Katherine Kolb Paanakker (painting by Czedekowski)

The Louis J. Kolb Foundation is a non-profit corporation charged to provide scholarships and financial aid for studies in academic disciplines related to the missions of the Univerisity of Pennsylvania Museum.

The Louis J. Kolb Foundation was founded through a bequest by Katherine Kolb Paanakker in honor of her father, Colonel Louis J. Kolb, a Philadelphian and graduate of the class of 1887 of the University of Pennsylvania. The purpose of the Foundation is to provide Fellowship support to students at the University of Pennsylvania in the School of Arts and Sciences undertaking cultural studies of Medieval and earlier societies, normally in the following 6 departments and programs: Anthropology, History of Art, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Classical Studies, Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, or Ancient History. Candidates are nominated by departments and selected, as funds allow, by a group of faculty senior scholars at the University of Pennsylvania, chaired by a Director of the Foundation who is normally the Williams Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum. The elected Fellows and the Senior Fellows together form the Society of Kolb Fellows at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and meet from time to time to discuss the progress of individual Fellows. Once elected, provided a sound record of achievement is maintained, the Kolb Foundation will try to see each Fellow through his/her academic program (normally a maximum period of five years).

The focus of the Kolb Foundation is on the cultures of ancient pre-industrial and modern non-industrial peoples of the world with special emphasis on the former. A particular focal point of the Foundation is on archaeology, which is one of the best means of illuminating the ancient world. Attention will be paid, at the University of Pennsylvania, to the cultural approaches exemplified principally by the Departments of Anthropology, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and the History of Art. Thus, both Senior Fellows and Fellows will normally be drawn from the ranks of the above named departments. Senior Fellows are an appointed, self-governing body that administers the affairs of the Society within the University.

Committee of Senior Fellows are: Dr. Renata Holod History of Art Dr. Richard M. Leventhal Anthropology Dr. Holly Pittman History of Art Dr. Gregory L. Possehl Anthropology Dr. Jeremy A. Sabloff Anthropology Dr. Robert Sharer Anthropology Dr. David P. Silverman Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Dr. Richard Zettler Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

Emeritus Senior Fellows are: Dr. Robert H. Dyson, Anthropology; Dr. Alan Mann, Physical Anthropology; Dr. James Muhly, Ancient History; Dr. Ruben Reina, Anthropology; Dr. Bernard Wailes, Anthropology; Dr. Wendy Ashmore, Anthropology. Executive Officers are: Peter A. Paanakker, Founding Director (1982-1999) Jerome C. Byrne, Founding Director (1982-2001) Robert H. Dyson, Ph.D., President Emeritus, Chairman Emeritus Jeremy A. Sabloff, Ph.D., President Crawford H. Greenewalt, Jr., Ph.D., Secretary Shari Leinwand, Esq., Treasurer For more information: E-mail Margaret R. Spencer, Executive Assistant to the Williams Director.