Wharton San Francisco's new campus offers perks to students

After spending a little more than three months at Wharton San Francisco’s new campus, some students now consider it their second home.

Wharton San Francisco, which moved to its new campus on Jan. 2, features a myriad of high-tech classrooms, conference rooms and other resources that the previous campus did not provide. The current campus also facilitates collaboration between Wharton’s Philadelphia and San Francisco locations.

“We are better able to use technology to bridge the distance between campuses,” Wharton San Francisco Chief Operating Officer Bernadette Birt wrote in an email. “We love that the connected technology allows us to leverage the strengths of both coasts.”

Executive MBA student Lily Ng, who attended Wharton as an undergraduate, appreciates the spaciousness of the campus.

“It’s very airy and light,” she said. “The campus is a complete bonus because you get a great education in a very inviting environment.”

Ng also noted that the welcoming campus has helped her maintain focus during class.

“Our sessions are three-hour blocks of class. You start early and end really late,” she explained, adding that students in the Executive MBA program put in the same number of hours in class as traditional MBA students. “The general feel of the campus being a lighter area with more space, it makes it easier for you to power through those kinds of sessions.”

For Executive MBA student Madhurima Pawar, the best part about the campus has been the social opportunities it provides for students.

“What I like most is the gorgeous view, the whole facility layout and the spaciousness, which gives ample opportunity for students like us to mingle with others and have a good flow of ideas around,” she said.

In particular, the dining area stands out the most to Pawar among the many other aspects of the campus.

“The main dining area is a very good spot for social mingling,” she said. “There are rooms for each of the learning teams to share their ideas, which are pretty high-tech and have the latest equipment for us to come up with new ideas and engage with fellow classmates.”

Jared Peterson, another student in Wharton’s Executive MBA program, described the exclusivity of the campus.

“Everything about the campus, both facilities and staff are dedicated to the WEMBA program,” he wrote in an email. “It’s wonderful to have so many resources supporting your efforts to get an MBA. And as working professionals, many of us with families and other personal commitments, it’s nice to have space and resources completely dedicated to our program. It allows us to set everything else aside and focus on school.”

Overall, the campus’ accessibility and vibrant environment has made the Executive MBA experience for Ng and Pawar much more enjoyable.

“I definitely like the fact that there is a strong Wharton presence,” Ng said. “The big sign is outside, you know that we are really here and are committed to this campus and to this program,” Ng said.

“They really thought through all the minute details and made it a really convenient place,” Pawar added.

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