The Power of Penn Arts & Science Campaign Creates a New Future for Students, Faculty, and Campus

Inspiring Impact Penn Arts & Sciences

The Power of Penn Arts & Sciences Campaign concluded on June 30, 2021 with $565.6 million raised in support of undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, professorships, programming, and facilities. 

“We have a strong vision for the future of Penn Arts & Sciences,” says Steven J. Fluharty, Dean and Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience. “I’m grateful for the generosity and trust our donors have shown, particularly during challenging times. Thanks to their partnership, we can work toward that future, with students receiving the strong liberal arts foundation that will prepare them to be the leaders, thinkers, and problems solvers of tomorrow and faculty creating new knowledge at the fore of their fields.” 

Funds raised in the campaign include more than $113 million for the School’s undergraduate financial aid endowment and support for endowed professorships across all disciplines, and research support for undergraduate and graduate students and faculty. Newly endowed centers and programs include the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, the Wolf Humanities Center, the Price Lab for Digital Humanities, the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, and MindCORE, Penn’s integrative hub for the study of the mind and brain.  

During the campaign, Penn Arts & Sciences received its largest gift to-date. Roy Vagelos, C’50, PAR’90, HON’99, and Diana T. Vagelos, PAR’90, made gifts totaling $70 million to support the construction of the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology, a state-of-the art laboratory space for the activities of Penn’s top energy scientists.  

Engagement and volunteerism grew each year over the course of the campaign, with over 7,000 alums attending Penn Arts & Sciences events or serving as volunteers. The Professional Women’s Alliance and Ben Connect, a mentorship platform, supported connections between students and alumni, while event series including Ben Talks and Career Conversations allowed alums to connect and learn from faculty and each other.

To learn more about the impact of the Power of Penn Arts & Sciences Campaign, click here.  
 

Arts & Sciences News

Marisa C. Kozlowski Named Next Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences

Kozlowski, who joined the Penn faculty in 1997, succeeds Mark Trodden, who transitions to the Dean of Penn Arts & Sciences on June 1.

View Article >
One Fourth Year, One Alum Receive 2025 Hertz Fellowship

Eric Tao, C’25, Gr’25 (left), and Suraj Chandran, C’23, were awarded the honor, part of a group of 19 fellows selected this year. Each one receives five years of funding toward a doctoral program.

View Article >
Benjamin Nathans Wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction

Nathans, Alan Charles Kors Endowed Term Professor of History, won for his book “To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement.”

View Article >
Mark Devlin Elected to National Academy of Sciences

He joins three others from Penn to receive the honor this year, all recognized for “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”

View Article >
Michael Jones-Correa and Sophia Rosenfeld Elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences

They join three others from the University of Pennsylvania, selected as part of the Academy’s mission to convene leaders from “every field of human endeavor to examine new ideas, address issues of importance to the nation and the world, and work together.”

View Article >
Eva Del Soldato Awarded 2025-26 Rome Prize

She joins Sean Burkholder, of the Weitzman School of Design, and just 33 others in receiving the prestigious honor from the American Academy in Rome.

View Article >