Legal Studies and Business Ethics professor Diana Robertson was recently named the Bozza Family Penn First Plus faculty co-director.
Robertson formerly served as vice dean and director of the Wharton Undergraduate Division, and has been a member of the school's standing faculty since 2008. Her tenure, which began on Sept. 8, follows the departure of former director Russell Composto to begin his new role as vice provost of undergraduate education.
In a Sept. 16 announcement, Provost John Jackson Jr. recognized Robertson as one of the University’s “most distinguished teachers and mentors.”
“I am deeply grateful to her for joining the leadership of Penn First Plus after her outstanding term as vice dean and director of the undergraduate division at Wharton,” Jackson wrote. “Her dedication to students at every level—combined with her scholarly engagement with sociology and ethics—make her an ideal leader for this essential work.”
Penn First Plus is a program that works to help make the undergraduate experience more accessible and affordable for first-generation, low-income students. The program includes initiatives such as the Pre-First Year and College Achievement programs that aim to support students from “limited-income and modest financial resources.”
In a written statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Robertson noted that she has prioritized “listening and learning as much as possible” from her colleagues at Penn First Plus.
“I have a great deal to learn from them about how to advance the successful work of Penn First Plus to its next stage,” Robertson added.
As vice dean and director of the undergraduate division, Robertson supported FGLI students by helping to recognize Wharton FGLI as an official division-sponsored organization and helping create a fund to support Wharton students.
Robertson stepped down from her role at the undergraduate division in June 2025. Marketing professor Cait Lamberton assumed the position shortly after.
“Early in my recent role as Vice Dean, I became acutely aware of the challenges facing Penn students who identify as first-generation to college and/or come from low-income backgrounds,” Robertson wrote. “I was especially concerned about the hidden costs associated with attending Penn—including course fees and co-curricular opportunities, both domestic and global—that were often out of reach for FGLI students.”
Robertson wrote that her “teaching philosophy” has informed the way she has approached her new role and implemented “initiatives based on [student] input.” She emphasized the importance of addressing the “unique experiences and needs” of students “inside and outside the classroom.”
“I am prioritizing meeting students and hearing their stories,” she wrote. “Our Penn First Plus students add to the vibrancy of our community and each one has an amazing story.”
