Meet Wharton’s MBA Class Of 2022

P&Q: Historically, Wharton has been a step ahead of other business schools in terms of innovations like analytics, fintech, and entrepreneurship. What is the “next big thing” in Wharton’s estimation? What is Wharton in that area to become the leaders in this space?

Mannix: “One thing that Wharton is taking very seriously is the education of the entire community on very complex diversity issues that will impact them as individuals and impact their organizations for the rest of their lives. In service to that Dean Erika James has launched a lecture series called “Beyond Business,” which seeks to create a space for leaders in our community to shine a light on the nation’s challenges with racial unrest, C-suite diversity, corporate philanthropy, the role of Black culture in marketing and systematic racism in entrepreneurship.”

P&Q: Tangen Hall is slated to open in 2021. What will this space encompass? How will MBAs benefit from it?

Mannix: “We’re really excited about Tangen Hall, a space that will be Wharton-led, Penn-wide. Interdisciplinary learning is a centerpiece of a Wharton education and we’re excited to see that come to life inside this building. Tangen Hall will serve as the nexus of all entrepreneurship and innovation for the entire University. Our plans for the building include providing space where students across degree programs and disciplines can connect with each other to bring their otherwise disparate skillsets together to take on some of society’s greatest problems. The issues of the next generation will not be solved by MBAs alone but by connecting the MBAs with our Med students, our computer scientists, our engineers, among many others. The building itself will be a backdrop to this interaction providing space to connect with the technology utilized across disciplines. The Wharton students will be at the center of the building but surrounded by all of the talent of the whole University of Pennsylvania.”

WHY STUDENTS LOVE WHARTON

That level of talent and support remains Wharton’s biggest draw. What do students and alumni love best about the Wharton MBA? Here are some of their thoughts…

1) Scale: “Although I was initially drawn to Wharton for its renowned finance curriculum, what I found most compelling was the versatility of the opportunities offered in and out of the classroom. Wharton has so much to offer that I felt that there wasn’t a single area I was interested in that I wouldn’t be able to explore during my time here.”
Sabrina Jean-Baptiste (’22)

“I came to business school to develop the leadership, entrepreneurship, and operational skills to contribute to organizations that further my personal mission of increasing economic mobility and opportunity. Wharton is an incredible school for a lot of reasons, but for me its strengths in real estate, entrepreneurship, and financial services, as well as the rigorous analytical curriculum, were key.”
Lakshmi Davey (’22)

“I have long been interested in how technology can increase transparency and fight corruption, specifically in the banking sector. Wharton’s MBA program offers a strong foundation in both finance/banking and technology and is situated solidly on the forefront of the FinTech scene. In addition, Wharton’s Lauder program combines both an MBA and an MA in international studies in a two-year program, allowing me to indulge in my passion for culture and travel with a focus on the Middle East.”
Joseph Mourad (’22)

2) Entrepreneurship: “Venture Lab provides second-to-none entrepreneurship education and resources that are central to the tightly knit Wharton entrepreneur community that supports fellow entrepreneurs to brainstorm ideas, take workshops, and receive group advising on ventures.”
Iris Liu (’22)

“It has been the people. I met both of my cofounders through The Wharton Healthcare Management (HCM) MBA programme. Despite not being in the HCM programme, I was able to take many HCM classes and received advice on [my startup and the wider telehealth market from classmates and professors.

Second, the wider Penn and Wharton community offers a vibrant entrepreneurial community and excellent programmes to support entrepreneurship. The path for MBA entrepreneurs can sometimes be lonely and full of uncertainty, but the school makes sure there are always mentors to support you and exciting competition to push the venture forwards.”
Yunhan Gao (’20)

“I started working on Connected Mobile in Wharton’s intro entrepreneurship class. It was helpful to work alongside classmates and wrestle with the right business model to solve the identified problem. Over my time at Wharton, the classes often mirrored what I was focusing on as a founder, from the initial problem identification, to the reseller model, to building for scale. There can’t be enough said though about the impact of the people around you. I’m deeply indebted not only to my professors who provided advice at critical junctures, but also to my classmates who have doubled as colleagues, sounding boards, and guinea pigs over the past two years and played no small role in helping us reach where we are today.”
Andie Kaplan (’20)

3) Leadership: “As an aspiring entrepreneur looking to grow as a leader, the combined strength in leadership and entrepreneurship development sets Wharton apart from all other top schools. First, McNulty Leadership Programs offers evidence-based leadership development opportunities for students of all backgrounds and leadership styles through fellowships and student groups to coach and mentor fellow students, serve as visiting non-profit board members, and lead immersive ventures across the world.”
Iris Liu (’22)

