Vice Dean and Director of the Wharton Undergraduate Division Diana Robertson has launched an innovative series, Lunch with VDR, designed to foster interactive engagement with students this semester.
She has met with small groups of seven students from the introductory course "Wharton 1010: Business and You" three times to date. Despite the large class size, Robertson said she is committed to getting to know students throughout the semester, discussing their living situations, study habits, backgrounds, and what they value about their experiences at Penn and Wharton.
The lunches are also designed to cultivate a sense of community among the students, many of whom might not interact otherwise. Robertson believes these interactions help build relationships and reinforce the strength and warmth of the Wharton community, particularly for first-year students.
“Our Wharton undergrad students are amazing. When I meet with students in a small group like this and I hear their stories, I just want to reinforce that this is an incredible community, and I’m so happy when I see that first-year students are enjoying it and finding it exciting,” Robertson said.
Wharton first-year Anushka Tripathi reflected on her lunch experience and said it made the administration seem more approachable and supportive, countering any perceptions of intimidation.
“It helped us get comfortable with the idea that administration can seem scary at times, and talking to the faculty can seem scary, but at the end of the day, they’re there to help us,” Tripathi said.
Tripathi also said that she benefited from the lunch when applying for the Wharton Dean’s Advisory Board, as she had already connected with administrators she would be working with over the next four years.
“These lunches are going to have a positive impact on Wharton students, because it’s a very tangible and hands-on way of making sure that everyone feels like their voices are heard,” Tripathi said.
Wharton first-year Nina Rawal shared that Robertson highlighted several academic and extracurricular opportunities, like the Wharton International Program, which aligned with her interests and led to her planning a trip to London.
Rawal also made a close friend during the lunches, with whom she now regularly meets for dinner. She encouraged other students to sign up for the lunches, as they have a friendly and informal atmosphere.
Robertson plans to continue the initiative, looking forward to more such interactions in the coming weeks.
“It’s so enjoyable and fun for me to get to talk to students and hear what’s on students' minds. It’s just always the highlight of my day … The lunches are to understand what students are experiencing, and it’s so helpful to me in my role, because my role is to support our students,” she said.
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