Thomas Sovereign Gates
Thomas Sovereign Gates | |
---|---|
1st President of the University of Pennsylvania | |
In office 1930–1944 | |
Preceded by | office established |
Succeeded by | George William McClelland |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Sovereign Gates March 21, 1873 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Died | April 8, 1948 | (aged 75)
Nationality | American |
Spouse | Marie Rogers |
Children | Thomas S. Gates Jr. |
Thomas Sovereign Gates (March 21, 1873 – April 8, 1948) was an American
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, Gates was a student at Germantown Academy and University of Pennsylvania.
He went into banking and eventually served as a director of several companies, including the
Before his election as university president, Gates had served for ten years as a Trustee of the University and as Chairman of the University of Pennsylvania Fund. Gates was heavily involved in plans for the development of the new Valley Forge campus for the University; however, the idea was eventually dropped in favor of expanding Penn's West Philadelphia campus, not before currying strong support.[2] He worked to fund and create a number of other facilities throughout the university.[2] Gates also worked on major fundraising efforts with a campaign known as the Bicentennial Fund, after the University's 1940 bicentennial, which aimed to raise $12.5 million.[2]
Gates seemed to have partially foreseen America's involvement in the
References
- ISBN 9781412830751.
- ^ a b c d e University Archives and Records Center University of Pennsylvania Thomas Sovereign Gates retrieved on 29 April 2007
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2022-12-08.