President's Engagement Prizes

Two men sitting cross-legged on a wooden bench.

For Kennett Square’s mushroom farmworkers, healthy interventions come directly to the workplace

With the President’s Engagement Prize, seniors José Maciel and Antonio Renteria plan to bring subjects like nutrition and sleep to the workers, reinforcing preventive screenings already provided by a local, federally qualified health center.

Summer Kollie, Princess Aghayere, and Oladunni Alomaja, winners of a 2019 President's Engagement Prize

Building literacy and leadership through basketball

Three seniors with roots in West Africa will use their President’s Engagement Prize to build a program for Liberian girls that will combine sports and reading.

Safe haven

Senior Brendan Taliaferro receives the President’s Engagement Prize for a project to provide housing and support for homeless LGBTQ youth in Philadelphia.

presidents engagement and innovation prize winners 2019

Class of 2019 President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize winners announced at Penn

The President’s Engagement Prize and President’s Innovation Prize empower Penn students to design and undertake post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference in the world.

9 Penn students win big prizes to fund projects to promote social change

Penn has awarded nine graduating seniors with the annual President’s Engagement and Innovation prizes. President Amy Gutmann said, “Each of the prize recipients has demonstrated a purpose-driven desire to get out and make a difference in their community, across the country, and around the world.”

A person reclines on a chair on a beach surrounded by plastic bottles

Going plastic neutral

The winners of a 2018 Penn President’s Engagement Prize are launching a new venture to address the global problem of plastic waste.

Building a circular economy movement in India and beyond

A shift in environmental policy in India prompted a new operational model for rePurpose, the social enterprise started by the President’s Engagement Prize-winners.

‘Healthy Pequeños’ teaches young children about hygiene, germs, and food safety

Alaina Hall’s project, a 2018 Penn President’s Engagement Prize winner, is already making a difference for a residential childcare home in Miacatlán, Mexico.

Chicago Furniture Bank is up and running, serving the community

Thanks to a President’s Engagement Prize, Andrew Witherspoon, James McPhail, and Griffin Amdur wasted no time after graduation getting their nonprofit off the ground.

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