Wharton Names MBA Admissions Director

Wharton’s new MBA admissions director Frank DeVecchis

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business today (Feb. 24) named Frank DeVecchis its new director of MBA admissions.

For DeVecchis, who joined Wharton in late 2009 as associate director of the Wharton Fund, it will be his first stint in an admissions post. Over the past five-plus years at Wharton, he has held a variety of administrative jobs, including director of global immersion programs at Wharton to his most recent job as director of MBA academic operations.

In that latter post, DeVecchis was responsible for the operations and daily management of the MBA Program including course registration, an area in which he oversaw the successful implementation of Course Match: a unique information exchange employing complex algorithms to optimize course selections based on student preferences and course section availability.

A FORMER PHARMA CUSTOMER REP WHO GRADUATED FROM ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY

DeVecchis, who graduated with an English degree from St. Joseph’s University in 2003, initially worked as a customer service rep Wyeth, a division of Pfizer. But after two years in that job, he returned to his alma mater as assistant director of the St. Joseph’s Fund. He joined Wharton after serving as St. Joseph’s director of alumni relations.

He joins the admissions staff during the most hectic period in the school’s admissions cycle. The staff is currently weeding through a large batch of applications that landed in Wharton’s second round on Jan. 5. The school is in the midst of interviews and team-based discussions for those candidates on campus in Philadelphia as well as in Dubai, London, Mumbai, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. Wharton will render final decisions on second round candidates by March 24. The school’s third and final deadline for the Class of 2017 is two days later on March 26.

The newcomer essentially succeeds Ankur Kumar, who had the slightly broader title of director of MBA admissions and financial aid. Kumar abruptly left the school in October of 2013 after a two-year stint. At that time, the school gave Kumar’s title and job to Maryellen Reilly Lamb who was in charge of career management at Wharton. Lamb will retain her position as deputy dean of MBA admissions, financial aid & career management.

‘WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH LAMB TO OVERSEE THE ENTIRE ADMISSIONS PROCESS’

“In his new role as director of admissions, Frank will work closely with me to oversee the entire admissions process – recruitment, evaluation and admissions, through matriculation,” Lamb wrote in an email to the Wharton community. “He will manage the development of strategic recruiting plans for a global audience, assessment of applications, selection of candidates, and management of the MBA Admissions team. Frank will continue to uphold and expand Wharton’s tradition of admitting the highest caliber of students – ones who are talented, intellectually curious, and come from a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets.”

Lamb noted that in the past DeVecchis worked closely with students as the senior member of the MBA academic advising team, serving as an academic advisor to more than 800 students during his tenure. He also played an integral role in the planning and execution of Pre-Term, the Wharton MBA program’s three-week orientation for incoming students.

Frank joined the Program Office as Director of Global Immersion Programs in 2011, having previously served as the school’s primary liaison to members of the MBA for Executives alumni community. He also served as the MBA program’s Interim Director of Academic Affairs between January and July of 2013.

“I am excited to have Frank join our team and bring with him his unique understanding of the program, our students, and the exceptional opportunities and services Wharton provides,” added Lamb. “I look forward to working with him to expand the means by which we engage prospective students, further develop how we assess applicants, and continue to strengthen the reach and impact of Wharton to new and more diverse populations.”