore in Wharton hoping to concentrate in marketing and finance. She is from Chicago, IL, and enjoys playing soccer and running in her free time. Samantha joined Cogwell because she wants to work to raise awareness to reduce the stigma around mental health and make people more aware of the ways that they can help one another.
Carolina Salazar
Secretary
2021
Carolina Salazar-Paranhos is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania who is interested in Marketing, Communications, Psychology, and Statistics. She loves art, photography, video editing, reading, traveling, music, and learning languages. At Penn, she is the Marketing Director for the SPEC Art Collective, a member of the Creative Committee for MUSE, and the Creative Director for Class Board 2021. She also often volunteers at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission. She first participated in a Cogwell active listening training session in the spring of her freshman year, becoming a member of the club in the fall of her sophomore year.
Claire Marucci
Vice President
2022
Claire Marucci is a sophomore from Dallas, Texas. She is in the College of Arts and Sciences studying cognitive neuroscience. Claire enjoys being a member of CogWell because she believes active listening is a life-long skill that can strengthen your relationships with people in your life. In addition to being a member of CogWell, she is also a part of MUSE, SPEC Concerts, and The WALK Magazine.
JOIn US
We’ll educate and equip you with the skills you'll need to help support and empower your friends and peers on campus.
Kelsey is a Junior from Los Angeles, CA majoring in International Relations and minoring in Survey Research and Data Analytics. She loves reading, running, and hiking with her dog. She is also an avid podcaster and cook. She is passionate about public health and wellness, and hopes that through her involvement in Cogwell she can bring consciousness to matters of wellness at Penn by facilitating conversations among her peers about active listening and mental health.
Maddie is a junior in Wharton planning on concentrating in Finance and Business Analytics and minoring in Spanish in the College. She is from Westchester, NY, enjoys running in her free time, and is passionate about promoting equality though girl’s education. She joined Cogwell to promote active listening and wellness as well as to help her peers develop skills to help each other deal with the stress and anxiety prevalent on Penn’s campus.
Maddie Zuber
National President
2022
Kelsey is a junior from LA majoring in International Relations and minoring in Survey Research and Data Analytics. She loves reading, running, and hiking with her dog. She is an avid podcaster and cook. She is passionate about public health and wellness, and hopes that through her involvement in CogWell she can bring consciousness to matters of wellness at Penn by facilitating conversations among her peers about active listening and mental heakth.
Kelsey Warren
Outreach Coordinator
2022
Emily Lawson is a junior from Woodbridge, Connecticut studying Psychology and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). She joined Cogwell hoping to foster a more open and honest community on campus, to develop stronger active listening skills, and to spread mental health awareness. Outside of CogWell, she works for Penn’s Red and Blue Call Center, is a member of The WALK, The Jewish Heritage Project, and OAX society, and enjoys yoga and running. She first joined Cogwell in spring of her junior year and is excited to make the most of her time here!
Emily Lawson
UPenn President
2022
Emily Lawson is a junior from Woodbridge, Connecticut studying Psychology and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). She joined Cogwell hoping to foster a more open and honest community on campus, to develop stronger active listening skills, and to spread mental health awareness. Outside of CogWell, she works for Penn’s Red and Blue Call Center, is a member of The WALK, The Jewish Heritage Project, and OAX society, and enjoys yoga and running. She first joined Cogwell in spring of her junior year and is excited to make the most of her time here!
Emily Lawson
UPenn President
2022
Claire Marucci
Technical Coordinator
2022
Claire Marucci is a junior from Dallas, Texas. She is in the College of Arts and Sciences studying cognitive neuroscience. Claire enjoys being a member of CogWell because she believes active listening is a life-long skill that can strengthen your relationships with people in your life. In addition to being a member of CogWell, she is also a part of SPEC Concerts and The WALK Magazine.
Caitlin is a junior in the College currently hoping to major in Criminology. She is from New York City and enjoys running in her free time. Caitlin joined Cogwell to become a better listener and to decrease stigma surrounding issues of mental health.
Caitlin O'Flanagan
Campus Life Coordinator
2022
Samantha Linn
Treasurer
2022
Samantha is a junior in Wharton hoping to concentrate in marketing and finance. She is from Chicago, IL, and enjoys playing soccer and running in her free time. Samantha joined Cogwell because she wants to work to raise awareness to reduce the stigma around mental health and make people more aware of the ways that they can help one another.
Mila Carty
Student Leader
2024
Simay Inci Ipek is from Istanbul, Turkey. She is a junior in college double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. Simay is both a student leader and the outreach chair of CogWell, so she's in charge of reaching out to different student groups at Penn and organizing active listening workshops.
Simay Ipek
Student Leader
2022
Kiln Chen
Student Leader
2024
Kiln Chen is a sophomore from New York City, studying Business Analytics and Marketing and Operations Management in the Wharton School. She joined CogWell in the spring of her freshman year and she joined because she wanted to reduce the stigma around mental health, build her own active listening skills, and share these skills with her peers. On campus, she is involved at the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH), Wharton Cohorts, QUAKE Magazine, and Successful Transition & Empowerment Program (STEP).
Rebecca is a sophomore from Smithville, New Jersey studying cognitive neuroscience in the College of Arts & Sciences. She joined CogWell because she is passionate about encouraging others to communicate openly and listen actively in order to create a trustworthy peer-support system that sheds positive light on conversations about mental health and wellness. Rebecca is a research assistant at the Changing Brain Lab and a member of both the Penn Glee Club and the Penn Sirens. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys staying active, cooking, traveling, and photography.
Rebecca Hennessy
Outreach Coordinator
2023
JOIn US
We’ll educate and equip you with the skills you'll need to help support and empower your friends and peers on campus.