Joseph Westphal, a former United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia, joined Penn's faculty this July as a professor at the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies.
The Lauder Institute is a dual-degree graduate program where students earn a master's degree in International Studies and either an MBA from the Wharton School or a JD from Penn Law School. Around 70 students participate in each cohort of the two-year program.
Lauder Institute Director Martine Haas announced Westphal's appointment as the program's inaugural Chang Sun Term Professor, effective July 1, 2019. Westphal is the Lauder Institute's first Senior Global Fellow, where he plans to help students forge connections in the fields of international affairs and military leadership. Westphal will also work to bring guest speakers to the Lauder Institute and serve as a senior fellow at Wharton's Center for Leadership and Change Management.
Westphal served as the United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia from March 2014 to January 2017. He previously served as acting secretary, undersecretary, and chief management officer of the United States Army, and he has held positions in five different presidential administrations.
“Ambassador Westphal exemplifies the very best of both the academy and public service," Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett said in a press release. "He is an exceptional scholar and global leader whose wealth of experience will propel Lauder to even greater heights.”
In 2018, the Lauder family concluded a five-year campaign to raise money for "innovation, visibility, and accessibility" at the Lauder Institute. This Lauder Institute Challenge raised $15 million, which the Lauder family matched dollar for dollar. The family also made a donation to renovate the Lauder Institute building.
Westphal's position was funded by 1989 Lauder Institute graduate Chang Sun.
“I am thrilled to have Ambassador Westphal at the Lauder Institute, where his first-hand knowledge on government and international affairs advances our work to develop global citizens into decision-makers,” Haas said in a Wharton press release. “Chang Sun is a deeply dedicated Lauder alumni leader, and I know I speak for our entire community in thanking him for his generosity and vision in investing in such esteemed faculty at Lauder.”
Correction: A previous version of this article included an incorrect timeline for Westphal's appointment as professor. Westphal's appointment was effective July 1, 2019.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate