For the first time, a Penn professor will hold appointments marrying business with social innovation, thanks to a $5 million gift from Scott A. Wieler, WG’87, and his wife, Mary Baily Wieler.
Advancing Social Good
A new professorship will advance public impact through philanthropy
Winter 2025
The Wieler Family Professorship in Philanthropy will be based in the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) with a secondary appointment at the Wharton School.
The new position will bridge the gap between social innovation and business leadership. SP2 is spearheading the search for the inaugural professor, working alongside Wharton leaders to recruit a distinguished faculty member specializing in philanthropy.
This visionary professorship builds upon SP2’s deep commitment to philanthropy and our interdisciplinary collaborations across the University. It will inspire students to explore the relationship between business and philanthropy, as well as the role of philanthropy as an increasingly important driver of social policies and practices that improve lives.”
Sara S. Bachman
Dean of SP2
This visionary professorship builds upon SP2’s deep commitment to philanthropy and our interdisciplinary collaborations across the University. It will inspire students to explore the relationship between business and philanthropy, as well as the role of philanthropy as an increasingly important driver of social policies and practices that improve lives.”The Wieler Family Professorship will enhance SP2’s social innovation expertise and strengthen ties to the business sector. Additionally, it will complement existing programs, such as the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership, while amplifying the study of philanthropy within Wharton’s curriculum.
We thank the Wieler family for their ingenuity and their generosity through this gift, which gets to the heart of the Wharton ethos. With their support, we will ever more encourage exceptional faculty and the students who benefit from their teaching to apply insights beyond the academy and campus, ultimately achieving holistic progress.”
Erika H. James
Dean of the Wharton School
We thank the Wieler family for their ingenuity and their generosity through this gift, which gets to the heart of the Wharton ethos. With their support, we will ever more encourage exceptional faculty and the students who benefit from their teaching to apply insights beyond the academy and campus, ultimately achieving holistic progress.”Scott A. Wieler, a 1987 graduate of Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives, a longtime Wharton Graduate Executive Board member, and an enthusiastic leadership volunteer, expressed his vision for the new role. “The art of merging capitalism with philanthropy is about transforming the pursuit of profit into a force for social progress. With this new professorship, we can shape a world where entrepreneurship and empathy coexist, creating a brighter future for all.”
