Kendall Rankin

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“A community-oriented visionary who thrives at the intersection of technology, innovation, and impact.”

Hometown: Bowie, MD

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve been skydiving three times!

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgia Tech, Industrial & Systems Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Manager of Programs at All Raise

What has been your first impression of the Wharton MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Wharton story so far. Community is everything at Wharton. The weekend before pre-term (our 3-week orientation), the African American MBA Association hosted AAMBAA 101 for all incoming Black students. This two-day experience served as my first official introduction to Wharton, and I was extremely impressed by how the community showed up and showed out. Second year students who weren’t even located in Philadelphia for the summer flew in for the weekend to host panels about everything from academics to student life involvement to career opportunities. We also had a few alumni show up to impart us with words of advice as we embark on, what they all considered to be, the most transformational experience of our lives.

AAMBAA 101 commenced with the Black@Wharton Convocation. Dr. Pamela Jolly, WG’00, was our keynote speaker and the last thing she told us was “Call me when you need a mountain moved, and I can do that.” That statement was so powerful to me because it speaks to the accessibility of Wharton alumni, who are all influential and impactful in their own right. It made me feel like I’m part of a network that will always go the extra mile for each other. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have this community, 100,000+ strong, in my corner.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Wharton School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The flexibility of Wharton’s curriculum was a huge draw for me. As someone who has never formally studied business, I appreciate having the options to learn from some of the brightest minds in business through lectures, engage in robust case discussions with my classmates, and gain real-world experience through collaborative group projects. I’m also interested in participating in the Global Immersion Program to gain an international perspective on how to apply the concepts I learn in class. Having the opportunity to travel abroad and meet with local business leaders, government officials, and Wharton alumni, while learning from professionals in the region will perfectly complement my classroom experience.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at the Wharton School? As a self-proclaimed Web3 enthusiast, I’m looking forward to getting involved in the budding blockchain scene on campus. Specifically, I hope to support the Cypher Blockchain Accelerator, whose mission is to bring Wharton’s business and finance expertise, global reach, cutting-edge perspective, and operational support to launch the world’s leading blockchain and crypto companies. I’ve heard wonderful things about the work Sarah Hammer and her team have done in this space!

On another note, I’m personally excited about doing a stretch experience by participating in a Leadership Venture through the McNulty Leadership Program. These ventures allow participants to step out of their comfort zones and accelerate their own leadership development through pretty intense expeditions. Previous cohorts have climbed the Andes Mountain, trekked through Patagonia, and even experienced a day at Quantico. Even though I’m not an outdoors person, I believe business school is all about pushing yourself and taking opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have considered!

When you think of the Wharton School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Trailblazers. From being the first collegiate business school, to admitting over 50% women for two consecutive years, to the renowned research that has shaped business for the better, to an engaged and accomplished alumni network that spans worldwide–the Wharton community is dynamic and constantly paving the way.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Before business school, I was the Senior Manager of Programs at All Raise–a nonprofit committed to the following: 1) increasing the percentage of women and non-binary investors in check-writing roles in venture capital, and 2) increasing the percentage of women and non-binary founders receiving venture capital funding. In my role, I worked with our lead partner and funder, Pivotal Ventures, to lead the launch of All Raise into Chicago, which was part of a $2.5M 3-year initiative. Due to the success of the Chicago chapter, I was selected to lead the launch of the DC chapter a few months later. This gave me the opportunity accelerate All Raise’s impact by convening some of the most incredible women and non-binary investors, founders, and operators across both cities to launch region-specific initiatives focused on gender equity in tech. My experience at All Raise taught me that it’s possible to leverage my strengths and passions to make a difference in the lives of communities that are important to me.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? After some internal debate on whether it was necessary for my career path, I chose to pursue an MBA to gain a formalized business education, develop strong leadership skills and join a powerful network of change agents. I realized that if I want to support early-stage businesses, I probably should know a thing or two about how to successfully build and run one.

Post-graduation, I plan to pursue an opportunity in web3–whether as an operator at an early-stage start-up, VC investor, or entrepreneur. I’m specifically interested in how web3 will transform both the creator economy and the social impact sector, so my goal while at Wharton is to be as close to the innovation in these spaces as possible.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I’d recommend Brené Brown’s TED Talk on The Power of Vulnerability. One of my favorite lines from this talk is “in order for connection to happen, we have to be seen.” From personal experience, I know that in the MBA application process that it’s so easy to get caught up in GPA, GMAT, years of experience, and measuring ourselves against everyone else applying. At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we are all humans who are living full lives, just like the admissions officers who read the applications. Of course, you don’t have to tell your deepest darkest secrets, but reflecting on key moments of your life can help you better understand your “why.”

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Stanford GSB, Columbia, Ross, HBS, and Kellogg.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Wharton School’s MBA program? Don’t underestimate the power of the unique stories and experiences that have shaped the person you are today. Lean into them, and reflect on how they will enable you to be an active contributor to Wharton’s lively and community-oriented student body. You’ve got this!

DON’T MISS: MEET THE WHARTON SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2024