The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit.

Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site.

09-22-21-college-hall-savanna-cohen
The Power of Penn Campaign is the most successful fundraising campaign in the University's history. Credit: Savanna Cohen

The Power of Penn Campaign has raised more than $5.4 billion, making this the most successful fundraising campaign in the University's history.  

With 389,535 donors and more than 41,000 alumni giving for the first time, the Power of Penn Campaign exceeded its original goal of $4.1 billion, Penn Today reported. The funding supports Penn’s 12 schools and six centers through academic initiatives, faculty endowments, research grants, and new facilities to “grow inclusion, spark innovation, and accelerate impact,” Penn President Amy Gutmann wrote in a message to the Penn community. 

Gutmann launched the Power of Penn Campaign in 2013 following her first fundraising campaign, Making History, which raised $4.3 billion. The conclusion of the Power of Penn Campaign comes near the end of her 17-year presidency, the longest in University history

To support interdisciplinary research and teaching, donors to the campaign endowed 186 new positions and 12 new Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professorships, Penn Today reported. The campaign also raised more than $453 million for undergraduate student aid. New fellowships and scholarships have been created at Penn Nursing, Penn Carey Law School, and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, the last two of which were renamed in honor of campaign donors, creating some student controversy

Penn Medicine raised $1.68 billion towards research, patient care and academic initiatives, Penn Today reported. Penn Medicine’s Pavilion, a new 17-story inpatient hospital, is set to open later this fall

The campaign has also funded the construction of Lauder College House and New College House West and renovations for athletic sites including the Penn Squash Center and the historic Boathouse, Penn Today reported.

“These results are even more impressive when you consider that the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to conduct the culminating part of the Campaign remotely,” senior vice president for Development and Alumni Relations John Zeller told Penn Today.