President's Engagement Prizes

cosmic writers of the presidents engagement prize

2022 PIP/PEP winners: Where are they now?

Nearly a year after the winners of the President’s Innovation Prize (PIP) and President’s Engagement Prize (PEP) began their projects, a look at how the work of these eight intrepid alumni has evolved.

Manoj Simha and Rowana Miller standing on stairway

Cosmic Writers brings free creative writing education to school-aged children

May graduates Rowana Miller and Manoj Simha lead Cosmic Writers, a project supported by President’s Engagement Prize that provides free creative writing instruction to K-12 students virtually throughout the world.

From left, Sam Strickberger, Max Strickberger, Seungkwon Son, and Niko Simpkins of College Green Ventures.

A one-stop shop for student-founded impact startups

College Green Ventures, a recipient of Penn’s 2022 President’s Engagement Prize, finds and supports student-founded impact startups. The organization aims to be a national hub for social impact on college campuses.

Celebrating the newest President’s Prize winners

Interim President Wendell Pritchett noted at the luncheon that this year’s recipients represent the biggest cohort yet—a testament to the “incredible strength of our applicant pool.”

(Top left to right) Manoj Simha and Rawonna Miller; Shoshana Weintraub, Sarah Beth Gleeson, and Julia Yan. (Bottom left to right) Will Danon and Luka Yancipoulos of Grapevine; Sam Strickberger, Seungkwon Son, and Max Strickberger; and Saif Khawaja.

Class of 2022 President’s Engagement, Innovation, and Sustainability Prize winners announced

Six prize-winning teams will design and undertake post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference in the world.

Five people stand in a group smiling outside.

Seeking justice, support for incarcerated Pennsylvanians

As winners of the 2021 President’s Engagement Prize, Carson Eckhard, Natalia Rommen, and Sarah Simon provide hope for wrongfully convicted people and a roadmap for inmates set for release.

Two people in Uganda fill jugs from water taps.

Changing lives in refugee communities through access to clean water

As winners of the 2021 President’s Engagement Prize, May graduates Martin Leet and Leah Voytovich co-founded Maji, a nonprofit organization dedicated to projects that support refugee initiatives in Uganda.

Body Empowerment Project is a health-centered approach to self-care

Supported by the President’s Engagement Prize, two 2021 graduates founded a nonprofit focused on eating disorder prevention, bringing workshops to Philadelphia public schools, taught by Penn student volunteers.

Philadelphia Inquirer

A Philly exoneree works to free other wrongly convicted people. First up: His codefendant

Penn students and alumni, including the President’s Engagement Prize winning team behind Project Hope, have been working with the Terrance Lewis Liberation Foundation to support wrongly convicted people.

Turning empty spaces into comfortable homes

Since 2018, the President’s Engagement Prize-winning team behind Chicago Furniture Bank has operated full speed ahead—already furnishing 5,500 homes for more than 14,000 people in need.

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