On being a Wharton alum
Being a Wharton graduate opens a lot of doors. When you tell someone — almost anywhere around the world — that you went to Wharton, you get a positive reaction. What stands out for me about Wharton is its strong sense of community and camaraderie. People are always helping one another out by "taking the call." I am not surprised that I keep in touch with so many of my classmates, including Wharton and/or Penn alumni I meet in business settings.

The typical Wharton graduate is something of a type A personality: very driven, genuinely interested in learning, and wants to excel at whatever she is doing. I often see students and recent grads reaching out to the regional alumni clubs to learn more about events and getting involved, and I think that exemplifies the Wharton culture that always brings people together.

On the Wharton Alumni Network
I've found that a lot of the alumni club leaders are extremely passionate about what they do. All of Wharton's regional clubs are independently run and funded and our events are organized by alumni volunteers. This truly speaks to how strong our community is and how willing people are to give back.

The alumni network fosters all types of connections, social as well as professional. Friends of mine have moved to a new city and contacted fellow alumni through the Wharton network to meet new friends and get acclimated. I know several couples who have met through Wharton — either during or after the program. In a different type of situation, a recent applicant who was accepted to Wharton had to defer because of family illness. He needed a job near his family, and someone within the local alumni club found him a position for the year. Wharton people like to help each other whenever possible.

I spend a lot of time meeting current Wharton students and recent grads and I continue to be impressed by them. When I hosted a Wharton Women's potluck dinner in Los Angeles, we had current students, recent grads, and alumnae from both the undergraduate and MBA programs. They're smart, eager, interested, and always looking for ways to stay involved with the Wharton community.