At Wharton, we are focused on building a faculty, student body and staff reflective of the world’s richness of identity and thought. We strive to create an atmosphere where the entire Wharton community is empowered to do their best work, to bring their authentic selves to their efforts both locally and globally, and to make an impact in the business world.
A commitment to diversity can yield the greatest impact in places where everyone feels welcome to contribute, and confident they will be heard – where everyone has room to belong. This type of impact is not achieved through one-time measures, which is why Wharton works consistently and continually to bring this mission to the forefront of our efforts. Ensuring the charge is intentionally woven through the fabric of our activities is our ongoing objective, with the goal of creating an institution we are all proud to call our own.
“Creating a truly inclusive environment requires intentional and sustained efforts. I am enthusiastic about working towards this goal in partnership with the Wharton community.”
— Renita Miller, Wharton Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Renita Miller is the inaugural Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In this new role and as a member of Wharton’s senior leadership team, Renita is responsible for leading and developing the comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans, partnerships, programs, and initiatives for the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the Wharton community.
New Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum
Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, Wharton announced an undergraduate concentration and an MBA major that will provide in-depth foundations for those interested in the complex relationships between business and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Review the new curriculum for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Wharton: A Closer Look
Through dozens of events, programs, partnerships, and organizations, we are continuously working to build a dynamic and purposeful community.
Fostering diversity among faculty and throughout coursework
- Wharton is a member of The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, which provides resources and support around integrating into the faculty body and achieving work-life balance.
- Wharton is among the PhD Project’s expansive network of supporters, sponsors, and universities who help underrepresented minorities attain their business PhD and become the business professors who will mentor the next generation of leaders.
- Wharton’s Initiatives for Teaching And Learning Excellence encourages professors to consider diversity and representation when creating their academic programs.
- The Wharton School’s innovative partnership with Morgan State University, an historically black university in Baltimore, is a mutually beneficial exchange of business education resources and insight into the value that diversity brings to the business world.
Expanding opportunities for diverse leaders through non-degree programs
- High School: Wharton’s Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program encourages youth of diverse backgrounds to pursue undergraduate degrees in business, while the Summer Math and Science Honors (SMASH) program strives to fill the gaps in secondary education that can otherwise render students underprepared for a business education.
- Executive Education: Women’s Executive Leadership: Business Strategies for Success helps female business leaders gain invaluable insight into their personal leadership styles and career strengths, and master the building blocks of business acumen.
Initiating conversations through conferences and events
- An expansion of the Tarnopol Dean’s Lecture Series, Beyond Business is an ongoing conversation that explores the most complex and pressing issues impacting individuals and organizations across the world.
- Conferences such as Leading Diversity@Wharton, the Howard E. Mitchell Memorial Conference, the Black Ivy League Business Conference, the Whitney M. Young Memorial Conference, the Wharton Women’s Summit, and the Women in Business Academia Conference cultivate connections among students, alumni, and members of the business community while adding the richness of the Wharton experience.
- The Undergraduate Diversity and Inclusion Speakers Fund supports student-run speaker events that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and that encourage dialogue and community engagement.
- Wharton Women at the undergraduate level and Wharton Women in Business for MBA student support, empower, and connect women with personal and professional development.
- One Wharton Week is dedicated to student-initiated programming about inclusion and managing across differences.
- Women’s Circles provide Wharton alumnae with a network of support and empowerment.
- Introduction to Diversity in Doctoral Education and Scholarship, or IDDEAS, is a two-day program that seeks to introduce a diverse group of promising undergraduate students to business research at the doctoral level to ultimately encourage student and faculty diversity.
Leveraging the Power of Penn
- As an integral member of the Penn community, the Wharton School shares the university’s commitment to understanding and appreciating diversity. Penn has become a best-practice model in this arena, and its leadership informs and enriches our own efforts to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
- The Penn Program for Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to take an interdisciplinary approach to a variety of topics concerning gender, race, sexuality, and women in society, culture, history, and language.
- The Penn Women’s Center promotes gender justice and empowers, supports, and advances personal and professional development for women and female identified persons. Students, staff, and faculty of all genders and identities are welcome.
- La Casa Latina is the Center for Hispanic Excellence. Not only is it a supportive environment where all students are welcomed and engaged, it also plays a role in promoting greater awareness of Latinx issues, culture, and identity at Penn.
- The University welcomes differently abled students and is committed to providing the same exceptional opportunities to all Penn students.
- Critical to diversity on campus is our location within the diverse city of Philadelphia, whose business community has the opportunity to lead the nation by example and make the case for why inclusion of all races, ethnicities, sexual identities, and abilities is good for business.
Our Partnerships
AltFinance is an industry-first initiative designed to diversify the alternative investment industry by attracting, training, and providing career opportunities for students attending three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Founding firms Apollo Global Management, Inc., Ares Management Corporation, and Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. contributed $90 million to the 10-year initiative. In collaboration, Wharton’s AltFinance virtual institute offers educational materials and tools for HBCU students to excel in the industry.
Ninety To Zero provides a roadmap for companies and organizations to drive change now with a goal of eliminating the 90% racial wealth gap between white and Black Americans. Wharton, the lead research partner, is joined by renowned organizations including Goldman Sachs, Starbucks, ACLU, McKinsey & Company, and Children’s Defense Fund in a collective effort to advance racial equity.
The National Education Equity Lab, a national education justice nonprofit funded by the Gates Foundation, brings college credit-bearing courses from the nation’s top colleges to high school students in historically underserved communities. In collaboration, Wharton is designing and delivering customized courses to select students and high schools around the country.
Rooted in the bold vision that “all Philadelphia students graduate high school and achieve economic mobility through college and workforce success,” Heights’ work reflects a deep and abiding commitment to break the cycle of generational poverty, which has long challenged the City of Philadelphia. Heights connects students from historically underserved communities with a network of people who believe, and invest in, their talents.