Leadership Spotlight

In the Wharton puzzle made up of faculty, students, and research, there is a final key piece: alumni. It is the alumni who have provided endowed chairs for Wharton faculty, as well as for the research centers that serve as hubs for interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition, most Wharton faculty members have unique and highly productive relationships with graduates, not just because they once shared classrooms, but because they have taken their relationships far beyond Wharton's walls. "Our network is a huge part of what Wharton is all about," explains Franklin Allen, who makes a point of keeping in touch with many of his former students, a practice that benefits everyone involved. "Strengthening that network is critical."

Allen has welcomed alumni input into his extensive research on corporate finance, asset pricing, and the economics of information. His most recent project is a comparative study of financial crises in various world markets, including Japan, Argentina, and the United States – a project for which Wharton's global network has proven invaluable.

Mitchell feels her international focus has been enhanced by alumni contact. "We are lucky to have Wharton alumni placed in top companies of the world. I can always reach out and ask them for help, and I find all of them absolutely fascinating. For example, one MBA grad is working at Vanguard. We finished writing a paper on company stock, and we are continuing to do research together. At Vanguard, he has access to a lot of great information, as I do at Wharton. It's a two-way street."

A perfect example of alumni support, says Useem, is the leadership training that Wharton runs in Quantico, Virginia. This popular program, involving roughly 90 students per year, is funded by Lehman Brothers, thanks to the organizational work of alumnus Jeff Zorek, WG'84. "Here's an alum whose support has been absolutely vital," Useem says. "He's worked behind the scenes to bring an incredible program to current students."

"Alumni support allows a school to compete at a different level," says Allen. "But it's not just the money, it's the overall involvement. To get to the next level from here, we need to keep building that involvement. To alumni, I would say, 'If you haven't already done so, get in touch with Wharton – and keep in touch!'"