Hometown: New York, NY
Education: Stanford University, BA in Public Policy
Before Wharton: Professional basketball player in the WNBA and in Europe
After Wharton: Marketing Strategy
My Day at a Glance
Bethany Donaphin
My Story About Me
Coming from a background that wasn’t in banking or consulting or from Wall Street gives me a valuable perspective.
Background in the WNBAPrior to coming to Wharton, I was in the WNBA, and then worked in the marketing department for the NBA. When I was choosing a school, I wanted one where my background would be appreciated and celebrated. And that has been the case at Wharton, which has really been a gift. I chose Wharton because I was transitioning into more traditional work, and I felt that here I’d get the tools that I needed to be successful in that transition.
Appreciation for the WNBA
I was asked to give a talk for a student series called Perspectives on Leadership. The experience made me realize that coming from a background that wasn’t in banking or consulting or from Wall Street gave me a perspective that a lot of people think is valuable. Just being asked to do that lecture was a validation of the fact that my background adds to the fabric of Wharton.
Flexible curriculum options
I waived a class and was able to take an elective my first year -a customer behavior class with a professor I was looking forward to having. The curriculum covers anything you could be interested in. Obviously filling the requirements limits the number of classes you can take, but the core does a good job of touching on a lot of different interests.
Access to professors
You have a lot of opportunities to access to professors; it just depends on how proactive you are. You can sign up for student lunches--which is one professor and six or seven students. In my elective class, we did a presentation for a company and reached out to our professor for advice. We have his cell phone number, and that kind of accessibility is common here.
#1 lesson learned
Confidence. Coming here, I thought I was going to be overwhelmed because I didn’t have the working experience that some of my classmates had. . I’ve always been able to adapt really well, and that’s what happened here. But because Wharton is constantly testing you and stretching you, you adjust, you grow. The things that I’m able to talk about now, the way I look at the world and business have changed so much. I feel a lot more capable. I look at things from a different perspective and with a deeper understanding.
Using the Wharton network
I’m already using it. I’m president of the African American MBA Association, and alumni are already reaching out to me, giving me practical advice about the job. I think the alumni working in marketing, sports and entertainment are going to be a huge asset. But it also goes forward and backwards. The people who went before you help you, and you help those who come after. There are alums everywhere, and I’m sure wherever I go, a Wharton alum will be looking out for me, wanting me to be as successful as possible.
