Life at Lauder Archives

Congratulations to the Class of 2018!

Graduation was held on May 13, 2018, with Ronald Lauder as the Graduation Speaker. Wishing the very best to our newly minted grads!

Lauder Alumnus Profile: Davis Smith, ’11

Davis Smith, WG ’11, G ’11, founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, Inc. shares his experiences in the Lauder program. What were you doing and where were you living before you came to Wharton and Lauder? Before attending Wharton/Lauder, I was living in Salt Lake City, Utah where I was the…Read More

Lauder Student Profile: Michal Benedykcinski, ’19

A group of people taking a selfie in front of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. They appear happy and are enjoying their visit.

Michal Benedykcinski, ’19 is a student in the joint Wharton MBA and Lauder MA programs. At Lauder, he is a member of the Global Program of Concentration. Michal shares a bit about his experience in the Lauder program so far. What are some key reasons you chose the Lauder joint degree…Read More

Lauder Student Profile: Kartik Das, ’19

A small group of people smiling and sitting on a boat, wearing sunglasses. They are on a body of water with other boats and a cityscape in the background.

Kartik Das, ’19 is a student in the joint Wharton MBA and Lauder MA programs. At Lauder, he is a member of the South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa Program of Concentration with Hindi as his target language. Kartik shares a bit about his experience in the Lauder program…Read More

Why This Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Chose to Go to Business School

The image shows the exterior of a red brick building with large glass entry doors labeled "Jon M. Huntsman Hall."

When Shawn Xu, WG’19, G’19, chose to go to Wharton, many of his friends from Silicon Valley were against it. Now, he is more convinced than ever that he made the right choice. I finally took the plunge — I ignored many of my closest friends in Silicon Valley and decided…Read More

How This Lauder Vet Is Working to Create Life-Saving Devices for the Military

A person with a beard and a checkered shirt smiling in an office environment, with colleagues and computer stations in the background.

After more than six years as a Special Forces medical sergeant, Thomas Cavett, WG’18, G’18, decided to return to school. He is using his experiences and his time at Wharton to launch POWTI, the world’s first automated standalone traumatic injury detection device. Since arriving at Wharton, Lauder student Thomas Cavett, WG’18,…Read More

Lauder Student Profile: Julia Enyart, ’18

A scenic coastal view with mountains in the background, rolling hills with grass and rocks in the foreground, and a seaside town along a bay with clear skies above.

Julia Enyart, G18, WG18, joined the Wharton and Lauder programs in May of 2016 as one of the first members of our inaugural Africa program. She shares with us some of her insights and experience in the program thus far, as well as some tips for anyone considering applying to…Read More

Africa Program Blog: Human Capital and Financing

How African Private Sector is Addressing Obstacles to Growth “Welcome to our conference room,” Steve Beck said, beckoning to couches on the patio of his house-cum-office in Nairobi’s Karen suburb. “The heaters aren’t working at the moment, but would anyone like a Masaai blanket?” Looking out over his backyard, we…Read More

Language Immersion in Colombia

The image shows the flag of Colombia, featuring horizontal stripes of yellow, blue, and red waving against a blue sky with clouds.

A wise Colombian tour guide one said that to speak more than one language is to physically divide oneself in two — and to experience the world as two separate beings. During our time in Cartagena this summer, I couldn’t help but think of the city as having a split…Read More

MBA/MA Students Join Lauder’s First Korean Language Program

A cityscape with a road in the foreground, trees lining both sides, and several cars driving. Buildings and a hill are visible in the background under a dusky sky.

Both Ellen Hahm, C’12, WG’19, G’19, and Amy Kim, WG’19, G’19, grew up in expat American communities and attended international schools in South Korea, but until they came to Wharton and Lauder, neither had experienced immersive Korean language academics. Ellen and Amy are the first two students in Lauder’s Korean…Read More