Wharton Journal

Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: News

One of the things that you hear a lot about both before coming to Wharton, and while you are here as a student, is how strong the alumni network is.  For most of us it is probably something that doesn’t impact us that much as students, unless you’re actively working the alumni database trying to set up an interview or a job.

Earlier this semester I had the opportunity to get a first hand introduction to just how widespread the Wharton alumni network is, and just what it means to be part of it.
It started with an email to the Wharton Journal offices.  The Wharton Alumni Club of NY was holding their annual Joseph Wharton Awards Dinner, and the organizers were wondering if the Wharton Journal would like to cover it.  Some back and forth emails resulted, and the Journal established that we could send someone for free (times are tough).  We took a quick poll amongst the Wharton Journal editorial staff to see who was available, and as a result I found myself in a suit and tie catching the 2pm Bolt Bus to NYC on Thursday, October 1st.

The awards dinner was held in the Jumeriah Essex House on 59th Street, and I arrived just after 6pm.  After some quick investigation from the staff on reception and confirmation that I was actually invited, I found myself mixing with an amazing selection of Wharton alumni, all of whom were there to celebrate the achievements of the four people being honored that evening.

Hosted by CNBC’s Bill Griffeth, the event recognized the achievements of four outstanding Wharton graduates: Jeffrey Fluhr (W’96, EN’96), George A. Weiss (W’65), Robert S. Kapito (W’79) and Ralph KJ Roberts (W’41, Hon’05).
 Jeffrey Fluhr (W’96, EN’96) won the Joseph Wharton Award for Young Leadership, awarded to a Wharton alumnus who early in his/her career has demonstrated the greatest potential for leadership and lasting impact.  Mr. Fluhr was the co-founder of StubHub, and served as CEO until the company’s sale to eBay for $310 Million in January 2007.  He earned a dual degree in Engineering and Finance from Penn, before heading west to Stanford’s GSB.  He recognized the role Wharton played in his success in his acceptance speech, and described how the school and alumni network had helped his career.

George A. Weiss (W’65) was awarded the Joseph Wharton Award for Social Impact, given to the Wharton alumnus who has had the greatest impact in public service, social enterprise and philanthropy.  Mr. Weiss has enjoyed significant professional success, and today is dedicated to using his fortune to help others succeed.  As the founder and driving force behind Say Yes to Education, Mr. Weiss is committed to providing support to at-risk children and their families.  His organization has served 740 students and their families to date, and provides comprehensive support enabling students to graduate from high-school, accomplish post-secondary educational success and achieve meaningful life goals.

Mr. Weiss founded Say Yes to Education in 1987, inspired by community service as a Wharton student.  He originally committed to send 112 students from Philadelphia’s Belmont School to college if they graduated from high school.  Since then the program has created public and private partnerships with other philanthropic institutions, local school districts and universities, sending nearly 250 students to college and trade school by 2004.  Of the 112 students Weiss originally sponsored, 62 percent graduated from high school compared to 26 and 28 percent graduations rates respectively for non Say Yes to Education students the year before and the year after.  Mr. Weiss’ commitment to extending access to education extends to the University of Pennsylvania where he serves as a University Charter Trustee and chairs the Committee on Undergraduate Financial Aid.

The third award of the evening, the Joseph Wharton Award for Leadership, went to Robert S. Kapito (W’79), President and Director of Blackrock, the leading investment management firm.  The Joseph Wharton Award for Leadership is given to the Wharton Alumnus who embodies the highest standards of leadership in both business and society.  Mr. Kapito serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and also serves on the board of a number of other non-profit organizations. 

Mr. Kapito’s speech touched on some interesting points about Wharton’s position as a leader in the field of business education.  Having gone to Harvard Business School for his MBA, he brought up the recent proposal from HBS students for an MBA Oath, and urged the audience to look at the idea and see how they could adapt it into their professional lives.
The final award was given to Ralph J. Roberts (W’41, Hon’05), the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation.  The Joseph Wharton Award for Lifetime Achievement, awarded to a Wharton Alumnus who has had tremendous positive and sustained impact on business and society over the course of their career, recognized Mr. Roberts’ lifetime of leadership and service in both professional and community life.  A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Roberts currently serves on a number of local Non-Profits, including the Penn Medicine Board of Trustees and the board of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

The official awards were supplemented by a special unannounced presentation to Kenneth Beck (WG’87), the president of the Wharton Club of New York.  The award was made to recognize Mr. Beck’s efforts in reestablishing the Joseph Wharton Awards in 2006 after a lapse of a number of years.

The award winners were introduced by leading members of the Wharton and Penn community, including Wharton Dean Tom Robertson, University of Pennsylvania President Amy Guttman and event chair Jon M. Huntsman.
While the award winners were impressive, the most interesting thing to me was how engaged and enthusiastic the Wharton alumni network was.  When I introduced myself over dinner as a current student I was overwhelmed with questions about my experience to date, along with numerous anecdotes and stories from my dinner companions about their respective times as undergraduate and graduate students at the Wharton School 

The main take away from the event was the message to all Wharton alumni to “take the call” whenever a fellow alumnus reaches out.  It was inspiring to see how committed the crowd was to supporting fellow Wharton alums, and made me realize how privileged we are to be joining the strong and vibrant Wharton Alumni community.

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