Why do women rule the Web? This was the question asked by first-year Wharton | San Francisco student Brian Cooper during his presentation at the recent Digital Esomar Conference in Miami. We asked the vice president of technology at market research company TNS in Palo Alto, CA to tell us more about his presentation as well as his experience in Wharton’s EMBA program. Here’s what he had to say:

“Twenty years ago, most of us didn’t know about the Internet. Ten years ago, social networking was barely a concept. Today, the Internet impacts all facets of our lives both online and offline. But, how is it changing and who is driving those changes? This was the premise of our paper and presentation.

Wharton | San Francisco EMBA student Brian Davis thought his Field Application Project (FAP) would be an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience addressing a real-world problem. However, when his company’s senior management saw the results of his project, he got a lot more than experiential learning – he got a new position.

The FAP, the culminating project of the core course on Management of People at Work, requires each learning team to identify a business problem at a team member’s company and conduct a systemic analysis, presenting the findings and recommendations to company executives. Davis’ team chose his employer, Allegiant Travel Company (owner and operator of Allegiant Air) as the focus of their FAP.

Philadelphia deadline:   Wed., 2/1/12 at 11:59pm EST
San Francisco deadline:  Mon., 2/6/12 at 11:59 PST

Please call the office of the program to which you’re applying if you need to arrange an extension of the deadline.  Phila: 215-898-5887 / SF: 415-777-1000

Ins and Outs of Interviews for Wharton EMBA Candidates

If you are applying – or thinking of applying – to Wharton’s MBA for Executives program, call us soon to schedule an interview.  Don’t wait until you’ve finished your application to schedule an appointment because slots on class days are filling up fast.

Having recently overseen the move of Wharton’s West Coast facility into the Hills Brother Building on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, we asked COO of Wharton | San Francisco Bernadette Birt to tell us about the move and the new campus.

Q. Students experienced the new facility for the first time in early January. How have they reacted?

There have been a lot of ‘Wows!’ which are exactly what we want to hear.  They are thrilled with the quality of the classroom experience, the number of group study rooms, and having places to connect with each other during the day. For example, we have an incredible dining space with stunning views of the San Francisco Bay where our students love to gather with their laptops and iPads to collaborate and relax as the sun sets.

Get insights on the future of jobs from a top Wharton professor, learn more about our EMBA program from Philadelphia and San Francisco alumni, and see what our new campus looks like in San Francisco, then make sure to join us for a virtual reception on Mon., January 23 from 9:00pm-10:00pm EST / 6:00pm-7:00pm PST.

Hosted by Vice Dean Anjani Jain, the event will feature a presentation by renowned labor expert Prof. Peter Cappelli on how the global economy is impacting careers and what this means for the future of employee development. Prof. Cappelli, who teaches negotiations, also will share tips that may help you secure support for your MBA studies and career development.

Afterward, a panel of alumni from our Philadelphia and San Francisco EMBA programs will discuss how the Wharton MBA and network have shaped their careers.  You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions of both Prof. Cappelli and the panelists via your computer or mobile device.

In addition, West Coast COO Bernadette Birt will take participants on a virtual tour of our beautiful new San Francisco campus.  A 21st century learning environment, you’ll see how our technologically advanced facility was designed to provide the most cutting-edge and connected classrooms possible.

To register for this live webcast on Jan. 23, click here.

Wharton | San Francisco MBA Exec candidates who submit their application by December 1, 2011, will receive a decision by January 16, 2012. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach the admissions office at 415-777-1000 or via email at lilygren@wharton.upenn.edu. We look forward to reading your application. Good luck!

Each year, second-year students in Wharton’s EMBA program vote on a location for their International Seminar trip. With options including India, China, Turkey and Brazil, it was a tough decision, but in the end both the East and West Coast classes voted on Brazil.

The BRIC country’s position as Latin America’s largest economy and its strength in a diversity of areas such as steel, oil drilling, and renewable energy attracted the students’ interest. During the week-long trip, they visited local and international companies to learn more about challenges and opportunities in the region.

