 The University of Pennsylvania first admitted women for classes in 1876. Sounds good, right? It would be another 118 years before a woman would head any Ivy League school as president. That woman was Judith Rodin, who took office as president in 1994. Her decade-long tenure at the University of Pennsylvania saw unprecedented growth with record enrollment and research funding. And the school's endowment more than doubled. Since then, she's continued to enrich our nation's intellectual and cultural landscape with innovation and women's advancement at the top of her agenda. She's forging new ground at the Rockefeller Foundation, where she is, again, president. Ladies and gentlemen, Judith Rodin, the first woman to lead an Ivy League university. Usually, when one is last, you're supposed to say, those were hard acts to follow. But this event is really about making 15 easy acts to follow, because that's what this is really all about. The 16 of us joined together in a sisterhood, not only of firsts. That's important, but that's just the means. We're joined together in a sisterhood, bringing about the ends that so many before us fought for. Gloria, it's a privilege to see you and Liz, thanks for all of your wonderful work. And to so many of you, this is an extraordinary event, but it's made extraordinary by the 16 women and all of you who are here in the audience tonight to celebrate the achievements and the accomplishments. It's wonderful to be included in the symbolic fourth wing of Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party. It really is a representation of equality and achievement and feminist expression. I'm honored because at the Rockefeller Foundation, we will actually be launching our centennial this week. So we've been spending a great deal of time thinking about how both to honor achievements of the past while keeping an eye on the future. If you want an indication of how much the world has changed, you will note that my organization's original mission, forged 100 years ago, focused on promoting the well-being of mankind. And it's very gratifying that it is now headed by a woman. In that spirit, I'm also delighted to be part of the Sackler Center's own forward-looking milestone celebration, your fifth year anniversary. So congratulations to you for that. As the other recipients here can attest, it's actually a pretty rare opportunity for many of us to pause and to think about our achievements, our milestones, our firsts. Because frankly, we've simply been too busy. And although I was the first woman to become president of an Ivy League University, I didn't set out to be the first. But I can assure you that I left pen with the goal of achieving that there would always be a next. Connie talked about the importance of mentoring, the importance of really making sure that the women who follow us have the kinds of opportunities, frankly, that many of us had to fight so hard to get. The women before me pulled the ladder up after them. And so we didn't feel that same kind of support that I think all of us are committed to making sure that the women after us have had. Tonight, we do just that. It gives us a chance to reflect on women's accomplishments and to appreciate how far we've come. I remember my first year at Penn I was always referred to as the new woman president. And every time I heard it, it's sort of graded for a whole host of reasons. And it was wonderful to finally be known as the president and to have accomplished so many things that so many other women are now doing, leading not only Ivy League universities, but my sister, President Janetta, went before me and has blazed so many trails in education as well. I remember when I was offered the Penn presidency how honored and thrilled I was. I had spent 22 years at Yale and never really imagined that I would go back home. Philadelphia's my home. I'm a product of the Philadelphia Public Schools. And I went to Penn. I'm the first alum to head the university as well as being the first woman. And when they offered me the job, they offered me a salary and a package. And I went home that night and I was so thrilled and honored but the salary really was awful. And I kept thinking about whether I should feel thrilled and honored or whether I should really be angry. And so I called the board chair the next morning and I said, this really is terrific and of course I'd like to come back and lead Penn. But unless you add another X amount of dollars, I'm not going to consider it. Would you have made that same offer to a man? So we've heard 16 stories and we will hope to inspire the women who will come next and be the next wing of dinner party guests. As we celebrate all of these pioneers though, please let us remember how much more work there is to be done. Rockefeller is a global foundation. There are so many women around the world who have barriers to their dreams. Women produce 80% of the food in the world. They own 10% of the property. Women are trafficked every day. Women are left behind and forgotten everywhere in the world so we are incredibly privileged in America but let's remember our sisters elsewhere and make sure that we commit ourselves to their future and their dreams for a greater world. Thank you.