Wharton West Campus Celebrates First Alumni Reunion Gala Event Marks Fifth Anniversary of Program’s First Class
On the first weekend of November 2006, Wharton’s West Coast campus in San Francisco celebrated its fifth year with its first-ever alumni reunion.
The weekend drew graduates, faculty, and staff to events across the city, including a 1980s-themed reception at the San Francisco Museum of Art and a family brunch the next morning.
“I was blown away to see the turnout and the warmth and excitement in the room,” says Mori Taheripour, WG’03, a member of the campus’ first class. “It made me realize how much Wharton West has established a thriving community. We’ve come a long way!”
Wharton West Boosts Students’ Careers
Wharton West's main program is the MBA Program for Executives, which offers the same curriculum, faculty, and degree as Wharton’s globally acclaimed full-time MBA program.
“Sheer gutsiness is the biggest benefit that most people get out of the program,” reflects entrepreneur Gaurav Kapoor, WG’03, another of the program’s first group of students.
“You learn the ability to take on new things without getting overly cautious. I’ve seen a lot of people transition to completely new experiences and new careers.”
Mortgage broker Larry Wilemon, WG’03, is a perfect example of that transition. “I had practiced law for five years before coming to Wharton,” he reports. “My objective was to transition from real estate law to the ‘business’ side of real estate transactions.
“That was a challenging move, though. Real estate is a field in which there is an enormous premium on experience, and I did not have a track record in finance or development. I could never have made the transition without the confidence and contacts that I gained through Wharton.
“The transition allowed me to accomplish my goals: the opportunity to work in a very stimulating environment, with outstanding income potential, in a role that I enjoy immensely. Wharton absolutely changed my professional life.”
San Francisco Campus Creates Close-Knit Student Experience
Like other members of their pioneering class, Taheripour and Kapoor helped establish the program’s distinctively collaborative environment.
“The volume is less” compared to the full-time MBA program, notes Kapoor, “but the depth is greater. The network may not be as large as the full-time program, but it ends up being deeper – in both a personal sense and professional sense – because people have shared all the work and all the experiences.”
“It's far smaller in size than the Philadelphia campus,” echoes Taheripour, “so it’s a close-knit community. The students really get to know each other, and you get so much attention, because all the activities are focused on you when you’re in session.”
The first permanent location outside Philadelphia in Wharton's 125-year history, Wharton West was designed for working executives in the Western region – and to bring the school closer to business communities in Asia, as well as to the hub of technological and economic activity on the West Coast.
Most students come from the Bay Area, but many commute from greater distances. Some students have traveled from as far away as Mumbai, India or Seoul, South Korea, especially if they are Americans whose companies have transferred them overseas.
“Originally, I applied to the program in Philadelphia,” explains Taheripour. “I was contacted after I submitted my application and was told that there was going to be a program in San Francisco and asked whether I wanted to be there instead.
“It was the best decision I ever made to stay in California and experience history in the making. We were truly pioneers and that was exciting.”
“It has changed me in every way,” continues Taheripour, now Vice President of Corporate Diversity at the American Red Cross. “Being surrounded by so many smart, successful, driven individuals makes you feel that you can do anything. Wharton opened doors for me that I didn't even know existed and exposed me to opportunities that I had never imagined.”
