Careers/Internships



News and Events

Get ready for the auction! View list of Social Impact related courses for Spring 2011 here.

The 2010 Wharton Social Impact Conference was a great success--take a look at our photos.

Making a bigger impact locally: the Wharton-Netter Center Community Partnership.

Careers/Internships

Every year, many Wharton students pursue both for-profit and non-profit Social Impact opportunities. Organizations that recently recruited at Wharton for either full-time or summer positions cross many sectors such as International Development, Environment, Education, Nonprofit, and Microfinance.

A sample list of organizations includes:

  • International Development and Microfinance
    Acumen Fund, Inc.; Ashoka; Grameen Foundation USA; International Finance Corporation; The Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX)
  • Environmental Sustainability
    Braemer Energy Ventures; Cherokee Investment Partners; World Resources Institute; SunEdison
  • Education
    Education Pioneers; Victory Schools; The Broad Residency in Urban Education
  • Other
    The Bridgespan Group; Gates Foundation; REDF (Roberts Enterprise Development Fund); Robin Hood Foundation

Social Impact Career Advising

At Wharton we are fortunate to have one career coach in our MBA Career Management office dedicated to working with individuals focused on social impact careers. Senior Associate Director Jennifer Savoie (savoiej@wharton.upenn.edu) advises students on all elements of the job search process and is particularly experienced in helping students build and navigate social impact and public sector job search strategies. She also works closely with student organizations such as Wharton Social Impact Club and the International Development club to develop and implement a wide range of career initiatives for their members.

Additional one-on-one nonprofit career coaching is available through Wharton's relationship with the MBA Non-profit Connection (MNC). Alison Davis, Executive Director of MNC, provides individual career counseling to students pursuing nonprofit careers and helps them identify opportunities suited to their skills and experience, as well as guide students in tailoring their resumes and cover letters. Wharton has a special arrangement with MNC to cover the cost of an initial session with Alison.

Wharton's relatioship with MNC also provides our MBA students access to the MNC Summer Jobs program of 45-50 pre-screened summer jobs each year. Nonprofits that regularly recruit through the MNC include Acumen fund, Benetech, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Goodwill Industries, the Positive Coaching Alliance, and REDF.

Employer Relations

The MBA Career Management Office provides customized service to any employer looking to hire talented Wharton students and alumni who are ready to make for demanding social impact roles. One of our Recruiting Relationship Managers works with all Public Interest/Social Impact employers to maximize their job postings and their on-campus engagement strategies, as well as offer various interview options.

Funding

The Summer Public Interest Fund (SPIF) enables first-year Wharton MBA students to pursue summer internships in the public sector by supplementing basic salary needs. The fund is financed by first-year students who pledge 1-2% of their summer salaries in support of their fellow classmates.

The John M. Bendheim Loan Forgiveness Fund for Public Service offers recent Wharton MBA graduates educational loan forgiveness up to $20,000 per year. Eligible candidates must be pursuing careers in the public and non-profit sectors, and the awards are based on a combination of activity, career goals, and financial aid. For those selected for this program, Wharton will send up to $20,000 per year to the individual's lender to pay down his/her loan. The application process is competitive, but there is no limit to the number of times an alumni may be chosen as a recipient during the first five years post graduation.

Internships and Job Postings

Social Impact Fellows

The Wharton Social Impact Fellows is a structured, results-oriented not for profit consulting experience. The Fellows consists of MBA candidates and/or recent MBA graduates who work in teams of two to not for profit organizations on specific planning assignments critical to the future of the organization. At the end of the eight-week session, Fellows members gain experience in not for profit consulting and the host organization gains a professional caliber work product. Students who join the Fellows:

  • Learn ways in which managing not for profit organizations differs from for profits.
  • Become familiar with basic management concepts in the not for profit world.
  • Gain experience in the design and execution of a consulting assignment critical to the future of a not for profit organization
  • Understand more about the context in which not for profit organizations in the Philadelphia region operate.

Recent hosts for Summer 2010 have included Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, Congreso de Latino Unidos/Big Picture Philadelphia, Zoological Society of Philadelphia, and WHYY Inc.

Wharton Good Company Ventures

Good Company Ventures is an incubator for businesses with social impact that has recently arrived in Philadelphia amidst a ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by Mayor Michael Nutter. Good Company ventures will provide invaluable guidance and support to a group of participating entrepreneurs through group sessions, one-on-one mentoring, and pro bono services. All mentors and speakers are experienced members of the early-stage community and include successful entrepreneurs, early-stage attorneys, technologists, venture capitalists, angel investors, and early-stage service providers. A new partnership with Wharton will provide Wharton students with regular summer opportunities to play an integral role in offering fresh business perspectives to Good Company Ventures entrepreneurs. This year, Philadelphia business models range from recycling sewer grease (BlackGold Biofuels) to providing support to nonprofessional caregivers (Partners on the Path).