E. Digby Baltzell Endowment

The Baltzell Endowment

The Baltzell endowment was created in honor of E. Digby Baltzell upon his retirement from the Department of Sociology in 1988, by his colleagues. Dr. Baltzell was a much-loved professor and colleague, and a well-respected sociologist of the upper-class who is often credited with popularizing the term “WASP.”  The endowment supports our Baltzell Scholars – undergraduates who serve as research assistants to our faculty, as well as our undergraduate awards.

Edward Digby Baltzell was born in Philadelphia in 1915. He graduated with a B.S. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1940 and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University in 1952. He served on the sociology faculty at Penn from 1947 until his retirement in 1986.

 

Photo of E. Digby Baltzell