The following is a list of the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, which began operating in 1751 as a secondary school, the Academy of Philadelphia, and added an institution of higher learning in 1755, the College of Philadelphia.
Image ProvostPenn became a degree-granting institution of higher learning in 1755. In preparation for this expansion in mission, William Smith was hired in 1754 to become the new provost. Neither George Whitefield nor Benjamin Franklin formally held this title. Years as provost Name of institution Leaders of predecessor non-collegiate schools 1740–1754 – The Reverend George WhitefieldBenjamin Franklin is the founder of the institution which grew to become the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin first convened a board of trustees for an organizational meeting on November 13, 1749. They opened a secondary school, the Academy of Philadelphia, in 1751. A collegiate charter was obtained for the College of Philadelphia in 1755 and post-secondary instruction began shortly thereafter. It was the College of Philadelphia which ultimately was renamed the University of Pennsylvania in 1791. Penn considered 1749 to be its founding date until 1899, when the board of trustees voted to retroactively revise its founding date to 1740 in order to make the university older than Princeton University, which had been chartered in 1746. The 1740 date was selected because, in that year, a group of Philadelphians joined together to build a large preaching hall for the use of traveling evangelist George Whitefield who toured the American colonies delivering well attended open air sermons. The grand building was erected but, due to a shortage of funding, the interior was not furnished and the hall sat unused until Franklin's group purchased it in 1750. Thus, Whitefield himself was not involved in the school which eventually became Penn, but is listed here as a placeholder to signify the period that the preaching hall raised by his followers sat dormant between 1740 and 1750. 1740–1749 Unnamed Charity SchoolAs described in more detail in the appended notes, a charity school was planned by followers of George Whitefield but it never opened before the building was purchased by Benjamin Franklin's group in 1750. The structure itself was known as the "New Building" but the associated educational trust itself was never named. – Benjamin FranklinFranklin's formal title was president of the board of trustees, first of the "Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsylvania" until the college was founded, and then of the "College, Academy and Charity School of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania." 1749–1754 Academy of Philadelphia
The following persons had led the University from 1754 to 1930 as provost:
+Provosts of the University of Pennsylvania (1754–1930) Image Provost Term start Term end Provost of the College of Philadelphia (1754–1779) 1 The Reverend William SmithTenure during American Revolution 1754 1779 Provosts of the University of Pennsylvania (1779–1930) 2 The Reverend John Ewing 1779 1802 Position vacant 1802–1806 3 The Reverend John McDowell 1807 1810 4 The Reverend John Andrews 1810 1813 5 The Reverend Frederick Beasley 1813 1828 6 The Right Reverend William Heathcote DeLancey 1828 1834 7 The Reverend John Ludlow 1834 1852 8 The Reverend Henry Vethake 1853 1859 9 The Reverend Daniel Raynes Goodwin September 1860 June 1868 10 Charles Janeway Stillé September 30, 1868 June 15, 1880 11 William Pepper February 22, 1881 June 5, 1894 acting Charles Custis Harrison June 6, 1894 June 3, 1895 12 June 3, 1895 December 31, 1910 13 Edgar Fahs Smith January 1, 1910 June 30, 1920 Interim Josiah Harmar Penniman July 1, 1920 January 15, 1923 14January 15, 1923 June 30, 1930Although the position of provost ceased being the university's chief executive officer after June 30, 1930, Penniman remained provost until 1939.
The following persons had led the University since 1930 as president:
+Presidents of the University of Pennsylvania (1930–present) Image President Term start Term end 1 Thomas Sovereign Gates July 1, 1930 June 30, 1944 2 George William McClelland June 30, 1944 September 19, 1948 3 Harold Stassen September 20, 1948 January 20, 1953Resigned for a position in the Eisenhower administration. Acting William Hagan DuBarry January 21, 1953 May 24, 1953 4 Gaylord Probasco Harnwell May 25, 1953 August 31, 1970 5 Martin Meyerson September 1, 1970 January 31, 1981 6 Sheldon Hackney February 1, 1981 June 30, 1993 Interim Claire Fagin July 1, 1993 June 30, 1994 7 Judith Rodin July 1, 1994 June 30, 2004 8 Amy Gutmann July 1, 2004 February 8, 2022Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Germany. Interim Wendell Pritchett February 9, 2022 June 30, 2022 9 M. Elizabeth MagillShortest tenure July 1, 2022 December 9, 2023Forced to resigned over backlash from antisemitism controversies that occurred during pro-Palestinian protests. InterimJ. Larry Jameson December 12, 2023 March 13, 2025 10 March 13, 2025 Present
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