Penn receives $5M to create the first of its kind professorship in philanthropy

The University of Pennsylvania announced a $5 million gift to create the Wieler Family Professorship, a position to be focused on philanthropy. The gift from Scott A. Wieler and his wife, Mary Baily Wieler, will combine the social innovation mission of the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) with the Wharton School's capacity to inspire business leaders who have a passion for advancing social impact through philanthropy. It is the first-ever professorship in philanthropy for a faculty member with appointments in both a business school and a school focused on social innovation.

"The Wieler Family Professorship will strengthen Penn's ability to equip business leaders with the interdisciplinary skills and understanding necessary to address our world's problems," says Interim President J. Larry Jameson. "We are grateful to Scott Wieler and Mary Baily Wieler for their generosity, which will advance the principles of Penn's strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, to initiate new ways of cultivating service-minded leadership."

The Wieler Family Professorship will hold appointments at SP2 and at Wharton. SP2 will lead the search for the inaugural professor, in conjunction with leaders from Wharton, to identify and recruit a top-tier faculty member whose research specializes in philanthropy.

"This visionary professorship builds upon SP2's deep commitment to the study of philanthropy and the School's interdisciplinary collaborations across the University," says Sara S. Bachman, dean of SP2. "It will inspire more SP2 and Wharton students and future alumni to explore the relationship between business and philanthropy, as well as the role of philanthropy as an increasingly important driver of social policies and practices that improve lives. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the Wieler Family for their leadership in conceptualizing and making this fantastic gift."

The professorship will enhance SP2's expertise in social innovation through new connections to the business world, and through existing signature programs like the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership. Likewise, it will bring a focus on the role and impact of philanthropy to research and education at Wharton.

"Wharton recognizes capital development as an engine of economic growth and innovation," says Erika H. James, dean of the Wharton School. "The Wharton community collaborates across disciplines and champions equitable outcomes and far-reaching change. We thank the Wieler Family for their ingenuity and their generosity through this gift which gets to the heart of the Wharton ethos. With their support, we will ever more encourage exceptional faculty and the students who benefit from their teaching to apply insights beyond the academy and campus, ultimately achieving holistic progress."

Scott A. Wieler is a 1987 graduate of Wharton's MBA Program for Executives, and he is a longtime leadership volunteer at the School. He is a recipient of Wharton's Distinguished Service Award and he previously served as chair of the Wharton Graduate Executive Board. Mary Baily Wieler is a proponent of philanthropy supporting the arts, having served for five years as Chief Executive Officer of the Museum Trustee Association in Baltimore, Maryland. She is Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and a Life Trustee of The Walters Art Museum.

"I see leadership at the 21st-century university as not merely about cultivating sharp minds, but also about nurturing compassionate hearts," says Scott A. Wieler. "The art of merging capitalism with philanthropy is about transforming the pursuit of profit into a force for social progress. With the new professorship, we feel that Penn can shape a world where entrepreneurship and empathy coexist, creating a brighter future for all."

The professorship builds upon and elevates the work of both schools, including the well-known Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP), founded in 2006 as a collaboration between SP2 and Wharton alumni. Today, CHIP is a trusted source of applied research and actionable knowledge for a wide range of change-focused philanthropists of all kinds.

One of the hallmarks of Bachman's tenure has been her success in faculty recruitment. Since joining SP2 in 2019, she has overseen the hiring of eleven faculty members, including experts in social work; health equity; gender-based violence; climate inequality; and the intersection of social policy and practice with the fields of education, juvenile justice, and environmental politics. Bachman is also credited with bringing aboard the School's first Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, a pioneer in the fusion of social work, communications, and data science.

This new gift expands upon the Wielers' longstanding history of giving across the University. They have supported the Penn Museum, campus resources, and dean's initiatives.