We’re all excited about Wharton | San Francisco’s move in January to the Hills Plaza Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero. Not only will it provide us more space, but the facility will also feature “a 21st century learning environment.” To learn more about the technology going into the new space as well as other technology initiatives in Wharton’s MBA Exec program, check out Wharton CIO Deirdre Wood’s latest blog on the Wharton Magazine site:

“Kicking off a new academic year is always an exciting time, but that is particularly the case this year as we’re immersed in designing and building classrooms of the future. Wharton’s upcoming move to a new San Francisco facility has provided us an opportunity not only to design the most cutting-edge and connected classrooms possible, but also to bring that technology back to our campus in Philadelphia. As a top business school, our constituents expect a 21st-century learning environment, and we are providing that on both coasts.” more...

Do you want to learn more about Wharton’s executive MBA program? If so, then we encourage you to attend one of our MBA for Executives information receptions where you can ask questions as well as talk to students and alumni about the program. Please check our listing of events because we’ll likely be coming to a city near you. Upcoming receptions include:

Mon. Sept. 12, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Santa Clara, CA

Wed. Sept. 28, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Portland, OR

Mon. Oct. 3, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Las Vegas, NV

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 11:30am-1:00pm in Salt Lake City, UT

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Scottsdale, AZ

Admissions chats also are a great source of information. To watch recent Webcasts and listen to audio recordings on a wide range of topics, please click here.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Working in Los Angeles as the debt and treasury manager for LA World Airports, Marla Bleavins looked at several nearby business schools with EMBA programs when she decided it was time to pursue her MBA degree. However, in addition to wanting a high level of academic rigor, she also wanted to  differentiate   herself from others in the LA area so she set her sights on Wharton.

Wharton’s executive MBA program hosts a lot of events, but one of our recent panel discussions was particularly unique.  After all, it’s not every day that the School sponsors a women’s networking event  at a San Francisco Giants baseball game much less at a game against the Philadelphia Phillies.  

“The San Francisco Giants are a hot ticket in town,” explains Katherine Lilygren, who manages marketing and admissions at Wharton | San Francisco.  “This event was a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about Wharton’s EMBA program in San Francisco, particularly among professional women.  Diversity is very important in our classes so these types of events provide a wonderful venue for us to spread the word about our program to different audiences.”

If you’re considering applying to Wharton’s executive MBA program this year, this is a good time to create an account to access our online application. Once you begin, you’ll be able to save your work and keep track of your progress until you’re ready to submit your information.

We also invite you to attend one of our many upcoming MBA for Executives information receptions where you can learn more about the admissions process from our staff as well as talk to alumni and students about their experiences in the program. We’ll be hosting receptions around the world, but a few events coming up include:

Mon. Sept. 21, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm at Wharton | San Francisco

Tues. Sept. 27, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Bellevue, WA

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 5:30–7:30pm at the Wharton School, Philadelphia, PA

Tues., Oct. 11, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Los Angeles, CA

Tues. Oct. 11, 2011, 5:30-7:30pm in New York, NY

Wed. Oct. 19, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Denver, CO

Tues. Oct. 25, 2011, 5:30–7:30pm in Washington, DC

Tues. Nov. 1, 2011, 5:30pm – 7:30pm in Boston, MA

For the full listing of information receptions or to register for a specific event, please click here. You also can visit our Admissions Receptions and Chats site to watch recent Webcasts and listen to audio recordings about a diversity of topics such as women and the MBA, career management, full-time vs. executive formats, and many more.

And it's not too late to attend tonight's event at Wharton | San Francisco, Wed., August 17, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm, tomorrow night's event in Seattle, Thurs., August 18, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm or next week's event in Palo Alto, Thurs., August 25, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm.

We’re looking forward to meeting you at an upcoming event!

A common question from students living in San Francisco and Philadelphia is whether they are required to stay over on class weekends. The short answer is: yes. Wharton’s residential EMBA program requires  all students to spend class nights either at a designated hotel in San Francisco or in the executive facilities of Wharton’s Steinberg Conference Center in Philadelphia. Not only does this provide the necessary time for groups to study and complete projects, it also fosters deep bonds among students as they get to know each other outside of class.

