Philanthropy shapes every corner of the University. Our engaged and generous donors help Penn inspire impact locally and globally. Here is a snapshot of recent gifts that are fueling the University’s pursuit of knowledge for good.
Giving Highlights
A selection of recent gifts inspiring impact across the University
Spring 2026
James D. Seitz, CE’75, and Colleen Seitz made a $50,000 gift to support the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) at Pennsylvania Hospital, in honor of the special role the ICN has played in their family. In 1994, the Seitzes’ newborn triplets were cared for in the ICN. Thirty-one years later, their first grandbaby spent 107 days in the ICN before going home, healthy and happy. The Seitzes’ gift supports neonatal intensive care for other families at Pennsylvania Hospital.
C. Jason Liu, C’97, Gr’05, M’06, and Benita Tamrazi, MD, established a $50,000 deferred charitable gift annuity to support the William N. Kelley, MD Biomedical Research Award and the Walter T. Miller Scholarship at Penn Medicine. The gift was made to honor Dean Kelley’s legacy at Penn Medicine and Dr. Miller’s positive influence as a radiologist, as well as in recognition of Dr. Liu’s 20th reunion.
Two alumni made gifts to support students through the McNulty Leadership Program at the Wharton School. Antonio Carrillo, WG’93, gave $4 million to establish the Carrillo Family MBA Venture Fellows Fund. His gift will enable enhanced training, support, and innovation for Graduate Venture Fellows, who hone their own leadership skills and serve other students. In addition, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, C’93, W’93, G’97, WG’97, made a $3 million gift to establish the Panagiotopoulos Family Undergraduate Venture Fellows Fund. The fund will support the McNulty Leadership Program’s Undergraduate Venture Fellows, strengthening training and resources within this premier leadership initiative.
Kim Ostheimer, C’04, and Jason Ostheimer, W’04, along with Alexander Havenick, C’04, and Barbara Havenick, made gifts to support the Penn-Kalaniyot Academic Fund, which will provide financial support for the Penn-Kalaniyot Chapter at Penn. Penn-Kalaniyot aims to advance academic excellence by deepening ties with Israeli scholars and building a supportive campus community, and foster collaboration among researchers at the University to advance knowledge without regard to national, ethnic, or religious background.
Stephanie Weiss Naidoff, L’66, made a $200,000 gift to name the Michael Naidoff Communication Hub in memory of her late husband. The Hub supports the Penn Memory Center’s podcast studio, communications, and outreach initiatives.
Vijay Mehta, C’04, W’04, and Ruby Mehta, W’04, made a $250,000 gift to Penn Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School to support the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business.
Sam Blank, C’01, a new board member at the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), and Taryn Blank made a gift to SP2’s Annual Fund and Dean’s Discretionary Fund as well as the Nancy and Robert Blank Scholarship. In addition to increasing support for his family’s undergraduate scholarship, his gift will help advance SP2’s strategic priorities.
Cynthia and Christopher Davies, C’81, gave $45,000 in honor of the Pan-Asian American Community House’s (PAACH) 25th anniversary and Chris’s 45th reunion. This gift was made in celebration of the Inspiring Student Life fundraising initiative supporting University Life Cultural Resource Centers across campus. Their generosity recognizes the contributions of PAACH’s leadership team and students, who help shape PAACH’s vital role in Penn’s community every day.
Younan Xia, G’93, gave $125,000 in memory of his late wife, Dong Qin, GR’96, to establish a lectureship in chemistry at Penn Arts & Sciences.
Sandor Hau, W’94, made a gift to Penn Arts & Sciences to create a program fund in Asian American studies.
The PHLY Foundation made a meaningful grant to the Graduate School of Education to establish the Dean’s Fund for Philadelphia Impact. This fund will support strategic initiatives and strengthen GSE’s partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, ensuring that Philadelphia’s students, educators, and communities can grow and thrive.
Alan S. Atkinson, GEng’88, PAR’29, and Ivette Alonso Atkinson, PAR’29, made a $500,000 gift to Penn Engineering to establish the Atkinson Family Fund for Engineering Physical Intelligence, advancing research and educational programs in this emerging field. The gift is part of the Futures Fund Partnership for Innovation, which is Penn Engineering’s top priority. This gift reflects Alan’s enduring connection to Penn Engineering and the importance of Penn to the Atkinson family.
ChenXin Xu, GED’22, GRD’25, made a gift to the Graduate School of Education to establish the Education Entrepreneurship Global Fellowship and Support Fund, which will provide students in the Education Entrepreneurship program with customized support and startup funding to develop, launch, and grow their ventures.
Recognizing the importance of securing his family’s future while advancing Penn Medicine’s mission, Barry Matthew Berger, FEL’76, M’76, has established multiple charitable gift annuities—guaranteeing lifetime payments to him and his children while supporting future Perelman School of Medicine students through his family’s Penn Scholarship Fund.
Varun Sampath, ENG’12, gave $125,000 to establish the Varun Sampath, ENG’12, Endowed Scholarship to support Penn Engineering undergraduates. The gift was made in gratitude for the scholarship support he received as a student.
In celebration of her 99th birthday, Hannah Henderson made a generous $100,000 gift to Penn Nursing’s Hannah Lowell Henderson Endowed Fellowship Fund. In her honor, her family also contributed gifts, making this milestone a tribute to opportunity and the future of nursing.
By directing a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from his IRA, Richard Wong, MD, contributed $27,000 to establish a charitable gift annuity benefiting, in part, The Penn Fund—creating lasting support while maximizing the tax advantages of his gift.
Lathrop B. Nelson Jr., W’63, continues a decade-spanning tradition of supporting horticulture equipment maintenance at Morris Arboretum & Gardens with a $5,000 gift. Well-maintained equipment is essential to the daily operations of a public garden and helps keep the Morris’s grounds healthy and vibrant for all who visit.
Nehal Madhani, L’09, endowed the Madhani Legal Tech Fellowship at Penn Carey Law, supporting students who are developing legal tech projects or ventures. Fellows will receive funding, mentorship from leaders in the field, and access to resources such as AI credits or tools, along with a faculty-supervised curricular component.
Eliza Auth has donated the extensive archive of her late husband, Tony Auth, to the Annenberg School for Communication. Tony Auth was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American editorial cartoonist and children’s book illustrator who is best known for his syndicated work originally drawn for The Philadelphia Inquirer (1971 to 2012), providing powerful commentaries that captured the urgency and complexity of American culture.
Timur Galen, MArch’84, MSE’84, gave $1.25 million to the Weitzman School of Design to establish the Linda Genereux and Timur Galen Family Fellowship Fund in Honor of Peter M. McCleary. Professor Emeritus Peter McCleary, the former chair of the Department of Architecture, extended a generous scholarship to Galen and encouraged him to study at Penn. Once fully endowed, the scholarship established by Galen will cover full tuition for an incoming graduate student studying architecture.
Jason, C’93, and Tricia Pantzer made a $1 million gift to Penn Live Arts to name the Tricia and Jason Pantzer Family Box Office at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The Pantzer family’s gift stands among the early leadership gifts to Penn Live Arts’ capital campaign and reflects their strong belief in the University’s vision to renovate and expand the facilities that support performance and cultural life at Penn.
