Dear Friends,
Chair, Trustee Development Committee
Every time I visit Penn, or talk to someone on campus, I learn something exciting. For example, how Dr. John Wherry is working to understand the causes of autoimmune diseases and how our immune systems respond to treatment. Or, how the Zilberman Family Center for Global Collections at the Penn Libraries is creating a research environment that allows students and scholars to explore cultures around the world. After every one of these interactions, I’m even more certain of Penn’s impact and the value of higher education.
Yet we are all aware that Penn, like other universities, is currently facing growing political pressures and shifting public opinion, including reduced federal support and increased demands to prove our value. To meet this moment, those of us who believe in the power of higher education and the importance of Penn in the world must champion the work being done on this campus and at colleges and universities everywhere.
You only have to look as far as the contents of this issue to demonstrate Penn’s impact for good. From its decades-long commitment to expanding access through increased financial aid to the revolutionary advances that have shaped our lives—Penn creates new knowledge and uses it for the good of all. I hope you have a chance to take a look and see what we have accomplished—and what discoveries are waiting on the horizon.
I hope you enjoy this issue, and I look forward to seeing you at a Penn event in the future!
Sincerely,
Wendy Holman, W’97
Chair, Trustee Development Committee