“I’ve been most proud of my role as a McNulty Leadership Venture Fellow (“VF”). I participated in a Leadership Venture during my first year in Patagonia and had an incredible leadership development experience. Leadership ventures offer an experiential learning environment outside of the traditional classroom environment where participants can explore and develop their leadership abilities in a stressful, ambiguous environment. Because of that experience I had, I wanted to facilitate that same opportunity for leadership development for my classmates as a VF. This past winter break, I helped lead an expedition to Isla Navarino, where I was able to provide valuable leadership coaching and development for my fellow classmates.”
Eric Hilton (’20)

4) Lauder Institute: “The International Studies degree from Lauder is specifically geared towards building intercultural leadership and foreign language skills, in addition to completing Wharton’s MBA program. Given my love of foreign languages, my experience working abroad, and my goal to continue a career in internationally-focused investing, this dual degree program was a phenomenal fit for my interests and the skills I sought to build during my MBA.”
Kristen Meredith (’22)

5) Extracurricular Activities: “I am most proud of my involvement with the Storytellers club on campus. I have the immense privilege of helping my incredible classmates craft and share vulnerable personal stories with the Wharton community. Every two weeks, the Storytellers club hosts a Slam where we feature eight of our classmates on stage to share these stories. I, along with other board members, help these speakers articulate their message for the Slam. I have personally coached over 30 students throughout the two years; every classmate I have coached has left an indelible mark on me. I am in constant awe at the breadth of experiences and accomplishments among my peers. It is an honor to identify and share these stories with the broader community.”
Anisha Mocherla (’20)

“Fight Night is a student-run Wharton vs. Penn Law boxing event that takes place every March, with all event proceeds donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Penn Fight Night has raised more than $600,000 over the past 15 years to benefit the clubs, which offer a variety of services to youth in the most impoverished communities of Philadelphia. The event brings members of the broader Penn community together for a cause that benefits the broader community we are a part of – Philadelphia, which also happens to be Rocky Balboa’s hometown.”
Orlando Gutiérrez (’20)

ADVICE TO FUTURE STUDENTS

What advice would alumni give to future Wharton applicants on landing a spot at their alma mater?  This is what the Class of 2020 had to say:

1) Don’t Give Up: “I think the piece of advice I would offer is to have the determination and be persistent. The first year I applied to Wharton, I was declined without an opportunity to interview. While it was discouraging for me, I decided to try again (at the encouragement of friends and mentors around me). The second time I applied, I was put on the waitlist. While on the waitlist, I continued to provide updates to the school about my personal and professional life and reiterated my desire to attend Wharton. I ultimately was admitted off the waitlist three weeks before school started. I am so grateful that I applied again and was patient through the trying waitlist process.”
Eric Hilton (’20)

2) Know What You Want: “Envision your experience and path at Wharton – which opportunities would you participate in? How will you give back to the community? What do you want to leave or take after Wharton? Clearly articulate the Wharton journey that you expect to take. This is a helpful exercise for you to go through as well. It will help you understand what you want out of an MBA program and how Wharton can get you there. The beauty of Wharton is that there is no one right path to reaching your goal.”
Anisha Mocherla (’20)

3) Be Yourself: “Be authentic throughout your application. Regardless of the outcome, you want to be accepted and join a community by presenting who you are, and not who you think the school wants you to be. This holds true for any MBA program application.”
Larissa Cavalcanti (’20)

What led the Class of 2022 to pursue an MBA? What was the toughest question they were asked during the application process? What other schools did they consider? Check out the student profiles below for answers to questions and many more. 

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Sabrina Jean-Baptiste	Bridgeport, CT	Yale University	Goldman Sachs
Clark Brown Jr.	Cherry Hill, NJ	George Washington University	HSBC México S.A.
Lakshmi Davey	Warren, NJ	Princeton University	GiveDirectly
Shawn Dye	Spring Valley, NY	Stanford University	Google
Angad Guglani	Pittsburgh, PA	New York University	Cooper Square Acquisitions
Celiwe Kawa	Johannesburg, South Africa	London School of Economics	Kwanele Enuff Foundation
Iris Liu	Queens, NY	SUNY Buffalo	Amazon Webs Services
Kristen Meredith	New York City, NY	Middlebury College	Eurazeo
André Mota	Sacramento, CA	UC San Diego	Manatt Health
Joseph Mourad	Beirut, Lebanon	American University of Beirut	Strategy&
William Rene’ Roberts	New Orleans, LA	U.S. Naval Academy	U.S. Marine Corps
Melvin Santiago Piña	Bronx, NY	Baruch College	ICV Partners, LLC
Kayo Shonibare Breedon	Lagos, Nigeria	Cornell University	Deloitte Consulting LLP