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Giving Back

Board Chair Jeff McKibben’s Ecosystem of Support

When Jeff McKibben, W’93, was the first in his family to leave his rural Pennsylvanian hometown to attend college, he had no idea of the impact Penn would have on his life. The University and what he called its “financial aid wedding cake” of multiple layers of support, made possible his education (and that of his brother, Jason McKibben, C’04) and led to his marriage (to Allison Bieber McKibben, C’93) and his professional path in finance.

He has been committed to supporting Penn ever since. That support has included financial gifts—from an early $19.93 gift to the Penn Fund to endowing multiple scholarships—volunteering his time for class gift and reunion committees, and serving on, and now leading, Penn GSE’s Board of Advisors.

“An early mentor analogized the concept of philanthropy to be like botany and advised me to start small and nurture growth over time,” said McKibben. “Extending the analogy, we have learned that intent and inspiration to have an impact are the seeds of giving. The resources invested in terms of time, effort, and dollars provide the necessary nourishment for the seedling to sprout and grow.”

This is his story of that growth.

Giving Back

Board Chair Jeff McKibben’s Ecosystem of Support

This is his story of that growth.

“My road to Penn began in a conference room in a modest hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where I attended an information session in the spring of 1988. Growing up in a small, rural town and being a first-gen college student, I was overwhelmed by the historic significance of Penn, the absolute standard of excellence across vast fields of knowledge and the world-class faculty and research.”

“Despite sharing many common friends, my wife, Allison, and I didn’t actually meet until a few months after graduation. Our time at Penn taught us that it is a privilege to be part of an institution striving to positively impact the world.”

“Allison and I got engaged at our fifth-year reunion at the Ben Franklin statue on 37th and Locust, and we got married in Philadelphia.”

“Our first gift to the school was $19.93 in a call out to our graduation year. We made it the year after we graduated.”

“We began to volunteer time, as class gift committee members or as a judge for the Wharton Business Plan Competition (me) and for the School of Arts and Sciences Professional Women’s Alliance (Allison). Over time, our giving developed a rooting system, which was our desire to have a demonstrable impact on a particular set of individuals. As a result, we established endowed scholarships in our 15th and 20th class reunion years.”

“As our Penn philanthropy further pollinated, we realized our time and resources could provide more leverage at the school level, so we became board members—me at Penn GSE and Allison at Nursing. Additionally, as Class of 2026 parents, we also serve on the Penn Parents Council.”

“I have learned that board membership requires a willingness to focus and invest. When people hear invest, they think money. Yes, financial resources are critical to all educational institutions. However, I have witnessed that engaged board members invest their time and make a concerted effort and focus their thoughts on how to be additive to the goals of the dean and senior leadership.”

“Now is the time to invest in GSE for two reasons: First, we are enduring an educational crisis in both the teacher workforce and the quality of our system. Second, Dean Katharine Strunk is a strong leader with a focused set of priorities. As an economist, she is a fact-based decision-maker with an outsized heart. She prioritizes collaboration and has exceedingly high standards. An investment of your time, effort, or resources will be utilized efficiently and magnify the impact you can have on your own.”

For additional information on how to support Together for Good, please contact Jancie Rafferty Grady, vice dean for development and alumni relations at rafferty@upenn.edu.

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