Allison Bieber McKibben, C’93, and Jeffrey S. McKibben, W’93

“We feel strongly that a dedicated, talented, and diverse group of faculty is the bedrock of what makes Penn GSE so special to its students.”

by Juliana Rosati

Ensuring a strong teacher workforce for the future means supporting the faculty who will prepare those teachers for their careers, according to Allison Bieber McKibben, C’93, and Penn GSE Board of Overseers member Jeffrey S. McKibben, W’93.

“We feel strongly that a dedicated, talented, and diverse group of faculty is the bedrock of what makes Penn GSE so special to its students,” says Jeff, who, with Allison, is contributing to endowed faculty support at Penn GSE. One of the top priorities of the School under Dean Pam Grossman, faculty support allows Penn GSE to retain and recruit the nest scholars around the globe. “It is critical to preserve and enhance the ability of the School to retain the talent we have and attract new talent for growth,” says Jeff.

Love of Penn and the desire to give back drew the McKibbens to support GSE. During the twenty-four years since their graduation from Penn, the two got engaged on campus at their fifth reunion and over time increased their involvement with the University, seeking an area in which to focus their support. “With Penn GSE, we have found an area of outsized potential,” says Jeff. “The School has a number of competitive advantages relative to its peers—urban geography, programming breadth, and doctoral opportunities—to name a few.”

The promise and power of teacher preparation appeals particularly to the couple, who credit education with changing their own lives and express gratitude for those who made it possible. “Penn GSE is a fulcrum that enables the rise of teacher talent in the urban environment of Philadelphia, across the United States, and internationally,” says Jeff. “Ultimately, the impact is realized by the multitudes of students who are taught by Penn GSE graduates today, tomorrow, and in the future.”

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of The Penn GSE Magazine.