Joop Varophas, WG'09
“I'm part of the Wharton Social Impact Initiative. We are hosting the 2008 Net Impact Conference in November, which is a great opportunity to bring together people who care about these issues to learn a little more and to meet each other. If you have a strong interest in this area, you have the opportunity to be a real leader here and make an impact.”
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AJ Washington, WG'08
“At Wharton, when you take on a position of leadership, it's not just something you are putting on your resume. It's a job, and a responsibility, and you have to be dedicated and approach it in a professional manner.”
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At Wharton, students make an impact on campus, in our local community, and in the wider national and global community. Wharton supports students’ active involvement through the Wharton Graduate Association which brings together Wharton and Penn faculty, students, and external organizations to find entrepreneurial business solutions for social problems.
BizWorld
BizWorld is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children about business and entrepreneurship. Through a classroom simulation, groups of elementary and middle school students, led by Wharton volunteers, start their own businesses designing, manufacturing, marketing, and selling a product.
GUIDE (Guiding Undergraduates)
Wharton MBA students mentor Wharton undergraduates, sharing their professional and life experiences.
Rebuilding Together
This group organizes a 3-week event during which each MBA cohort rehabilitates a house in the spring semester. Now part of a national volunteer movement, it started in 1988 as "Christmas in April," organized by a group of Wharton MBA students.
Say Yes to Education
This MBA volunteer organization provides tutoring and mentoring services to West Philadelphia elementary and high school students. Working with Penn's Upward Bound, the program pairs tutors with local students.
SPIF (Summer Public Interest Fund)
SPIF encourages and supports first-year students who wish to pursue careers in areas that serve the public good by supplementing their summer salaries. The fund is financed entirely by fellow students who pledge 1 percent of their summer salaries to students who work in the public interest.
Wharton Community Consultants
This organization provides consulting services to nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia while providing students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience on real consulting assignments.
Wharton International Volunteer Project
This program gives students the opportunity to spend 2 to 3 weeks volunteering business skills to nongovernmental organizations in underdeveloped and developing countries. Past projects have been conducted in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Wharton Tax Assistance Program
This student-organized program joins the Campaign for Working Families to bring millions of dollars to low- and moderate-income working families by increasing the number of Philadelphia residents who file for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Organized by Wharton students, trained Penn and Wharton volunteers give free tax assistance to West Philadelphia community members.