Welcome to our newest students in Wharton’s EMBA Program! Both the East and West Coast classes are comprised of exceptional students from near and far.

At Wharton | San Francisco, most of the first-year class is based in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco area, however students are also commuting from Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The class of 96 students brings an average of 11 years of work experience to the program with nearly 50% holding advanced degrees.

If you’re interested in learning more about Wharton’s MBA for Executives Program in San Francisco, we invite you to attend one of our West Coast events this summer. At these First-Person Perspectives, alumni and students will share their experiences in the program as well as participate in interactive Q&A sessions. Wharton staff also will provide an overview of the program and the admissions process.

Upcoming events include:

Sat., July 23, 2011, 11:30am -1:00pm in Manhattan Beach, CA

Mon., July 25, 2011, 11:30am – 1:00pm in downtown Los Angeles, CA

Tues., July 26, 2011, 11:30am – 1:00pm in West Los Angeles, CA

Wed., Aug. 17, 2011, 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Wharton | San Francisco

Thurs., Aug. 25, 2011, 6:00pm – 8:00pm in Palo Alto, CA

Stay tuned for more information about additional locations and dates throughout the North America!

When Feng Deng applied to Wharton’s EMBA program in San Francisco, he was a successful entrepreneur running NetScreen Technologies in the Silicon Valley.  His company employed 1,000 people, but to eventually manage a larger team, he knew he needed a formal business education.

We proudly congratulate our newest Wharton MBA alumni!

They’ve accomplished so much in the last two years, balancing work, family, and the rigors of school. They commuted from near and far, many have gotten married, even more have expanded their families, and everyone has made life-long connections.

Coming from a diversity of backgrounds, the 96 students in our Wharton | San Francisco graduating class include successful entrepreneurs as well as executives working in fields like healthcare, technology, energy, consulting, and investment management.  During the program, four got married and 15 had babies with several more due this summer.

Most of these Wharton | San Francisco grads live in Silicon Valley, San Francisco and the greater Bay area, but many commuted from southern California as well as Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, Texas, and Washington.  And just under 40% of the class was comprised of international students.

Graduating in a May 8th ceremony at Herbst Memorial Theater in San Francisco, their featured commencement speaker was Larry Baer, President and COO of the San Francisco Giants.  29 of those graduates also attended the MBA graduation ceremony in Philadelphia, held on May 15th at the University of Pennsylvania’s historic Franklin Field, with many gathering at the Inn at Penn for a special celebratory breakfast with friends and family.  The East Coast ceremony featured keynote speaker Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citigroup.

The Philadelphia based East Coast class of 114 graduating students also represents a wide variety of industries including consulting, financial services, healthcare, aerospace, and real estate.  Similar to the West Coast class, many students expanded their families during the EMBA program, with seven students who were married and nine babies born.

Most of the Philadelphia class came from Northeast Corridor – Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., but several commuted from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and even Ontario, Canada.  International students represented more than 35% of the class.

Graduation is an exciting and important achievement and we wish everyone the best of luck!   Please stay in touch!

First-year executive MBA student Tim Goodwin, a program director at Yapstone in San Francisco, has always been involved in volunteer work. So when he heard about Wharton’s Nonprofit Board Leadership Program (NBLP), which selects and trains Wharton MBA students to serve on the boards of directors of nonprofit organizations for one year, he wanted to participate.

As social responsibility becomes a priority for both large organizations and new startups, the Wharton Program for Social Impact is likewise growing in popularity with current and prospective students. Raghavan Anand is a first-year Wharton | San Francisco Executive MBA student who has extensive experience in education- and healthcare-related non-profits.  He spoke to us about what social impact means to him.

When Bernadette Birt joined Wharton last September as COO of Wharton | San Francisco and executive director of the West Coast EMBA Program, she brought with her 20 years of experience working at Northwestern University, particularly in that school’s EMBA program. “This job at Wharton provided many exciting opportunities and I was ready to do something new,” she says. “Not only are we moving into a bigger facility, but we are growing the MBA for Executives Program and executive education offerings here as well as strengthening Wharton’s presence on the West Coast.” We asked Bernadette to talk more about her role at Wharton | San Francisco and what the new facility will be like.