NEW YORK -- The Penn Club of New York has named Dr. Claire M. Fagin as the 2012 honoree for the Guggenheim Honor Cup. This prestigious award will be presented at a dinner to be held on November 29, 2012, at the Penn Club of New York in midtown Manhattan.

The dinner marks the revival of an age-old tradition of The Penn Club which began in 1911 with the first silver cup which was donated by William Guggenheim. The Guggenheim Honor Cup is inscribed no more than once per year with the name of an alumnus who had "honored the University most by notable success in any walk of life." Each honoree was celebrated over dinner at the New York City Club with speeches, presentations, and a display of the silver Honor Cup.

"By any measure, Claire Fagin is a trailblazer, and Penn is proud of her many achievements and successes," said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “This honor is also a wonderful recognition of Claire's tremendous contributions to the opening of the Penn Club of New York in 1994 while serving as Interim Penn President.”

Dr. Fagin served as Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania from 1977 to 1992. Throughout her career Dr. Fagin has been involved in leading thinking and practice in nurse education, nursing and health policy, geriatric nursing, program leadership and administration.  In 1993 she was named Interim President of the University of Pennsylvania (from July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994), the first woman to serve in that capacity with any Ivy League university. She continued to focus on geriatric nursing after returning to the professoriate in 1994 and has done so ever since. She is Leadership Professor Emerita, Dean Emerita at the University of Pennsylvania and has received 15 honorary doctoral degrees as well as the prestigious Honorary Recognition Award of the American Nurses Association. On November 30, 2006, the nursing education building at the University of Pennsylvania was renamed as Claire M. Fagin Hall.

“We are very excited to honor Dr. Fagin,” said Susan Marx, the President of the Penn Club of New York. “Her lifetime contributions not only to Penn and The Penn Club but also in the nursing and healthcare arena, have been more than notable.”

The first recipient of the Guggenheim Honor Club in 1911 was Dr. Charles Custis Harrison, Provost of the University in 1894-1910. The original silver cup was inscribed with 37 names until it was fully covered in 1955. The final recipient of the original Cup was Bernard F. Gimbel. The Cup was then displayed prominently in Houston Hall. In 1956, the new cup was renamed the Benjamin Franklin Honor Cup. There is little record of this cup except that the in its first year, the recipient was Dr. Solomon S. Huebner. The latest and current Guggenheim Honor Cup was created for the opening of the Penn Club of New York at 30 West 44th Street in 1994. The first recipient on the newest silver Cup, Alvin S. Shoemaker, was presented the Cup by Dr. Judith Rodin, the incoming Penn President.

The Penn Club of New York is a not-for-profit 501(c)(7) private social club for alumni, staff, faculty and students over age 21 of The University of Pennsylvania and its affiliates. The Penn Club is ranked among the nation’s top 10 private city clubs and has been awarded the Platinum Club of America for four consecutive terms. The award identifies the Club as a 5-star private club. Located in midtown Manhattan, it is a convenient location for members to network and forward their social and professional interests. The Club with about 5,000 members organizes many events to help members meet each other through happy hours, networking events, panel discussions, book groups, workshops and more. The clubhouse building offers the convenience of 5-star services including overnight accommodations, fitness center, massage room, business center, restaurants, and banquet and meeting rooms. For more information visit www.pennclub.org.