Penn names Rachel Wenrick as inaugural executive director of the arts

Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. and Vice Provost for the Arts Timothy Rommen announced the appointment of Rachel Wenrick as Penn’s inaugural executive director of the arts, effective Sept. 22.

Wenrick will provide leadership and operational coordination across Penn’s arts programming, according to the Sept. 16 announcement. She will serve as a resource and partner for the University’s scholars, centers, and creative initiatives, working to reimagine the arts at Penn through innovation and experimentation.

“I am thrilled to welcome Rachel Wenrick to Penn,” Vice Provost Rommen told Penn Almanac. “She is a widely respected arts leader with extensive experience in building sustainable programs and developing impactful initiatives. Rachel is uniquely prepared to step into this new role as a partner and resource for our arts community, motivated by her strong conviction that the arts are a vehicle for creating new knowledge and collaborative solutions.”

Wenrick is currently Drexel University’s executive director of arts and civic innovation — a role that has placed her at the intersection of campus life and the broader Philadelphia community. She has taught writing at Drexel since 2007 and served as associate director of both the university’s writing program and the Writing Center. 

At Drexel, Wenrick launched the Writers Room, building a space where students, faculty, alumni, and community neighbors come together through research, hands-on courses, and creative projects. 

She also led the creation of the Second Story Collective — an alternative housing model connecting artists, scholars, and West Philadelphia residents through arts-based activities and locally guided research. Together, they work toward advancing equitable development for historically marginalized communities.

“It is a profound honor to join the Provost’s team to support Penn’s vibrant ecosystem of arts centers and academic programs,” Wenrick told Penn Almanac. “I will bring my deep belief in the power of the arts to transform not only individual lives but also our institutions and communities.”

The announcement comes after Rommen assumed the role of inaugural vice provost for the arts earlier this year.