Penn establishes new scholarships, professorships with $22.5M donation

The School of Arts and Sciences received a $22.5 million gift to establish endowed scholarships for undergraduate students and new professorships across three departments. 

Announced on Sept. 22, the gift financially supports undergraduate students — including international scholars from Latin America. 2008 College graduate Gabriel Gilinski and his wife, Stephanie, made the donation with the goal of enhancing academic excellence at Penn.

“Gabriel and Stephanie’s generous commitment expands access to a Penn education while investing in the scholars whose outstanding teaching and research enrich our academic community,” Penn President Larry Jameson wrote in the press release. “We are deeply grateful for their partnership.”

The new professorships will fund the research of faculty members in the University’s history, political science, and economics departments.

Penn’s endowed professorships are a cornerstone of its distinction as a research institution. The title is considered the University’s highest honor offered to members of the Faculty. The College alone is home to roughly 200 endowed professors, each made possible by a minimum $3 million donation. 

Gilinksi chairs the board of Grupo Nutresa, a Colombian food conglomerate with more than 50,000 employees across 17 countries. He attributed the “value of critical thinking” at Penn as inspiration for the donation.

“Exceptional faculty are at the heart of Penn’s mission, and we are proud to support the recruitment and retention of scholars who bring complex problems to life in the classroom,” Gilinksi wrote in the announcement.

He also highlighted the importance of the University’s international community, writing that Penn invites scholars from all over the world “to bring their own perspectives and experiences” to campus.

Shifting federal immigration policies have rendered international scholarship at Penn precarious for some students in recent years. Most recently, the University stopped processing international student requests for Curricular Practical Training authorization after guidance from the United States Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

While the University has resumed the CPT process for select requests, multiple international students told The Daily Pennsylvanian that stricter guidelines have jeopardized career plans and led to mounting uncertainty.

The announcement emphasized Penn’s larger commitment to financially supporting its students, including through the Quaker Commitment. As part of the program, families earning up to $200,000 with typical assets receive full tuition scholarships. 

The University Board of Trustees expanded these offerings by 3.8% in March — alongside an increased total cost of attendance. At the time, the Trustees also voted to approve a 3.9% hike in undergraduate tuition costs. 

In May, Penn received a $20 million gift to improve financial aid and offer support to middle-income students. The Gilinksi’s donation is the largest announced by Penn this year.

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