Even though he has never lived in Harnwell House, Tony Krumbhaar has a connection to the legendary University of Pennsylvania president that no one else on campus can claim.  He is a great-grandson of Gaylord P. Harnwell, who led Penn in 1953-70.

And the roots go even deeper.  One of Krumbhaar’s grandfathers, his father and his brother preceded him at Penn. Perhaps that is part of why he says, “Penn is very close to my heart.”

Krumbhaar, an Oreland, Pa., senior, is majoring in psychology and nursing at the University, but that is not all that keeps him busy.  He has also made time for athletics and for volunteering.

Krumbhaar has an outlook on life that includes the well being of others.

That was part of what led him initially to psychology.  Then, because of an interest in health care, he added some nursing courses and then some more, and he developed an interest in primary medical care. The two majors merged in his plans to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

With new health-care systems going into place, Krumbhaar believes nursing is the future of medicine, and more and more nurses are going to be needed. He wants to be among them.

“There’s a lot of pain and suffering in the world,” Krumbhaar says, “and I’d like to help.”

His most recent project has been working with Nancy Hanrahan, a nursing professor and researcher who is developing mobile apps to improve health-care coordination.  Krumbhar works as a research assistant on multiple projects and recently received funding to work with Hanrahan to develop a mobile app that improves communication between the provider and the patient. 

“I’m getting research experience,” Krumbhaar says, that will make his degree even more valuable. “I really enjoy Penn’s nursing program.

The 22-year-old has also devoted time to volunteer work in SAT prep at West Philadelphia High School and to the Philadelphia Freedom School at Lea Elementary School.

Other activities have included playing sprint football. He smiles when recounting a 2010 championship the team achieved as “one of my favorite memories.”

All of it together has added up to a successful college career. Whether in the classroom, in the lab, in the community or on the football field, he says, “I have tried to take full advantage of the many opportunities here at Penn.”