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2023 Sachs Program Grants Evaluation Committees

The decisions around what to fund each year are extremely difficult and not taken lightly. This year, 2022-2023 grant cycle applications were peer-reviewed by four committees, reflecting a range of expertise and including previous grant recipients, students, faculty, staff, alums, and community members. Decisions were informed by the Sachs Program’s mission, priorities, and current program criteria.

Similar to past years, the Sachs Program received a record number of applications during the 2022-2023 grant cycle. With so many wonderful, ambitious, and imaginative proposals, the decisions made by the 2023 Committee Members were extremely challenging. We would like to share our sincere thanks and acknowledge them for their hard work and thoughtfulness.

Committee Members

  • Alan Jinich
    BA, Neuroscience and English, University of Pennsylvania
  • Ania Vu
    Ph.D, Music, University of Pennsylvania
  • Antoine Haywood
    Ph.D Candidate, Graduate School of Eduction, University of Pennsylvania
  • Arely Peña
    MFA, University of Pennsylvania
  • Brooke O’Harra
    Theater Director and Artist; Senior Lecturer, Creative Writing, University of Pennsylvania
  • Dagmawi Woubshet
    Ahuja Family Presidential Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of English; Sachs Program Advisory Board Member, University of Pennsylvania
  • Deborah Thomas
    Ahuja Family Presidential Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of English; Sachs Program Advisory Board Member, University of Pennsylvania
  • Derek Rigby
    Audio/Visual Coordinator, ICA; MFA, University of Pennsylvania
  • Fariha I. Khan
    Co-Director, Asian American Studies Program; Pd.D, Folklore and Folklife, University of Pennsylvania
  • Gina Renzi
    Director, The Rotunda, University of Pennsylvania
  • Grace Sanders Johnson
    Assistant Professor, Africana Studies; Sachs Program Advisory Board Member, University of Pennsylvania
  • Hallie Ringle
    Daniel and Brett Sundheim Chief Curator, ICA
  • Heather Moqtaderi
    Founder and Artistic Director, Past Present Projects; Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania
  • James Diaz
    Ph.D Candidate, Music, University of Pennsylvania
  • Jayson Musson
    Artist; MFA, University of Pennsylvania; Inaugural David Evans Family Artist-in-Residence, Arthur Ross Gallery
  • Josephine Park
    Professor, Department of English; Sachs Program Advisory Board Member, University of Pennsylvania
  • Joshua K. Reason
    Ph.D Candidate, Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania
  • Kali Meeks
    Associate Director for Professional Development and Leadership, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania
  • Kate Lawrence
    Associate Director, Undergraduate Fine Arts & Design, University of Pennsylvania
  • LaNeshe Miller-White
    Executive Director, Theatre in the x; Executive Director, Philadelphia Young Playwrights; Adjunct Professor, Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
  • Leah Seppanen Anderson
    Executive Director, SNF Paideia Program, University of Pennsylvania
  • Lynne Farrington
    Director of Programs/Senior Curator, Special Collections, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania
  • Marcia Ferguson
    Senior Lecturer (Retired), Theatre Arts, University of Pennsylvania
  • Margit Edwards
    Lecturer, Theatre Arts, University of Pennsylvania
  • Matt Hewitt
    Communications Coordinator, Department of Music, University of Pennsylvania
  • Nashelli Ortiz González
    Executive Director, Taller Puertorriqueño
  • OreOluwa Badaki
    Ph.D, Literacy, Culture, and International Education, University of Pennsylvania
  • Rachell Morillo
    DAJ Director of Public Engagement & Research, ICA
  • Rowana Miller
    Founder and Executive Director, Cosmic Writers; BA, University of Pennsylvania
  • Samantha Hill
    Curator of Civic Engagement, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania
  • Shamekea Sawyer
    Executive Director, 5 Shorts Project; BA, University of Pennsylvania
  • Shelley Zhang
    Ph.D, Music, University of Pennsylvania
  • Will Owen
    MFA, University of Pennsylvania

2023 Grant Awards

The Sachs Program 2023 Grant Awards support 45 ambitious and creative projects in the arts and humanities at the University of Pennsylvania.

View 2023 Grant Awards


The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation

John McInerney (he/him)
Executive Director
215-573-0874
mcinernj@upenn.edu

Chloe Reison (she/her)
Associate Director
215-573-2159
reison@upenn.edu

Elizabeth Shaw (she/her)
Administrative Assistant
215-898-5930
elizshaw@upenn.edu

The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation offices are located at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.

3680 Walnut Street
Philadelphia PA

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