Julia A. McWilliams
Co-Director, Urban Studies Program
Make appointments on Calendly! https://calendly.com/mcjulia-upenn
Julia McWilliams is an anthropologist of education and Co-Director of the Urban Studies Program. Her research interests are urban education policy, immigration, and urban ethnography. Her recent book, Complete or Close: Neighborhood Schools under Pressure, and forthcoming manuscript Schools for Sale: Displacement, Dispossession, and School Reuse in Philadelphia explore the politics of mass school closures as well as what happens to schools after they close.
She teaches fieldwork, senior seminar, and the senior honors course but has historically also taught courses in critical writing, qualitative research methods, urban education, environmental justice, and immigration and education prior to coming to Urban Studies.
You can contact Julie for issues related to Urban Studies advising, major/minor declaration in Urban Studies, alumni engagement, curriculum development, and community and academic partnerships.
Amy Hillier
Associate Professor of Social Work, SP2
Urban Studies Faculty Director, Urban Studies Program
Victoria Karkov
Coordinator, Urban Studies Program
Vicky has lived in Philly since the third grade, and has been with Urban Studies since 2011. Please feel free to contact Vicky if you’re having trouble getting a seat in an Urban Studies course, or for any general URBS-related issue.
David Tran
Administrative Assistant, Urban Studies Program
David Tran is a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences studying mathematical economics. Initially from Fort Worth, Texas, David spends his free time speedrunning Minecraft in under ten minutes, and binge-watching Succession and Better Call Saul. By the way, his middle name is just the letter D.
Demi Egunjobi
Administrative Assistant, Urban Studies Program
Demi Egunjobi is a freshman studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Demi loves going on long walks, reading the news, and playing the Sims 4. She is interested in civic and community engagement, history, and policy.
Rachael Stephens
2024-2025 Urban Studies Graduate Fellow, Urban Studies Program
Rachael is a Doctoral Candidate at UPenn in the Education, Culture, and Society program (GSE) and in the Department of Anthropology (SAS). Her main research interests are U.S. political economic inequity, social change (in relation to politicization, ideology, etc.), and social ethics.
You can contact Rachael for questions relating to the Graduate Colloquium series, or the Graduate Certificate in Urban Studies.