While Wharton Women, Penn’s largest paid-member organization, is often associated with providing career and networking opportunities to members of the Penn community, its reach goes beyond Penn.
On Friday, the group hosted Dollar Diva for girls from five different Philadelphia-area high schools. At Dollar Diva, the participants were taught lessons about everything from the value of a dollar to the first steps in applying for college financial aid.
“We give a seminar on managing personal finances,” Wharton senior and Wharton Women President Lauren Fleischer explained, as she discussed the event.
Tamala Jones, a George Washington High School senior who attended, said she enjoyed learning about college financial aid. She said one of her life goals is to attend college and she would not be able to do this without financial aid.
One of the day’s events was “The Price is Right,” a game based on the television show.
“They’re shocked to hear how expensive some things are and how it adds up,” Fleischer said about the game. She added that it taught the girls to “realize the value of every dollar you are spending.”
The participants also viewed two PowerPoint presentations, titled “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and “Show Me the Money.” These segments aimed to teach the girls the importance of savvy spending.
Wharton Women also helps its own members through ways of networking. The group hosts alumnae and successful females in different business fields, specifically to talk to its members in events throughout the school year.
“They have a great mentoring program, and it’s always helpful to have an upperclassman’s view about classes,” said Erin Cooney, a Wharton freshmen and Wharton Women member.
Wharton Women plans to hold more conferences like Dollar Diva at different schools during the spring semester.
