For nearly 150 years, The Daily Pennsylvanian has been more than a student newspaper. It’s been a launchpad for students. They don’t just write articles. They challenge the status quo and shape public conversation. From investigative reporters to media executives to Pulitzer Prize winners to even startup founders, DP alumni are everywhere journalism is thriving. And it all starts here.
Unlike most student publications, the DP receives no financial support from the University of Pennsylvania.
Behind every published story, trained student, and newsroom innovation is someone who believed in independent journalism— and gave to make it possible.
Since 1885, the DP has helped students become journalists, editors, designers, and leaders. That legacy isn’t about nostalgia— it’s about what DP students go on to do. The skills gained here—interviewing, leading, reporting—extend beyond the newsroom. They shape careers in media, business, public service, and more.
It takes investment in the tools, training, and opportunities that prepare students to lead in an evolving media landscape.
The DP’s independence ensures that student journalists have full editorial freedom to pursue the truth without institutional influence. This work depends entirely on the generosity of those who believe in the power of a free and fearless press and the value of lifelong connection among those who have shaped it.
The DP must reflect the full diversity of its community. Your gift provides financial assistance and paid positions that allow every student, regardless of economic background, to participate fully in the life of the newsroom. It ensures that the opportunity to lead and report is open to all who are driven to pursue it.
Journalistic excellence requires more than instinct. It requires preparation. Your support enables students to attend professional workshops, engage in hands-on editorial training, and connect with alumni mentors who provide lasting guidance. These experiences equip students with the judgment, skills, and confidence to lead in newsrooms, businesses, and public life.
A modern newsroom depends on modern tools. Your gift ensures that student journalists have access to the equipment and technology that meet today’s standards. From digital publishing platforms to broadcast and design tools, this support allows students to report, edit, and publish with clarity and precision.
True reporting begins where the story happens. Your generosity funds travel that places students on the ground at major events, away games, and breaking news scenes. These experiences challenge students to respond in real time, think critically, and deliver coverage that is informed, compelling, and credible.
Awards honor achievement and elevate ambition. Your gift allows the DP to recognize outstanding student work through competitive prizes and institutional honors. This recognition validates excellence, encourages continued growth, and inspires a culture of high standards across the newsroom.
The Eric Jacobs Scholarship Fund, a cornerstone of the Annual Fund, honors the DP’s long-serving general manager whose impact shaped generations of student journalists. The fund exists to ensure that financial need never stands in the way of a student’s ability to participate fully in the newsroom.
Since its inception with just two modest awards, the fund has become one of the DP’s most vital sources of student support. Now in its third decade, it has received over 700 contributions and built a scholarship endowment exceeding $500,000. In that time, the DP has awarded more than $275,000 in financial assistance to more than 200 students across all departments and publications.
Each year, the fund now provides ten $2,000 scholarships to support students whose passion and talent might otherwise go unrealized. These awards affirm the DP’s commitment to equity and a newsroom shaped by ability, not advantage. The contributions to the Jacobs Scholarship Fund sustain the values Eric embodied throughout his tenure: opportunity, inclusion, and a deep commitment to excellence in student journalism.
The Annual Fund not only sustains the entire enterprise of student journalism at the DP, it also allows donors to direct their support to the publication or department that resonates most deeply.
Whether it was the title that shaped your undergraduate experience or a voice you value today, your designated gift can have a targeted impact while contributing to the strength of the whole.
Support the core newsroom that informs the Penn community, investigates the most pressing issues on campus, and fosters the skills of student reporters, editors, and visual storytellers. Your gift empowers a new generation to pursue truth with clarity, courage, and integrity.
Invest in Penn’s premier culture magazine, where students explore identity, creativity, and critique through immersive journalism and narrative storytelling. Your support sustains thoughtful coverage of arts, music, food, and the voices that define a generation.
Back the voice of wit, satire, and cultural commentary that keeps campus life in perspective. Your support helps student writers and editors challenge convention, sharpen their humor, and build a unique and enduring tradition of editorial irreverence.
Fund the sidelines, the press box, and the stories that bring Penn Athletics to life. From game-day coverage to player profiles and investigative pieces, your gift ensures that student sportswriters continue to chronicle triumph, defeat, and tradition with knowledge and passion.
To designate your gift, visit: www.dailypennalumni.com/giving
dailypennalumni.com/giving
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The Daily Pennsylvanian 4015 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19104
Show your support: www.dailypennalumni.com/giving
As the most enduring way to support the DP’s mission, Sustainers Society members make a lasting impact through estate planning and legacy gifts.
Planned giving options include:
Designating the DP as a beneficiary in a will or trust
Naming the DP as a recipient on financial accounts
Offering donors an income stream while ensuring the DP’s future
Providing lifetime payments to donors while supporting independent student journalism
Through three giving societies, the DP celebrates donors who provide consistent, long-term support that keeps our newsroom thriving. Members of these societies form the foundation of our alumni community, providing critical support that ensures the DP’s continued strength.
Leadership donors sustaining our mission
Benefits include:
• Recognition in the Annual Report
• Invitations to DPAA alumni events
• Updates on newsroom and campaign impact
• Receive printed copies of our publications
Recognizing donors who contribute to the DP Annual Fund for three consecutive years
Benefits include:
• Recognition in the Annual Report
Donors who include the DP in their estate plans
We invite you to make a gift that feels meaningful to you. Whether it’s $50 or $5,000, your support helps current students take bold steps in journalism— and ensures the DP stays strong for the next generation.
$35–$100
A strong start for recent grads
$250 Supports essential travel and training
$500+
Leadership recognition in Publisher’s Society
$1,000+ Funds a student stipend
Support the newsroom that shaped your experience. Your gift powers student journalism, expands access, and preserves free press on Penn’s campus.
Show your support today: www.dailypennalumni.com/giving