The Wharton School Announces Start Of First West Coast Executive MBA Class

Business Wire, August 8, 2001

Business Editors

PHILADELPHIA & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 8, 2001

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania today announced the start of its first West Coast class of executive MBA (WEMBA) students.

Classes begin Aug. 26 at "Wharton West," with 65 students at the School's new location in San Francisco.

Whether based in San Francisco or Wharton's home campus in Philadelphia, WEMBA offers qualified candidates the same program, faculty and degree as Wharton's world-class MBA program. WEMBA's two-year program is designed for the working professional and provides the value of a full-time Wharton MBA education to experienced managers with high growth potential.

Vice Dean of Wharton West, Leonard Lodish, stated, "Through Wharton West initiatives such as WEMBA, we are committed to bringing a higher level of business expertise to emerging and developing industries and business activities in the region."

Dean of the Wharton School, Patrick Harker, stated that as a global leader in management education, Wharton should be closely involved with one of the world's most important hubs of technological and economic activity on the West Coast. Wharton alumni have a significant presence in the region, contributing both new talent and senior leadership to virtually every industry. They currently number 8,000 in the West, with more than 5,500 in California. This past year, 18 percent of Wharton's graduating MBA class and 11 percent of Wharton undergraduates accepted positions with companies in the western U.S.

"In effect, Wharton West just gives our involvement a tangible presence and enables it to continue to grow," stated Harker, noting that dozens of Wharton faculty are working with companies across the region from technology and telecommunications firms to the financial services, energy, and media and entertainment sectors. In addition, executive education is increasingly dealing with concerns of West Coast firms.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized around the world for its academic strengths across every major discipline and at every level of business education. Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school in the nation, Wharton has approximately 4,600 undergraduate, MBA and doctoral students, more than 8,000 participants in its executive education programs annually, and an alumni network of more than 75,000 worldwide. In addition, Wharton has nearly 250 standing and associated faculty, 11 academic departments, and 17 research centers.

For more information on Wharton West and the WEMBA program, please visit: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/wemba/west.html http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/wemba/