On December 20, 2023, the University of Pennsylvania announced an unrestricted $1 million gift from Stewart Colton, W’62, and Judy Colton, in support of the early work of Interim President J. Larry Jameson during a time of transition. The commitment signifies the Coltons’ strong belief in Interim President Jameson’s leadership and the University’s enduring strengths, and their hope that others will join them in coming together for Penn.

“When Larry was named Interim President, I was immediately focused on how we could support him, and in doing so, support Penn at a time when the University needs us,” said Stewart Colton. “As a physician, Larry is naturally oriented toward healing, and I see this as an important moment for us to come together. Throughout all the challenges the University has faced in recent months, we felt it was critical to stand by Penn and support the University. We feel this even more strongly today.”

It is rare for Penn to receive completely unrestricted gifts at this level, and Mr. Colton acknowledged that he trusts Interim President Jameson to determine the best use of these funds. “I believe in creating goodwill with our philanthropy, and I offered this gift hoping that it will serve as a catalyst for others to contribute in the months ahead.”

“I am grateful for Judy and Stewart’s generosity, and I am humbled by their support,” said Interim President Jameson. “This has been an enormously challenging time for Penn and, as we undertake the important work of this moment and look to a stronger future, a gift like this is impactful and encouraging to all who care about our University.”

This gift adds to the Coltons’ generous support of Penn. Their first gift established the Colton Center for Autoimmunity in 2021 (Almanac December 7, 2021), and a year later, an additional gift accelerated the center’s advancements for driving collaborative, innovative autoimmune disease research (Almanac October 4, 2022). With the Colton Center, Penn joined the Colton Consortium alongside New York University, Yale University, and Tel Aviv University, whose shared mission is to use the complementary strengths of each institution to elevate the field of autoimmunity. The Coltons are among the University of Pennsylvania’s most dedicated supporters; their lifetime giving to Penn exceeds $60 million.

Adapted from a Penn Today story by Ron Ozio, December 20, 2023.