With his most recent donation, alumnus David Pottruck continues to give back to the Penn student-athlete community that once helped shaped him .
Alumnus David S. Pottruck is a gift that keeps on giving.
With his latest donation of $6.3 million, Pottruck continues his half-century, storied engagement with Penn Athletics. In addition, Pottruck’s daughter Stephanie Pottruck Goldman and son-in-law Aaron Goldman, also both Penn alumni, contributed to the donation to bring the total to above $7 million.
The funds will primarily be directed toward the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy and the Set the Future in Motion initiative, both of which focus on mentorship and leadership development. The Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy is a part of the Center for Student-Athlete Success (CSAS), which will be renamed to The Pottruck Center for Student-Athlete Success.
“I am extremely grateful for Dave Pottruck’s leadership and philanthropy,” President Amy Gutmann said. “His generosity has spanned the decades and touched countless members of the Penn community. With this landmark gift, Dave is providing critical support for student-athletes that will benefit them in their athletic and academic endeavors, as well as far into their careers.”
The Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy was established in 2017 when Pottruck generously donated $1 million to the program. The program is oriented toward equipping student-athletes with the skills, mindset, and habits necessary for success in their future endeavors.
“My years in business have repeatedly demonstrated to me how important it is to develop future leaders,” Pottruck said. “Leadership is a quality that can, and should, be taught."
During his years as an undergraduate at Penn, Pottruck was involved in both Penn wrestling and football, which had a formative influence on Pottruck. Through his donations, Pottruck has not only secured the foundational support for these programs, but he has also created incentives for more student-athletes to engage with them.
Pottruck has mastered the art of giving back to the place that helped shape him — the type of selflessness that promotes intergenerational success, tradition, and community spirit at Penn.
Pottruck and his family’s generosity emerges at one of the most dire periods for Penn Athletics, as practices and play have been shut down since March 2020. Pottruck’s donation will guarantee future support for Penn Athletics’ programs.
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