Welcome back to Campus Chronicles, our weekly look at the latest updates from the world of b-school campus newspapers. With autumn upon us, MBA programs are back in full swing, welcoming their first-year students and returning students alike. This week we’ll be looking at what’s happening at Wharton as the most current issue of The Wharton Journal has gone to press, sharing campus events and student insights to kick off the 2009-2010 school year.
Wharton’s hosted its first conference of the year and has provided its students with a relevant topic of discussion. The 2009 Wharton General Management Conference, entitled “Managing Change: Disruption and Renewal,” brought together over 30 speakers from diverse industries. The conference opened with Betsy Rafael, VP Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer at Apple, who described Apple’s constant reinvention over the past 30 years as the reason for its current success. In a keynote speech, Raj Gupta, the former Chairman and CEO of Rohm and Haas, discussed how he dealt with adversity during his firm’s acquisition in a collapsing market. Wharton students then participated in six panel sessions with industry experts and discussed how firms responded to the economic downturn, focusing on the importance of developing leaders to combat these challenges.
Wharton’s African American MBA Association (AAMBAA) has kicked off the year with the goal to expand its relationships both inside and outside the Wharton community. In August, AAMBAA organized a retreat in Martha’s Vineyard with seven student organizations from other leading business schools. Students had the chance to build relationships and network with each other through a picnic hosted by Wharton alumna Valerie Mosley ’86, a current partner of Wellington Management. AAMBAA members then traveled to New Oreleans for the National Black MBA Association Conference, attending leadership workshops and networking opportunities. AAMBAA members also hosted their annual alumni reception during their time in the “Big Easy.” Wharton students should be on the lookout for AAMBAA’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Conference, in which they will have the opportunity to explore success and failure in the face of new opportunities through events, workshops, and social gatherings.
So you think you can dance? The Wharton Latin American Student Assocatin (WHALASA) recently completed its initiative to expand Wharton’s global presence and community—through dance. The 100 club members who represent 20 nationalities are each featured in this video, dancing in various locations around the world. Highlights include Abi Mandelbaum, who trekked 5,600 meters in 50 mile-per-hour winds to reach his destination, and Bibiana Rojas and Luba Kagan who danced on national television in Indonesia.
