The Black Wharton Undergraduate Association celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday, bringing together current students, alumni, faculty, and corporate partners in the organization’s network.
The Nov. 8 event drew over 100 attendees and began with a keynote speech from Wharton Dean Erika James. Black Wharton members and alumni described the group’s history on campus and plans for the future in speeches at the gathering.
“Your achievements in business, finance, consulting, community leadership are wonderful examples of what happens when purpose meets preparation,” James said during her remarks. “Your continued engagement through mentorship, philanthropy and advocacy keeps this community thriving.”
Black Wharton board members — including College junior Zora Edwards, who served as chair of the 50th year celebration — spoke about the growth of the organization since its inception in 1975 through programs such as the Howard E. Mitchell Memorial Conference and the Black Ivy League Business Conference. Edwards noted that the group currently has over “200 active members, countless alumni supporters, and partnerships across industries.”
“Our founders set out to ensure that African American undergraduates across the University of Pennsylvania could achieve academic success, pursue professional excellence, and find strength in one another,” Edwards said.
A portion of the celebration was dedicated to remembering Black Wharton founder Harold Haskins who sought to increase Black student enrollment and retention rates at Penn through recruitment efforts and the development of new programs. 1974 Wharton graduate Dean Henry spoke about how Haskins improved the minority student experience at Penn over decades, describing a “transformation” on campus from the 1960s to the 2000s.
“It is difficult to start a movement from a standing-still posture and with institutional headwinds — even more difficult to ensure permanence long after you’re gone,” Henry said. “[Haskins] accomplished both.”
The Haskins family was also present at the event. Kristin Haskins spoke about her father’s legacy and shared remarks from her mother, Yvonne Haskins.
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“He had the foresight to lean forward in developing a lot of programs that would support students wherever they were and whatever their aspirations,” Haskins said on behalf of her mother. “Your leadership and participation in Black Wharton carry the traditions and legacies of excellence that you will be thankful to rely on after graduation.”
The event also included a series of speeches from Black Wharton alumni, who expressed their gratitude for the organization.
The planning process for the celebration took “about a year,” according to Edwards.
“We wanted to do this networking event to integrate our alumni and current undergraduate students because I think each of them can learn something from one another,” Edwards said in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian.
On Nov. 2, the Black Wharton Undergraduate Association’s Executive Board commemorated the organization’s decades on campus with a photo shoot outside College Hall.
“We want to make our mark and show that Black students are smart and we’re driven, and we know we’re valued and we belong here,” Edwards told the DP.
