Today we’re doing something a little different: a deep dive into a specific program at Wharton. It’s a program that reveals a lot about Wharton’s culture, which also gives us insight into what the Wharton admissions committee is looking for.

Commitment. Purpose. Meaning. These are all terms that are bandied about amidst the fake news, leaks, tweets and headlines that take up so much of our attention. And let’s face it on a personal level, we all have made New Year’s Resolutions that lasted until January 2. However, we’ve also made other commitments, deeper commitments that we stick to. Benjamin Franklin wrote down four resolutions at the age of 20 and they became his “Plan of Conduct” throughout his long life. Franklin also founded the University of Pennsylvania, which is home to the Wharton School and its innovative Commitment Project. And that’s what we’re going to learn about in this show.

Today’s guests are Wharton’s Professor G. Richard Shell and Wharton Commitment.

Project founder Siamak Sarvari. Professor Shell began his professorial career at Wharton in 1986 and became the Thomas Gerrity Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics and Management in 2001. He’s written five books on negotiations, persuasion and personal success and won many, many teaching awards during his career.

Siamak Sarvari earned his bachelors and masters degrees in EE, the latter from the U of Toronto in 2010. He then worked as an engineer and project manager until coming to Wharton in 2015. In winter 2017, he found himself in Prof Shell’s class, and we’re going to learn what followed in just a second.

Professor Shell and Siamak, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk!

Siamak, what is the Wharton Commitment Project? [3:00]

WCP is a student-led initiative to encourage Wharton MBA students to reflect on their personal values, life goals, priorities, and commitments as they complete their graduate education and get ready for their post-MBA life. It’s a simple process: we ask what are your personal commitments as you think about your life beyond Wharton? We invite students to write down up to five commitments (up to 50 characters each). It concludes with a final ceremony where students share their commitments with a partner. WCP also awards a memento to each participant – a metal business card with their commitment inscribed on the back.

Do you have the card? [4:30]

Yes, I have it in my wallet. We also give them a certificate. But the card is a useful reminder.

Professor Shell, from your perspective, what is the WCP? [5:00]

It’s a great initiative, coming out of an evolving Wharton student culture.

Wharton’s famous for being a pathway to Wall St. But the financial crisis created a tectonic shirt – there’s now more of a multifaceted range of aspirations. So I think this part of that evolving student experience.

It’s a bottom-up experience: something students created as a way to highlight their values and goals. And it’s a values-based experience. So it’s addressing a larger interest in having careers be meaningful and finding work-life balance.

I think it’s something really distinctive about Wharton.

How did it come about, Siamak? [8:25]

The idea came to my mind during one of Prof. Shell’s classes – Responsibility in Business. Prof. Shell was talking about commitments and values in business, and mentioned the white coat ceremony, etc. I thought the idea could be applied in business. Many business students will be leaders in various fields, and having something like this that they will re...