Getting into the world’s best business school is no easy task. The Wharton School MBA Admissions Office works just as hard, not only to admit the very best students, but to ensure they attend. WCNY assists Admissions to close the deal, in strategic ways.

A display of this cooperation is the newly admitted student receptions, held in partnership with all alumni clubs from Mumbai to Manhattan. On Thursday, April 4, The Wharton Club of New York hosted 130 new MBA admits at the Penn Club. Everyone mingled for an hour, while enjoying an excellent buffet put on by the Club. Ankur Kumar, C’00, W’00, WG’07, Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, opened the evening by welcoming the new admits. Kenny Beck, WG’87, President of the WCNY, then went around the room asking new admits to introduce themselves, which they clearly enjoyed, and then offered some personal stories about the depth and breadth of the power of the Wharton Alumni Association. Regina Jaslow, W’97; Charles Forgang, W’78; Jennifer Gregoriou, W’78; and Lauren Cochran, WG’09, offered their experiences at the school and in the Wharton alumni community. The evening wrapped up with new admits and alumni breaking into small groups to continue discussions.

As Director of Member Marketing for the Penn Club, Regina has gained a long term perspective. “Having the Wharton Club of New York host the annual MBA admits event at the Penn Club is a fabulous way not only to welcome the admits, but also to introduce them to the greater Penn community that Wharton alumni get to tap into. Wharton has 91,000 alumni worldwide (30,000 in the NY metro area) and Penn has 290,000 alumni worldwide (54,000 in the NY metro area). These numbers and the New York club emphasize to these admits the strength of our alumni community as compelling reasons to enroll at Wharton. I asked Ankur about the value of these welcome receptions. She believes alumni clubs’ participation in this process is essential. “Candidates are eager to meet alumni and learn about their experiences at Wharton and after. WCNY Helps Close the Deal On Bringing the Best and Brightest to Ensure They Attend Wharton! “The student shared that she had chosen Wharton over another program because of that evening and, specifically, as a result of the accessibility of our alumni at the event.” Kenny Beck, WG’87, President of WCNY, regales and beckons!

The receptions are an incredible opportunity for our admitted students to receive that firsthand perspective.” “Whether they are looking to return to New York, or to cities around the globe, they have the opportunity to meet and build relationships with alumni. For our alumni, these events provide meaningful ways to engage with new students and provide mentorship as they embark on their MBA journey. We’re lucky to have such a diverse alumni community, who hail from every part of the globe and every industry, and who are so engaged with the School.”

”The two receptions that the WCNY hosted are vital because New York is our largest market, and wonderful because of the way they personalize the conversation about Wharton. We’ve heard students rave about their experiences at the New York receptions.” Regarding how the receptions support those who have committed to attend as well as those who are still deciding, Ankur explained: “Candidates are in various phases of their decision making, so these events are about celebrating with them, welcoming them and helping them learn more about Wharton.” I have seen the power of these interactions, whether that means they made a new connection, or learned something about an industry in their city that impacts their experience — or for those still making up their minds, they had a conversation that helped them make a fully informed decision.”

Kenny Beck notes, “Ankur Kumar and her team do a phenomenal job. Add to that the talent and volunteer efforts of Jennifer, Lauren and their team, and you really have something special. We do this because we want to prepare prospective students to become productive members of our amazing alumni community. The candidates tell us no other school does anything close to this. It is great for the school, great for the admits, and great for the WCNY.”

“The WCNY University Relations Committee, responsible for all communications with the University, organized this year’s event” explained Jennifer Gregoriou, WCNY Vice President of Programming. “Gilles Guillon, WG’04, and Ade Adedeji, WG’06, deserve credit for developing strong relationships between the Wharton School and the WCNY over the years they headed the University Relations Committee. That torch was passed this past admissions cycle to Lauren Cochran, who brought her professionalism to these two receptions. Lauren took the time to meet one of the attending students after the reception. The student shared that she had chosen Wharton over another program because of that evening and, specifically, as a result of the accessibility of our alumni at the event. Looking forward, Lauren and the University Relations Committee are exploring ways for alumni engagement with some new initiatives and, of course, looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2016.”