Penn President Amy Gutmann is one of 50 peopled recognized on Fortune Magazine’s annual World’s Greatest Leaders list, joining individuals like South Korean President Moon Jae-in, CEO of Apple Tim Cook, and the student leaders of the March for Our Lives movement.
Fortune, which ranked Gutmann as No. 49 on the list, highlighted her work in expanding the role of first-generation, low-income students, international students, and immigrants on Penn’s campus. The profile also highlighted her work in fundraising, and the growth of Penn’s financial aid program, which it calls “the largest all-grant financial aid program in the country.”
Last week, Gutmann announced a new fundraising campaign titled “The Power of Penn: Advancing Knowledge for Good,” stating that the program would continue to expand Penn’s financial aid services.
“As a first-generation, low-income student myself, I know how life-changing financial aid can be,” she told Penn Today.
The ‘Power of Penn’ campaign represents the second fundraising campaign in Gutmann’s 14-year tenure, and aims to raise $4.1 billion by 2021, making it the most ambitious fundraising campaign in Penn’s history.
In 2016, Gutmann’s contract with Penn, which began in 2004, was extended to 2022, making her the longest-serving president in Penn’s history. At the time, Penn Board of Trustees Chair David L. Cohen called Gutmann “the best university president in the country.”
Gutmann's leadership of Penn has been made more complicated by the installation of the Trump administration.
Since election night, Gutmann has had to walk a fine line between her liberal beliefs and the demands of leading a nonpartisan institution. Her administration releases statements at all the appropriate times, but some student critics find them tepid and perfunctory. To this day, Gutmann has not mentioned Donald Trump by name.
Ph.D. student Nick Millman, who had organized a protest of a version of the Republican tax plan which would have imposed taxes on graduate students, said that Gutmann’s pledge of support was “not backed up with deliberate or concrete action that could be taken.”
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate