GIVING FORWARD:
The Next Generation Of Philanthropists
UArts relies on its Board of Trustees for leadership, counsel, and financial support. In recent years, UArts’ board has become the home for the next generation of young philanthropists. Meet three board members with deep family histories of supporting the arts in the Philadelphia region.
MEGAN NICOLETTI, TRUSTEE
At age 28, Megan Nicoletti takes her role as an influential young Philadelphian seriously. She has already served as a volunteer with the Philadelphia Ballet, the Barnes Foundation, and Project HOME.
“For any organization, it’s really important to get the next generation involved,” she said. “Whenever I join a board, I love to connect other younger people to the cause.”
Nicoletti grew up outside Philadelphia and has stayed in the city because she loves the region. As a real estate agent at Serhant Societe Select, she enjoys helping others find a home in her beloved city.
Nicoletti has always been interested in design and fashion and has kept sketchbooks of her ideas. Nicoletti’s grandmother, Frances M. Maguire, was a well-known local artist—the recently opened Maguire Museum at St. Joseph’s University was named in her honor. The Maguire Foundation is also a major contributor to arts in the region.
When Nicoletti met Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Andrew Pack and other members of UArts leadership for the first time, she was moved by their passion for UArts and was more than happy to support UArts in any way she could.
“Just hearing them talk about UArts inspired me to get involved, because I knew off the bat that I could learn a lot from them.”
Nicoletti helmed a committee to host an event at the Philadelphia Art Alliance called Young Collector’s Night, a partnership with Friends of Rittenhouse Square to bring together the next generation of collectors, artists, and art enthusiasts.
The event was a success and drew people from her personal network and beyond to learn more about UArts. Nicoletti plans to continue looking for ways to activate the Art Alliance, getting young professionals in the city involved, and bringing fresh ideas and energy to Philadelphia.
“There can be some stigma for younger people when you’re talking about traditional arts organizations,” Nicoletti said. “But we need to help these organizations stay relevant and appeal to newer generations.”
It’s really about appreciating what you have, and not taking the arts for granted, she said. The arts are always evolving, but artists need the support of institutions, schools, foundations, and individual donors to continue moving their disciplines forward.
“The way the world is going these days, the arts could easily slip through the cracks. But there’s no limit to how we can help expand them and continue to make a positive impact.”
NATHANIEL P. HAMILTON BFA ’07 (PHOTOGRAPHY), TRUSTEE
For as long as Nat Hamilton BFA ‘07 (Photography) can remember, UArts has been part of his life.
“Growing up, I was very close with my grandmother Dodo, who was a board member for many years,” Hamilton said. “She was involved in many ways, but she hosted several fundraising events—I remember seeing [former Pennsylvania governor] Ed Rendell and other political figures at her house. I also got to witness live student performances, which instilled in me at a young age what art was and what the arts can do.”
Years later, Hamilton was midway into an education at the University of Pennsylvania and pursuing photography as a hobby when an advisor encouraged him to take his creative inclinations more seriously. He earned his BFA from UArts in 2007, and the experience made a deep impact, both personally and on his work.
“My UArts professors showed me critical connection points, and they really helped me think about my work in a different way,” he said.
Today, as both an alum and a trustee, Hamilton has a valuable perspective to contribute to the university. He is also especially interested in issues of board governance and takes an active role in UArts’ financial stewardship.
In addition to managing investments, Hamilton continues to pursue some commercial photography on the side. He also serves on the board of a Connecticut boarding school, his family’s private foundation, and the Philadelphia Zoo. An avid arts lover, Hamilton enjoys live music, performance, and visual art whenever he can. He particularly loves jam bands, improv jazz, and attending artist talks, on campus and elsewhere in the city. And every year, he eagerly anticipates returning to UArts for Commencement.
“There’s nothing quite like it. Even after all these years, it’s such a good experience every time,” he said.
As a parent, Hamilton has been working to instill the same love of the arts in his own children, aged six and three. Continuing a family tradition started by his grandmother, he takes his kids to see The Nutcracker at the Philadelphia Ballet every year, and his older child has recently developed an interest in woodworking.
When he’s among his peers, Hamilton often urges others to do their own part in supporting the arts and ensuring that future students have opportunities to learn and develop their work.
“It’s easy to overlook art schools, but people need to realize that the arts are a pivotal part of society. It’s all about finding ways to inspire others to get involved.”
PETER HAAS, TRUSTEE
A high school teacher at Devon Preparatory School in Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania, Peter Haas first got involved with UArts a few years ago through his colleague Trustee Nat Hamilton.
“When UArts’ board was expanding and wanted to include some younger members, he approached me to ask if I wanted to join,” Haas said.
Supporting arts education was a natural fit for Haas, whose family foundation has long been a core funder of the arts in Philadelphia. A lifelong creative in his own right, Haas studied theater in college and served as the director of the Theater program at Devon Prep.
“Artists make our experiences richer and more profound,” he said. “This world needs creative thinking to solve many of the complex problems that we face.”
Haas sees firsthand how exposure to the arts expands the worldview of his own students to include empathy and a deeper understanding of other perspectives. He believes that UArts has a critical mission, not only in educating artists in both formal disciplines and critical thinking, but also in enriching the city of Philadelphia.
“As a university set in an absolutely diverse city that has had a strong cultural presence since its founding, we face all kinds of unique challenges and opportunities,” he said. “Our students can take advantage of the breadth of offerings, and they can also contribute to the life of the city in a much larger way.”
At the same time, recent shifts in the cultural landscape wrought by COVID-19 and associated economic hardships have endangered local arts organizations and arts education. The call to support the arts, he said, is more urgent than ever before.
“Arts organizations are much more vulnerable than they were a few years ago, and arts programs in schools are often first on the financial chopping block,” he continued. “Strengthening arts organizations can help make Philadelphia a more genuinely integrated city and a more beautiful place to live.”
Haas is eager to see UArts grow under the leadership of its new president, Kerry Walk. As a trustee, he’s committed to helping the university reach its goals. Whether at UArts or elsewhere, there are countless ways for emerging philanthropists to make a difference in the arts, he said, and the work is immensely gratifying.
“Find your passion. Develop a long-term vision, and work with grantees or organizations to help them achieve their own goals. Connect with as many different artistic media as you can—all the art you experience will end up influencing you in ways you couldn’t have imagined.”