The University of Pennsylvania School of Design has established a new $50,000 fellowship as well as an international medal of excellence thanks to a generous $1.25 million donation courtesy of alumna Lori Kanter Tritsch (MArch '85). "PennDesign has been home to so many visionary architects,” said Lori Kanter Tritsch, a practicing architect and longtime partner of Estée Lauder Executive William Lauder. "We want to celebrate today’s visionaries and encourage the next generation to follow their lead” she added.

Starting in the fall of 2018, the Kanter Tritsch Prize in Energy and Architectural Innovation will award $50,000 annually to a second-year student pursuing a Master of Architecture degree at PennDesign who demonstrates transformational thinking on the built environment and innovation in his or her approach to energy, ecology, and/or social equity.

Alongside the fellowship, the Kanter Tritsch Medal for Excellence in Architecture and Environmental Design will be awarded annually to an under-recognized practicing architect who has changed the course of design history, with a particular focus on the areas of energy conservation, environmental quality, and/or diversity. Standing PennDesign faculty will not be eligible.