News of local institutions

Checked out the Philadelphia Business Journal today and noticed three articles mentioning interesting developments among the city's educational and nonprofit organizations:

1. A group of centers (CHOP, Drexel School of Health, and UPenn) just got a *huge* grant to do the largest-ever study of the impact of environmental factors on children's health. It will be a long-term study following a group of children over the next couple of decades (from pregnancy through age 21), so don't wait up for the results, but it could be a real eye-opener on the influence of diet, air quality, health care, and many other factors.
   
   
2. The Mural Arts Program (*) is planning a large new center for education and outreach, to be built adjacent to its current facilities just north of Center City, using funds from state, city, and Lincoln Financial (after whom it will be named sigh). I love this program and what it does for the city of Philadelphia. Go, team!
   
   
3. Drexel, continuing its trend toward ever higher profile and wider reach, will open a law school starting next fall. The program will involve opportunities for students to intern in various private and public businesses. They'll be building a new building for the school, and, I suppose, doing some serious faculty recruitment (with first hires to be announced in a month)!