Wistar’s Annual President’s Dinner Celebrates the Generosity of Donors
Though it was a partially cloudy evening on October 29, the stars made a special appearance for Wistar donors during the annual President’s Dinner.
The evening event treated guests to a “stellar” dinner experience inside the Franklin Institute’s Fels Planetarium, with constellations and moonlit skies projected on the domed ceiling during an evening mixing with fellow supporters and Wistar scientists.
First, however, attendees enjoyed a festive cocktail hour inside one of the Franklin Institute’s most renowned exhibits: Body Odyssey, an immersive journey through the intricacies of the human body. In attendance was Wistar’s Dr. Jason Diaz, Education Program Director of Teaching, Learning & Collaboration, who had been recruited by the Franklin Institute to serve on a special advisory panel during a 2023 redesign of the exhibit. Dr. Diaz helped craft the display’s themes and provided advice on how to best communicate those themes to a broad audience.
Following the cocktail hour, Dr. Dario Altieri, President and CEO of The Wistar Institute, kicked off the festivities by recounting the many successes from the year, including the opening of both the Center for Advanced Therapeutics and the HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center—the first expansion beyond Wistar’s original footprint in its 130+ year history. “We believe that science is the answer, and that continuing our work will lead us to solutions for some of the most deadly and persistent health challenges facing us today,” he said. “Your support is what enables us to pursue that mission.”
Wistar Board of Trustees Chair Rick Horowitz expressed his belief that Wistar’s groundbreaking work and its dedicated focus not only make it unique, but also vital. “The ability and commitment of Wistar researchers is what truly makes it a special place that continues to serve an incredibly important role,” he said.
According to keynote speaker Dr. Luis Montaner, EVP, director of the HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center and Herbert Kean, M.D., Family Professor, the work of Wistar scientists is comparable to the study of the cosmos. “There’s something powerful about looking up at the universe while celebrating the universe within—the intricate, extraordinary system that science works every day to understand,” he said. “Tonight is a celebration of that pursuit, and of the generosity that makes it possible.”
The President’s Dinner celebrates and recognizes members of Wistar’s President’s Society and 1892 Legacy Society for their significant contributions championing Wistar Science. The President’s Society recognizes donors who support Wistar with gifts totaling $1,000 or more annually, while the Legacy Society celebrates donors who support the Institute through perpetual giving, long-term financial plans, and deferred gifts.
In addition to the President’s Dinner, Wistar’s Society members have access to other special events, celebrations and insider updates.
At the conclusion of the event, guests turned their gaze skyward for a scenic journey through the stars featuring The Great Attractor, a massive concentration of matter whose gravitational force draws in neighboring galaxies, including the Milky Way.
The evening was more than a celebration—it was a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to advancing science that saves lives. With every gift and every gesture of support, donors throughout the room help illuminate the path forward, ensuring that Wistar’s bold pursuit of discovery continues to reach new frontiers.
Want to be a part of this incredible group of people supporting Wistar science? Learn more about Wistar’s Donor Societies.