William (Bill) Schilling, C’66, L’69, who served as director of Student Financial Aid (later Student Financial Services, or SFS) from 1981 to 2021, passed away on December 9, 2021 after a brief and sudden struggle with cancer. He was 76.

Born in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, Mr. Schilling graduated from Upper Darby High School and then came to Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences, where he graduated in 1966. Three years later, Mr. Schilling received a law degree from Penn Law. In 1970, he joined Penn’s staff as an upper class aid officer in the department of Student Financial Aid. From there, Mr. Schilling rose through the ranks, becoming the assistant director of the department, then the associate director, acting director, and, in 1981, director.

During his tenure at Penn, Mr. Schilling committed himself to making an Ivy League education possible for students of all backgrounds and means. He oversaw the manifold expansion of Penn’s undergraduate financial aid program and pioneered a no-loan aid policy, ensuring that students in need receive only grants, not loans, in support of their education. In 1997, he led an initiative to improve Penn’s graduation rates by alleviating financial difficulties that had compelled students to drop out (Almanac October 28, 1997). He supplemented this work for educational equity by volunteering with the College Board and the Mendenhall-Tyson Scholarship Foundation.

Mr. Schilling was active in Penn life, serving on several Faculty Senate and University Council committees (as well as several ad-hoc committees that focused on financial aid) and presenting to them frequently about the state of financial aid at Penn. In 1996, he joined Penn’s 25-Year Club. He continued to find innovative ways to make Penn more accessible for students, including partnerships with scholarship organizations and advocating for a generous amount of the money raised in the Making History fundraising campaign to support undergraduate aid. Mr. Schilling retired from Penn in 2012 but stayed at SFS until 2016 as a temporary worker. After his retirement, Penn’s Trustees passed a resolution of appreciation for Mr. Schilling for “significantly and positively impact[ing] the lives of thousands of Penn students” (Almanac July 17, 2012).

Mr. Schilling is survived by his wife, Patricia; children, Amy (Lenny) Liberatore, Donny (Bonnie) Charlesworth, Gail (Lawrence) Harrington, and William “Drew” Schilling; and seven grandchildren. A memorial service was held on December 18, 2021. Donations in Mr. Schilling’s name can be made to the Church of the Holy Comforter in Drexel Hill, PA.