Wharton EMBA Alumnus Audits Classes to Broaden Skillset

Since beginning Wharton’s EMBA program in 2008, he’s been promoted from Director of Strategic Planning and Technology to COO and Vice President of Business, Corporate Development at Newlans, a semiconductor company in the Boston area. “When I was a Wharton student, I took a lot of marketing and strategy electives, however finance is very important in my current position so I wanted to come back and take more of those classes,” says Gupta. “The ability to continue my education in this way has been a huge benefit to both me and my employer.”

Starting out with a Pricing course in the spring, Gupta is currently auditing Corporate Valuation and Capital Markets. “In addition to gaining more knowledge in these areas, it’s been great to network with the current students, some of whom are in the same industry as me,” he says, noting that he plans to audit a few more classes to continue rounding out his education.

The “tough” part, he says, is making the time to commute from Boston every other weekend. “I think more alumni would audit classes if we weren’t all so busy, but it’s completely worth it. My employer wants me to absorb some of the CFO functions so the Wharton finance classes are really helping me take on those expanded responsibilities as well as build a very broad skillset,” says Gupta.

In addition to the opportunity to audit classes with the approval of the professor teaching the course, Wharton MBA Program for Executives alumni have another unique opportunity for lifelong learning. Starting this past winter, the School now offers a free Executive Education Program once every seven years for its MBA graduates. Also, all Wharton and University alumni may attend open enrollment short (3-5 days) courses at a 25% tuition discount, assuming they meet standards for admission to the course and space is available in the program.

Gupta says that he encourages other alumni to take advantage of these benefits. “We have a great opportunity and there is no better place to learn than at Wharton – and the EMBA classes are free for life. You can’t beat that!”

More on Wharton’s lifelong learning opportunities: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/lifelonglearning/index.cfm