September 2024 – Edition 36
Wharton’s CAO Bill Bole shares his passion for philanthropy and how it shapes the School’s future, a Roy & Diana Vagelos Scholar shares how financial aid changed her life, and a Lauder student details his summer in Mexico with the Lauder Leadership Immersion Internship program.
Wharton’s Chief Advancement Officer Bill Bole on the Power of Giving
Get to know Bill Bole, the chief advancement officer of Wharton External Affairs, through this Q&A interview. As we begin the new academic year, Bill gives us a glimpse into some of the Wharton School’s top philanthropic priorities and what his leadership role means to him. He shares that while Wharton’s enduring relevance is a testament to its legacy, philanthropy is driving the School into the next era of business education.
“I love that Wharton is as relevant today as it was nearly 150 years ago,” Bill said. “But we don’t take this for granted and are continually looking toward the future.”
Financial Aid Creates Infinite Possibilities at Penn
Undergraduate Financial Aid and Development highlights the importance of scholarships in a new video, featuring Interim President J. Larry Jameson and students whose academic journeys have been made possible by financial aid.
One of the students in the video is Amy Wu, W’24, C’24, who was a part of the Roy & Diana Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences. Wu said the generosity of donors has allowed her to pursue many interests — shaping Wu into the well-rounded person she is today. She took neuroscience and business classes, established a nonprofit organization that provides mental stimulation and companionship to nursing home residents, served on student government, conducted independent research, encouraged high school students to explore science, and more.
And she’s not done yet. Wu is attending the Perelman School of Medicine this fall. She said she aspires to be a physician who empowers her community and positively touches the lives of those around her.
“Thanks to donors, I’ve spent four of the happiest years of my life at an institution that emboldens me to take intellectual risks and pursue my interdisciplinary passions,” Wu said, “allowing me to become the best possible version of myself.”
Lauder Leadership Immersion Internships Give Students Hands-On Global Experience
For students at the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management & International Studies, gaining firsthand global business experience is paramount. Each summer, gifts to the Lauder Annual Fund make it possible for hardworking students to undertake Lauder Leadership Immersion Internships in countries around the world. During these trips, they strengthen their language and leadership skills and serve organizations in fields as diverse as renewable energy, healthcare, and more.
For this edition of the Wharton Impact newsletter, we spoke with Jaime Cabrera, WG’25, G’25, a Lauder student who spent the summer in Mexico working at Alta Growth Capital. In a brief Q&A, Jaime illuminates the bright spots and challenges of this experience, which he says made him “more flexible and resilient” — two key qualities for success in the business world.