August 2024 – Edition 35
Bob Hernandez, WG’68, honors his late brother by backing student aid, a Wharton alumnus’s photo essay captures the Successful Transition and Empowerment Program (STEP), and Dean Erika James and Professor Ethan Mollick represent Wharton in London.
Q&A with Bob Hernandez, WG’68: Forwarding Success and Enriching Society through Student Aid
Bob Hernandez, WG’68, gave approximately $1.25 million to the Wharton School to establish two endowed funds to provide financial aid support to Wharton students. Now, generations of students will benefit from the Bob Hernandez, WG’68, Endowed Fellowship Fund and, in honor of his late brother, the Bill Hernandez, W’70, Endowed Scholarship Fund.
In a Q&A story, Bob reflects on his Wharton experience, the significance of giving back, and his aspirations for the students whose education will be funded by this aid. Bob shared that the Catharine D. Sharpe Merit Scholarship made an incredible difference in his Wharton journey — and now it’s his turn to make education affordable for others.
A Year in the Life of STEP
Successful Transition and Empowerment Program (STEP) is a four-year program that equips students with the tools and community to thrive academically and socially at the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. Backed by donors, STEP helps students confidently navigate their college journey.
Anthony Yang, W’24, documented STEP events that happened during his time as a member of the program — fall 2022 through summer 2023. Yang said capturing these moments for others to enjoy was his way of giving back to a community that gave a lot to him.
Dean James and Other Penn Superstars Shine in London
Knowledge for Good gives us a glimpse into a recent symposium in London called “Frontiers of Knowledge and Discovery: Leading in a Changing World.” It featured faculty speakers at the height of their respective fields, representing the Wharton School, Penn Medicine, and Penn Engineering. During one session, Dean Erika James and Professor Ethan Mollick, co-director of the Generative AI Lab at Wharton, spoke with Dr. Frances Jensen, the Perelman School of Medicine’s chair of neurology, about the ubiquity and impact of new technologies.
Dean James said Mollick and Jensen “brought together different perspectives on one of the timeliest and most salient topics of our time.”
Driven by its pioneering initiatives and priorities, Wharton is redefining the possibilities of artificial intelligence by inspiring revolutionary research and fostering a culture where innovation thrives.