Having now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Amy Gutmann, who has served so admirably as Penn’s President for the past 17 years, will soon be sworn in as United States Ambassador to Germany. Amy has officially resigned from her position as President and will shortly be departing Philadelphia for Berlin to represent our country’s interests with this important European ally.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire University community, I want to thank Amy for the extraordinary work she has done in leading the University of Pennsylvania. Her tenure as President has been among the most impactful in Penn’s history. She has led Penn to new heights of eminence and in doing so established herself as one of the most highly regarded academic leaders in the world.
As she departs for Germany, Amy leaves Penn in exceptional shape. We have a great leadership team in place and are grateful that Wendell Pritchett has agreed to step in as interim President until the planned start of Liz Magill’s presidency on July 1. This transition should be seamless for faculty, staff, and students. Our University’s goals and priorities, articulated so clearly in the Penn Compact, remain in place to guide the important work carried out in all corners of our campus.
President Biden made an excellent choice in selecting Amy to be Ambassador, and I am confident that she will excel in her new position, just as she has at Penn. I hope that everyone in the Penn family will join me in wishing Amy great success and good fortune as she embarks on this important new chapter in her life.