Dr. Molly Lester

Instructor

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Biography

Margaret (Molly) Lester is the Managing Director of the Preservation Research Collaborative at the Weitzman School of Design. In her role, she leads day-to-day project management, operations, and administration of the department's major research initiatives, including the Urban Heritage Project and the Center for Architectural Conservation and Preservation Civil Rights Sites. Collaborating closely with faculty, staff, and graduate students, Molly coordinates an interdisciplinary team to further the mission of the PRCP. She was awarded the 2024 Cokie Roberts Women's History Fellowship for her research on the 'She-She-She' Camps of the New Deal and has been involved in curating exhibits, such as 'Minerva Parker Nichols: Search for the Forgotten Architect'. Molly is an author of 'Building Ghosts: Past Lives and Lost Places in a Changing City', set to be published by Temple University Press in 2024. She has held roles as a Research Associate at PennPraxis and as national program director for Partners for Sacred Places, along with experience as an architectural historian and historic tax credit consultant. Molly holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Architectural History from the University of Virginia.

Research Interests

Experience

Managing Director

— Present

Preservation Research Collaborative, Penn • Philadelphia, PA

Leads day-to-day project management, operations, and administration of research initiatives.

Requirements for University of Pennsylvania

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.6
GRE General
Verbal
Required:162
Quantitative
Required:162
Overall
Required:162
GMAT
Total Score
Required:728
Overall
Required:728
TOEFL
Total
Required:115
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong quantitative background
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Letters of Recommendation (2-3)
  • Resume/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Essays
Specialization Notes

Wharton Doctoral programs cover fields like Finance, Marketing, Management, and Operations, Information and Decisions.