July 2025 – Edition 47
Maud Chifamba, WG’25, discusses the impact of MBA student experience funding on her time at Wharton; scholarship beneficiary Francesco Salamone, W’26, shares his philosophy on leadership and education; and Jaein Kim, W’25, unpacks what she learned from taking part in a Wharton Leadership Venture (WLV) in Ecuador.
From Zimbabwe to Wharton: Maud Chifamba, WG’25, Shares Her Story — and Discusses the Importance of Giving Back
For Maud Chifamba, WG’25, education has always been a top priority. Raised in rural Zimbabwe, Chifamba excelled in school and received a full scholarship to study accounting at the University of Zimbabwe at only 14 years old. Now, having completed her second master’s degree — a Wharton MBA — Chifamba is excited to advance her career and work toward her ultimate goal: “to operate at the intersection of profit and purpose.”
We spoke with Chifamba about her story, including her journey to Wharton; her experiences on a Global Modular Course (GMC) in India and Global Immersion Program (GIP) in South Korea, supported by MBA student experience funds provided by donors; and her future ambitions, as well as why she believes in paying it forward.
Scholarship Student Francesco Salamone, W’26, on the Importance of Slowing Down
For Francesco Salamone, W’26, the Wharton experience is all about taking risks. Rather than pursue “the road most traveled,” Salamone has dedicated his time at the School to exploring everything that a liberal arts education has to offer — all while gently critiquing Wharton’s live-to-work culture.
Now a rising senior, Salamone — a beneficiary of the Rajiv De Silva WG’95 Scholarship for International Students Fund — unpacks what leadership means to him and shares how he’s making space for other Wharton students to face their doubts, pursue their passions, and rethink the purpose of business education in this essay for Wharton Magazine.
Putting Theory Into Practice: How One Student’s Wharton Leadership Venture (WLV) Experience Changed Her Perspective
A core component of the McNulty Leadership Program, Wharton Leadership Ventures (WLVs) are immersive, donor-supported experiences that take Wharton undergraduates outside their comfort zones to learn how to navigate challenging moments. Expeditions like the one Jaein Kim, W’25, recently undertook in Ecuador are designed to expose students to uncertainty and underscore the value of teamwork and cooperation — skills budding business leaders need to master.
In a piece for Wharton Stories, Kim reflects on how spending a week in Cotopaxi National Park reframed her understanding of leadership and helped her learn how to foster a healthy culture.