The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation donated $11 million to the School of Engineering and Applied Science to expand the Clark Scholars Program and launch a new philanthropy challenge.
The foundation's contribution extends its partnership with Penn that was first started in 2017 when it initially established the program with a $15 million commitment. The program will use $10 million of the new donation for the existing scholarship fund and put $1 million toward other initiatives, including establishing an annual philanthropy challenge.
The philanthropy challenge will give scholars the opportunity to "invest in Philadelphia themselves" by supporting local organizations. The 10 entrepreneurial Engineering School students per class that the program benefits will allow them to collectively invest $20,000 annually into local philanthropic missions.
The challenge will be a four-year initiative to teach the students about philanthropy — "including how to evaluate grant proposals and track the impact of their giving" — by allowing them to track their philanthropy project from start to finish.
“My father’s own life was shaped by the chance to study engineering on a scholarship,” Board Chair of the Clark Foundation Courtney Clark Pastrick told Penn Today. “Through the Clark Scholars Program, we carry forward his legacy by giving the next generation of engineers the same opportunity.”
Penn is one of 11 institutions — including many peer universities — to host a Clark Scholars program. The Clark Foundation has donated an estimated $591 million to engineering programs nationwide and supports 875 students annually.
Additionally, the program’s new entrepreneurship concentration will incorporate internships with traditional academics in the hope of bolstering students’ real-world connections and skills.
“This investment strengthens the Clarks’ vision that engineers should serve, not just build, preparing generations of Clark Scholars to lead with technical excellence and a spirit of service,” Penn President Larry Jameson said to Penn Today. “We are deeply grateful to the Clark Foundation for their continued generosity, which is driving meaningful change and creating a lasting impact across many areas of society.”
