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Wharton Student Group Withholds $90K Promised to Charity

Wharton’s graduate student government allegedly withheld $90,000 promised to charity from the Penn Fight Night event.

This year’s Fight Night event, an annual event where graduate students compete in boxing matches to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, raised approximately $165,00, but only $75,000 was donated to the Clubs, with $90,000 still pending.

An investigation by The Daily Pennsylvanian revealed evidence of unfulfilled promises about the donation made by the WGA to Fight Night leadership and the Clubs, leading to concern over the status of a donation that the Clubs deemed critical to support literacy initiatives for over 1,300 children in Philadelphia.

“We really need this money,” one source described being told by the Clubs. “The kids really need this money.”

OVER $175K IN CHARITY

Penn Fight Night’s annual matches have consistently resulted in huge earnings for the Clubs, with the 2022 event raising over $175,000 for charity.

Prior to the most recent event on April 8, 2023, Penn Fight Night advertised that it was their “mission” to raise over $200,000 for the Clubs.

“We’ve counted all our dimes and all our nickels after everything, [and] we realized that we can give you a donation of $165,000,” the source described Shah as conveying. “You can expect this donation to be transferred.”

Additionally, an April 5, 2023 Instagram post by Penn Fight Night and one of its sponsors said that “all proceeds” from the event would be directed to the Clubs.

Initially, a Wharton spokesperson refrained from commenting on the story. Later, they clarified that since the WGA operates independently as a 501(c)(3) entity distinct from Wharton, they lacked insight into the allegations.

Robert Borghese, an adjunct professor at Wharton and the faculty advisor of Penn Fight Night, also declined to elaborate.

“As faculty advisor to Fight Night, I know that there are issues between WGA and Fight Night as to how funds have been allocated and distributed but I do not have actual knowledge of exactly what transpired so I cannot comment,” Borghese says.

Sources: The Daily PennsylvanianPenn Fight Night