The University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts & Sciences received a $22.5 million gift for an endowed scholarship for undergraduates and endowed professorships across history, political science and economics, the university announced Tuesday.
The gift comes from Gabriel Gilinski, a 2008 graduate, and his wife Stephanie Gilinski.
It will help more students afford a Penn education and advance academics, university officials said.
“Penn is at its best when we bring talented students together with outstanding faculty and give them the opportunity to learn from one another,” Penn President J. Larry Jameson said in a statement. “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.”
The gift specifically will support undergraduate students financially, including those educated in Latin America, and it will establish two professorships and a visiting professorship, the school said.
Gilinski, who got his degree in political science with a minor in economics, chairs the Board of Grupo Nutresa, a Latin America food company with more than 50,000 employees, 45 factories in 17 countries. Gilinski and his wife live in Miami.
“Across Latin America, access to education creates lasting change for families, and I’ve seen the ripple effect it can have, shaping not just one life but an entire community,” Gilinski said in a statement. “Penn gives international scholars a place to bring their own perspectives and experiences, and they leave shaped by everything they’ve learned from the classmates around them. That’s part of what makes a Penn education so special to me.”
He also emphasized the importance of the liberal arts and critical thinking skills he acquired at Penn.