Ever since he arrived at the Quad in 1947, Roy Vagelos, C’50, PAR’90, HON’99, has left his mark at Penn: first as a standout chemistry student and winning oarsman; then as the founder of the undergraduate financial aid program, member of the Penn Arts & Sciences Board of Advisors, trusted confidante to Penn presidents; and, later, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Indelible Impact
Celebrating Roy and Diana Vagelos’s lasting legacy
Summer 2024
But Roy’s most indelible—and enduring—impact at Penn may be his inspired philanthropy.
Together, he and his wife Diana have had an incomparable impact on scientific research and education at Penn Arts & Sciences. They have supported scientists ranging from first-year chemistry students to the most distinguished members of the faculty. The Vagelos scholarships and awards have inspired young people to pursue careers in science. The two University buildings carrying the Vagelos name are synonymous with Penn’s commitment to excellence in the sciences. And Roy and Diana have advanced pathbreaking research aimed at tackling some of the greatest challenges our world is facing.
“Diana and I have always been great believers in the power of basic science to find solutions to global problems. Whether through enhancing understanding of the natural sciences in order to one day cure degenerative diseases or tackling the enormous threat that climate change poses to people around the world, investing in students and faculty mentors is the best way we can think of to enable learning and advance discoveries.”
—P. ROY VAGELOS, C’50, PAR’90, HON’99
This winter, Roy and Diana added to their decades of support with a transformative $83.9 million gift to Penn Arts & Sciences. It is the largest single gift ever made to the School and one of the largest gifts in Penn’s history. With this gift, Roy and Diana’s total support to Penn Arts & Sciences now stands at a remarkable $239 million.
Their most recent gift will enhance graduate education in the Department of Chemistry by establishing 20 new Vagelos Fellowships. It will also establish a permanent endowment for the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, an endowed chair in chemistry, and student awards in the three undergraduate Vagelos programs.
The values that have driven Roy and Diana’s philanthropy have shaped the work of the School of Arts and Sciences and continue to align with Penn’s highest priorities. With this latest commitment, as always, Roy and Diana remain forward-looking. Their most recent gift will help advance pioneering work on the existential challenge of climate change—a pillar of the School of Arts and Sciences’ strategic plan since 2014 and one of the top priorities of the University’s new strategic framework, In Principle and Practice.
It is impossible to overstate how Roy and Diana have shaped what it means to be a scientist at Penn. The opportunities that they have created have benefitted students and faculty across the University, but their impact on the School of Arts and Sciences is particularly large. Their passion for science and belief in the work we do continually inspires people, from first-year students eager to begin a course of study to veteran researchers energized by new possibilities.”Steven J. Fluharty
Dean, Penn Arts & Sciences
Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience
The Vagelos Legacy
Transforming Campus
The Vagelos name is a common sight on Penn’s campus, but it’s in science education and research that Roy and Diana have made the greatest impact. The Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology signaled the University’s renewed commitment to science and engineering, while the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) will power Penn’s commitment to addressing climate change when it opens in 2025.
“A physician‐scientist, Roy pioneered major advances that have transformed human health. For more than four decades, Roy and Diana have expanded Penn’s reach in the sciences, by investing in cutting-edge facilities for research and learning, promoting discoveries in the lab, and advancing sustainable energy solutions. Their inspired philanthropy has left an enduring legacy at Penn.”
—J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
Interim President, University of Pennsylvania
Inspiring Undergraduate Students
Roy and Diana have created unparalleled opportunities to support undergraduates and ignite their passion for science. That includes the establishment of three interdisciplinary programs that are preparing tomorrow’s scientists and innovators: the Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences (MLS), the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management (LSM), and the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER).
A scholarship student himself, Roy championed financial aid and established endowed scholarships for students in the sciences. He and Diana also funded the Vagelos Prizes, which reward and encourage students by recognizing outstanding achievement. Just as important, Roy has been generous with his time, visiting campus often and offering words of advice and mentorship to promising young scientists.
“I came from a low-income background, and the Vagelos LSM program provided me with opportunities and resources that gave me the freedom to be curious. Without the program and its support, I wouldn’t have been able to explore my diverse interests in global health, biomedical research, entrepreneurship, and so much more. But beyond that, the program’s students, faculty, and Dr. Vagelos himself have nurtured a profound sense of purpose and continue to inspire me to drive meaningful change in science and medicine.”
—Henry Le, C’23, W’23
Entering the Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences at Columbia University this fall
Training Tomorrow’s Scientists
Support for graduate students is a top priority for Penn Arts & Sciences. Responding to this need, Roy and Diana’s latest gift will establish 20 new fellowships in the Department of Chemistry, helping to bring the most talented graduate students to Penn and supporting their education under top faculty so they can contribute to tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
“Supporting talented graduate students and bringing them together with the best faculty is the most promising path to breakthrough discoveries addressing not only the challenges that are facing us today, but ones that we have not yet imagined. This monumental new gift caps off the incomparable impact that Roy and Diana have had on scientific research and education at Penn Arts & Sciences.”
—Steven J. Fluharty
Dean, Penn Arts & Sciences
Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience
Fueling Innovation and Discovery
A distinguished biochemist, Roy has always understood that stellar faculty are key to fueling innovation in the research laboratory and training the next generation of scientists. He and Diana have funded six endowed positions that help Penn recruit and retain outstanding faculty and propel extraordinary research. Another endowed position, the P. Roy Vagelos Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was established by the Merck Company to honor Roy’s retirement as Merck CEO and appointment as Chair of Penn’s Board of Trustees.
“The Vagelos Professorship, together with the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, has provided vital resources for us to develop new, out-of-the-box ideas in energy science. They have enabled interdisciplinary collaborations that have led to large federally funded research projects. Those projects would never have gotten off the ground without the interdisciplinary collaborations enabled by the Vagelos endowments.”
—Thomas E. Mallouk
Vagelos Professor of Energy Research
Chair, Department of Chemistry
Powering the Future of Energy
Energy research and education stand at the core of many of the Vagelos gifts—a reflection of Roy’s recognition of the critical importance of this issue. Most notably, Roy and Diana have helped fund VLEST, which will become the new hub for energy research at Penn when it opens next year. In addition, Roy and Diana have established not just one, but two endowed professorships in energy research, both filled by leading scientists in this field.
“This new gift from the Vageloses supercharges energy research at Penn. It also positions the University as a world leader in enabling the science solutions that will secure a sustainable energy future. Roy and Diana have facilitated new interdisciplinary collaborations, enabled the purchase and support of state-of-the art instrumentation, and provided fellowships to incredibly talented and ambitious students and postdoctoral researchers who will be the energy science leaders of tomorrow.”
—Karen Goldberg
Vagelos Professor of Energy Research
Inaugural Director, Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology
To learn more about supporting priorities within the School of Arts & Sciences, contact Deb Rhebergen, Vice Dean for Advancement, at drheberg@sas.upenn.edu.
