Student Support

Student Support Soars

Support for Weitzman students transforms lives and enhances the classroom and campus experience for all.

The admission of gifted students with new perspectives also leads to greater equity and diversity in the professions. Over the campaign, the rate of African American students accepting offers from the School more than doubled, and the average fellowship amount for incoming students grew by 60 percent. The generosity shown during Lead by Design helped to create more than 40 new fellowships, allowing exceptional students to train and begin practice without crushing debt. Gifts to the Annual Fund increased by 62 percent, fueling the support that underpins many foundational student needs. Annual Fund giving also made it possible to initiate grants for students who face emergencies.

Michelle Cho

Master of Fine Arts, Class of 2022 Recipient of the Amrita Sen and Ravi Ahuja Fellowship

“Before receiving the fellowship, I was set on not attending school this semester and holding off until I could receive more scholarships or grants to do so. I am so grateful that the Amrita Sen and Ravi Ahuja Fellowship provided me with enough financial support to continue my education and set me on a path for success.”

Eric Fries

Master of Architecture, Class of 2022 Recipient of the Fund for 125 Years of Architecture

“The University of Pennsylvania was my first choice for graduate school and without this generous support, I would likely not have been able to attend. My time at Penn has already been extremely fruitful, enriching my outlook on design. I’m very glad to have the chance to interact with so many interesting students and faculty members.”

Emilio Martínez

Master of Fine Arts, Class of 2022 Master of City and Regional Planning, Class of 2022 Recipient of the Leight Foundation Fellowship

“Having this fellowship extended for an additional year has made it possible for me to pursue a second degree in the field of Urban Planning. I am the first student at Penn to pursue a dual degree in Fine Arts and City and Regional Planning. When we had to switch to online learning, the faculty and leadership made it feasible and meaningful. I’m grateful to be in this learning community and feel supported and represented.”

AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID FOR INCOMING STUDENTS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE CAMPAIGN

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

$5,000

$0

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Lisa Servon

Kevin and Erica Penn Presidential Professor and Chair of City and Regional Planning Department of City and Regional Planning

“We notice a significant change now in the diversity of our students. Our more diverse classrooms have led to richer conversations about how to work in all kinds of neighborhoods. The campaign has increased our visibility in the area of equity.”

Fellowships at the Weitzman School

Student fellowships at the Weitzman School are essential in attracting the best and the brightest who will both study at Penn and advance the state of practice over the course of their careers. The School is grateful for the generosity of those who have created the following new fellowships during the campaign.

New Fellowship Funds

Fund for 125 Years of Architecture

Julian Abele Fellowship Atkin Fellowship Richard W. Bartholomew and Julia Moore Converse Fellowship in Architecture Berger Fellowship Daniel S. Bomson Family Fellowship John and Catherine Carrafiell Fellowship

Lee and Rolaine Copeland Fellowship Lindsay Falck Fellowship Jay Goldman Design Fellowship Mark Goldstein Fellowship Dawn and Brian Gonick Architectural Conservation Professional Development Fund David E. Gross Fellowship Halpern Family Fellowship Albert Kalimian Fellowship The Kanter Tritsch Prize in Energy and Architectural Innovation

Catherine and Key Kolb Endowment Fund Harvey and Barbara Kroiz Fellowship in Architecture Landscape Architecture 100 Leight Foundation Fellowship J. Roland Lieber Fellowship Marjorie Miller Luke Scholarship Christopher Leland Lyon Memorial Fund Muscoe Martin Green Building Fellowship The Ian L. McHarg Center Dual Degree Fellowship Moelis Scholars Program George W. Neff Memorial Fellowship

Kevin S. and Erica J. Penn Fellowship Pickman Udell Fellowship Richard M. Rosan Fellowship Amrita Sen and Ravi Ahuja Fellowship Sellers-McHarg Center Fellows Sellers Student Jobs Fellowship Gary N. Siegler Energy Fellowship Transportation Fellowship van Beuren-Glascock Fellowship John and Beatrice Wesley Memorial Prize Richard Wesley Fellowship Willoughby Family Fellowship Witte-Sakamoto Family Prize in City and Regional Planning

FELLOWSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Moelis Scholars Program

Thanks to the generosity of Ron Moelis (C’78, W’78), the Moelis Scholars Program supports students in the Weitzman Master of City and Regional Planning program, with tuition remission, internships, mentoring, and support to attend conferences, along with other benefits. The

ultimate goal is not only to bring people from a range of backgrounds into the planning discipline, but also to help diverse leaders enter the private and public world of urban development.

The Weitzman School Awards

The Weitzman School Awards celebrate the achievements of visionary Weitzman students, faculty, and alumni, as well as leaders in architecture and planning outside of the Penn community—while building support for the next generation. The School’s annual Awards event has raised over $550,000 to directly support student fellowships in architecture and city and regional planning at Weitzman, ensuring that the cost of attending the School is not a barrier for students of any background.

The Kanter Tritsch Prize in Energy and Architectural Innovation and the Kanter Tritsch Medal in Architecture

Established in 2017 by a generous gift from Weitzman School of Design alumna Lori Kanter Tritsch and Penn Trustee and Wharton alumnus William P. Lauder, the Kanter Tritsch Prize is awarded annually to a second-year Master of Architecture student to cover the bulk of tuition and fees in the final year of study. Every year, the Weitzman School of Design also awards a Medal to a practicing architect or architects for leadership in energy and architectural innovation.

The Witte-Sakamoto Family Prize and Medal in City and Regional Planning Award Recipients 2018–2021

The Kanter Tritsch Prize in Energy and Architectural Innovation

Alexandra Mae Adamski (MArch’19) Patrick William Danahy (MArch’20) Paul Germaine McCoy (MArch’21) Beikel Rivas (MArch’22)

The Kanter Tritsch Medal in Architecture

Tod Williams and Billie Tsien

A. Eugene Kohn Peter Eisenman

MASS Design Group

The Witte-Sakamoto Family Prize in City and Regional Planning

Amie Patel (MCP’20) Avery Harmon (MCP’21) Xuezhu (Gillian) Zhao (MCP’22)

The Witte-Sakamoto Family Medal in City and Regional Planning

Regional Plan Association’s Fourth Regional Plan City of Philadelphia, GreenPlan Philadelphia City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis 2040

Established in 2018 by a generous gift from Weitzman School of Design alumnus Bill Witte and his wife Keiko Sakamoto, the WitteSakamoto Family Prize in City and Regional Planning provides a fellowship to cover the bulk of tuition and fees for a student entering his or her final year in the Master of City and Regional Planning program. The School also presents a Medal annually to a firm, team, or individual for an exemplary plan that advances plan making in at least four of the following areas: social equity, environmental quality, design, public health, mobility, housing affordability, and economic development.

Keiko Sakamoto, Bill Witte (C’73, MCP’75), Lori Kanter Tritsch (MArch’85), William P. Lauder (W’83), Erica Penn, and Kevin Penn (W’83) at the 2019 Weitzman School Awards.