The Wharton School and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (Penn LDI) are pleased to announce a landmark $3.5 million gift to establish the Davis Family SUMR Program Endowment Fund, with an additional $1 million matching challenge from the Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund. This fund will provide long-term support for the Summer Undergraduate Mentored Research (SUMR) program, a cornerstone initiative focused on advancing equity in the health care profession.
Leonard and Sophie Davis
The Davis Family SUMR Program Endowment Fund will allow the program to expand its impact by increasing support for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in pursuing research careers aimed at expanding access to health care. The gift also fortifies the established SUMR+ Program, an extended mentorship and training opportunity for select scholars. Additionally, the gift will support Penn LDI programs focused on improving insurance coverage and health care access, including policy engagement activities, ensuring that research findings are communicated effectively to policymakers and other stakeholders.
Dean Erika James emphasized the importance of the Davis Fund: “This remarkable gift represents the power of collaboration in addressing systemic challenges in health care. By supporting programs like SUMR, we are helping to create and maintain a pipeline of health care researchers and leaders that will advance innovation in health care through powerful policy decisions.”
Expanding Access to Health Care Through Research and Training
Founded in 2000 by Penn LDI and Wharton’s Health Care Management Department, the SUMR program offers a 12-week immersive research experience for students committed to addressing inequities in health care access. With over 425 alumni and an impressive 85 percent of participants pursuing health care careers, SUMR has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of leaders dedicated to improving access to care. The recently established SUMR+ initiative extends the program to 15 months, enabling select scholars to deepen their expertise and tackle more complex challenges in the field.
Alan Davis with wife Mary Lucille Dauray
The Matching Challenge
The Davis Fund’s $1 million matching grant invites additional support for the SUMR and SUMR+ programs, effectively doubling the impact of new contributions. This match will accelerate the growth of the program, providing increased stipends to attract top talent and enabling innovative policy engagement efforts to translate research into actionable solutions.
“The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund has a long history of supporting initiatives that create meaningful change,” said Alan S. Davis, President of the Fund. “This gift builds on our family’s legacy by empowering diverse voices in the health care field and expanding access to care for underserved populations.” Davis added, “The goal is twofold: I hope this matching gift will inspire others to join in supporting this important work and help expand LDI’s impact.”
A Continuing Partnership
The Davis family has been long-standing and stalwart supporters of Penn LDI and Wharton. The Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics is named in honor of Leonard Davis, founder of the Colonial Penn Group, Inc., and a pioneer in creating the nation’s first health insurance plans for retirees. Leonard Davis, alongside his wife Sophie, dedicated his life to advancing health care services and education. His innovative solutions addressed the lack of insurance options for older Americans, setting a model for the industry.
To learn more, including how to participate in the matching challenge, read the full press release and see this article from Penn LDI.
