Overseer Josh Berlin Offers April Challenge to Support Scholarships

A Penn GSE education plants a seed that blossoms throughout an educator’s career. Thanks to the Penn GSE Annual Fund April Challenge offered this spring by Overseer Josh Berlin, W’95, MD, FAAD, supporters of the School have a special opportunity to foster the growth of GSE students and the field of education.

Penn GSE Annual Fund April Challenge logoDuring the month of April, Josh will match all donations made to the Penn GSE Annual Fund, up to $1,000 per donor and $10,000 for the entire challenge. Because the GSE Annual Fund dedicates 100% of gifts to scholarship support, all donations will cultivate the aspirations of GSE students, empowering them to transform and renew education around the world.

“I hope that this April Challenge inspires alumni, friends, and other members of the Penn GSE community to give generously to the School, knowing that a donation can grow to twice its original size through the match,” said Josh.

Josh believes that scholarships play a critical role in ensuring that the most promising, hard-working applicants will have access to a Penn GSE education. “Scholarships help to attract the best-quality talent,” said Josh. “Gifts to the Annual Fund help deserving students to attain a prestigious education regardless of their current financial circumstances.”

One of the youngest Overseers in the School’s history, Josh is a strong believer in the power of education. At his thriving dermatological practice, he often asks his young patients to bring their school report cards to his office, where he rewards them with prizes for good grades. “Parents have told me this has motivated their children to do better in school and improve their study habits,” said Josh. “I think education is the foundation for growth in any society, and all innovations start with someone having a great teacher.”

In keeping with the 2013–2014 Penn GSE Annual Fund theme, Make a Gift. Share Your Passion, participants in the April Challenge are encouraged to share their passion for education on Twitter and Facebook. Why do you believe it is important to support the growth of Penn GSE students and the field of education? Tell us @PennGSE using the hashtags #shareyourpassionGSE and #aprilchallengeGSE.

Visit here to give to the April Challenge.

 Photo caption: Josh (right), along with his wife, Michele (left), and daughter, Brittany (center), visit the bench in front of Penn GSE that Josh donated “in honor of his amazing daughter Brittany Berlin.”

Josh (right), along with his wife, Michele (left), and daughter, Brittany (center), visit the bench in front of Penn GSE that Josh donated “in honor of his amazing daughter Brittany Berlin.”