Wharton graduate and financial educator Brandon Copeland will be the commencement speaker for the 2023 Wharton undergraduate ceremony in Philadelphia (Photo courtesy of Brandon Copeland).
The Wharton School has announced its 2023 Commencement speakers for its MBA, Executive MBA, and undergraduate ceremonies.
2013 Wharton graduate and financial educator Brandon Copeland will speak at the undergraduate ceremony, and Thasunda Brown Duckett, executive of the financial service organization TIAA, will speak at the MBA ceremony. Both events will take place on May 14.
Copeland, a three-time Ivy League champion, spent 10 years playing in the NFL. He advocates for financial literacy by speaking to high school students, writing for the business publication Kiplinger, and leading various workshops. A member of CNBC’s Financial Wellness Council, he also co-founded Beyond the Basics, which aims to provide resources to underserved communities. Copeland recently taught a financial literacy course at Penn called "Life 101" in collaboration with Brian Peterson, director of the Makuu: The Black Cultural Center.
Duckett is the president and CEO of TIAA, which aims to help clients invest towards a secure retirement. She currently holds positions on the boards of Nike and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization. Duckett also serves as an appointee on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Deloitte CEO Lara Abrash will deliver the keynote speech for the Wharton MBA Executive Philadelphia ceremony on May 13.
As CEO of the Deloitte United States Audit & Assurance practice, Abrash has led the organization in advancing technology and innovation in the audit profession. In addition to serving on the board of the Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society, Abrash also works closely with the New Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Girls Inc., and Girls Who Code as part of her commitment to advancing innovation and inclusion.
The speaker at the Wharton Executive MBA ceremony in San Francisco on May 6 will be 1992 and 1997 Wharton graduate Ravi Ahuja. The commencement marks the program’s 22nd year in operation.
Ahuja, who holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from Wharton, has served as chairman of Sony Pictures’ Global Television Studios and Corporate Development since 2021. He previously worked as CFO of Walt Disney Television and played a crucial role in its successful merger with Fox Networks. He also spent 12 years at Fox, where he oversaw the company’s business development and led investments in Roku and DraftKings.
“Our Graduation speakers bring a diverse range of business acumen and embody the values we strive to uphold each day—innovative thinking, resilient leadership, and global collaboration,” Wharton said in a press release.
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