Wharton Dean Says ‘Change is Good’
Like many top MBA programs, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has seen a shift in the career focus of its students. Until just a few years ago, a quarter of Wharton MBAs went to work in investment banking. That figure is closer to 13% of this year’s graduates.
Now, says Wharton dean Thomas Robertson, a growing number of newly-minted MBAs are heading to technology fields and to companies that didn’t exist a decade or two ago.
Robertson also notes the rapid rise in entrepreneurship at Wharton, pointing out several initiatives that support students’ dreams of starting their own businesses, from the Semester in San Fransisco program to the Wharton Business Plan Competition to the Wharton Venture Initiation Program. In fact, Entrepreneurial Management is now one of the most popular majors within the MBA program, Robertson writes.
“Students’ interests are changing,” he explains. “In response, Wharton is evolving and innovating, while still keeping the quality of our applicant pool high. It is a transition we are embracing with enthusiasm.”
For more on the companies Wharton alumni have founded, and Robertson’s thoughts on Wharton’s data-driven approach to business, read his complete From the Dean post here.
