Philanthropy touches every part of the University. Through the support of our engaged and generous donors, Penn is able to inspire impact locally and globally. Here is a small sample of recent gifts that are fueling the University’s drive to advance knowledge for good.
Giving Highlights
A selection of recent gifts inspiring impact across the University
Winter 2025
Jay Gleacher, C’07, and his wife, Adele, made a $250,000 gift to Penn Arts & Sciences to support the Instrumentation Renewal Fund, which purchases and renews equipment and instrumentation for the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology.
Andrea B. Laporte, Nu’69, gave $1 million to add to her original gift supporting the Andrea B. Laporte Curator position at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), upgrading it to a full curatorial position. The role is currently held by Denise Ryner, a distinguished scholar and curator. Ryner’s research-based exhibitions and publications put artistic representations of “history-from-below” in conversation with broader themes, supporting ICA’s mission as a launchpad for contemporary art and ideas.
A recent $3 million commitment from Denis R. Dancanet, PhD, C’90, ENG’90, has endowed two new Assistant Professorships at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, enabling the School to attract promising talent and provide them with a pathway for career advancement at Penn. Dancanet, a member of Penn Engineering’s Technical Advisory Board, has a long history of supporting the School, including gifts to Amy Gutmann Hall, the School’s new AI and data science building, and to endow two undergraduate scholarships.
Penn Engineering recently received $1,667,000 from the estate of Norman S. Rosenfeld, EE’58, as an addition to the Norman S. Rosenfeld Scholarship Fund. In 2003, Rosenfeld generously established a Charitable Gift Annuity with Penn to create the Rosenfeld Scholarship Fund, which supports Penn Engineering students from U.S. high schools with low college attendance rates.
Kort Schnabel, C’98, and Kathryn Schnabel gave over $1 million to Penn Medicine to establish a named fund supporting hearing loss research within the Penn Center for Adult-Onset Hearing Loss.
Brandon Gardner, C’97, W’97, a new Board Member at the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), endowed a Social Justice Scholarship at the School. This full tuition scholarship supports SP2’s ongoing commitment to the recruitment and retention of students with a particular interest in and demonstrated capacity for social justice leadership in their field.
Jackie Myung, WG’06, and Dr. George Ko have generously contributed $250,000 to the Wharton School, a gift that the University will match with an additional $50,000. Together, these funds will establish the Jackie J. Myung Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will provide vital financial support to students in need, empowering them to access a world-class education and pursue their fullest potential.
Louis Henry Edmunds, Jr., MD, HOM’73, PAR’86, Emeritus Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Penn Medicine and former Julian Johnson Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Martha Mel Stumberg Edmunds, PhD, G’86, Gr’93, PAR’86, made a $2 million gift to establish the Edmunds Family Faculty Fellowship at the Perelman School of Medicine. The Edmunds Fellowship will support promising investigators as they seek to establish their careers as independent biomedical physician-scientists at Penn.
A $3 million commitment from Barry Gertz, C’73, Gr’79, M’79, INT’80, RES’82, and his wife, Laura Friedman, will endow the Barry J. Gertz Professorship for Translational Research at the Perelman School of Medicine—a position focused on drug discovery and therapeutic development. Dr. Gertz and Ms. Friedman have given generously to many Penn Medicine priorities over their decades of engagement, and Dr. Gertz has also served on the Penn Medicine Board since 2017.
Apoorv Saxena, WG’08, has generously contributed $100,000 to support the Wharton School’s newly launched Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI). In addition to his philanthropic commitment, Saxena has joined the WAIAI Advisory Board, where he will help drive the School’s leadership in cutting-edge AI education, research, and its broader impact on business and society.
The Delta Dental Foundation awarded $660,929 to Penn Dental Medicine for the creation of oral health education materials for families and caregivers of persons with disabilities.
A. Brooks Harris, HOM’69, Physics Professor Emeritus, gave $50,000 to establish a fund to provide financial support to the Math/Physics/Astronomy Library at Penn, at the discretion of the head of that library. This fund recognizes past scholarship and innovation made possible by the library and aims to facilitate future scientific research and discovery.
Allison Powell, C’93, and Thomas Vandever, C’92, continue to support the Powell-Vandever Dance Master Class Series, which underwrites master classes with visiting professional dance artists for both Penn students and other college and high school students studying dance in Philadelphia. In addition, they made a new commitment to establish an endowed fund to provide support for the Carnegie Student Showcase, a bi-annual event where student performing arts groups perform at Carnegie Hall for Penn alumni, parents, and friends.
Multiple gifts were made to endow key educator positions for Unpacking the Past, the Penn Museum’s signature school field trip program. Gifts from Andrew Moelis, C’10, and Rosa Levitan Moelis; Ron, C’78, W’78, and Kerry Moelis; and Brian K. Wong, W’05, also include a one-to-one match from the University.
The Bedford Falls Foundation, founded by Bill Conway, PAR’00, gave $1 million to extend the duration of funding and expand the total number of Conway Scholars in Penn Nursing from 10 to 15 annually. A total of 80 high-merit Nursing students with financial need will be awarded scholarships.
An anonymous donor made a $600,000 gift to support the Weitzman School’s Glass Bridge prototype, a four-year team project of interinstitutional research showcasing innovative design using ultra-thin, high-performance glass. The project is led by Masoud Akbarzadeh, an associate professor of architecture and the director of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory at Weitzman. The sustainable structure utilizes geometry-based design methods to maximize efficiency and reduce material use and carbon emissions. Glass Bridge is currently on display at the Corning Museum of Glass through April 20, 2025, and will be displayed at Penn in the near future.
Vishal Bhagwati, WG’05, and Rina Bhagwati have made a generous gift to establish the Vishal and Rina Bhagwati Fellowship at the Wharton School. This fellowship will provide vital support to Wharton MBA students, enhancing the School’s ability to empower the next generation of innovative business leaders.
Tyrone Chang, W’96, made a gift to Penn Arts & Sciences to name the T & M Chang Family Student Lounge for VIPER students in the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology.
