Wharton Stories: Social Impact

Emily Grossarth, C’24, W’24, may be a beach girl but she’s no beach bum. She founded the Penn Surf Club and runs a surf school for young girls in her Jersey hometown.

‘Surf Club Girl’ Is Riding the Waves at Penn

“We need to use analytics to help people understand why diversity, inclusion, and belonging is important but there are practical systemic realities that inhibit it, and why we need to re-code the system with first principles and new frameworks to make a difference!” said Shujaat Ahmad, WG’17.

How this Alumnus is Merging People Analytics with Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Jay Bishen, WG’22, reflects on his internship at the Development Finance Corporation, a U.S. government agency.

Investing in Emerging Markets One Social Enterprise at a Time

Hamsa Bastani, assistant professor of operations, information, and decisions at Wharton, discusses key findings from her research on how deep web data and machine learning can help law enforcement agencies investigate and intervene in human trafficking.

Research Spotlight: Prof. Hamsa Bastani on Using Machine Learning To Combat Human Trafficking

Medical student Medha Sharma joined the Fund for Health to support Penn’s investment in the social determinants of health. She shares her methodology for finding and investing in companies that make a difference.

How I Found That Deal: Impact Investing in the Social Determinants of Health

In Wharton Social Impact’s Dollars and Change podcast, Vice Dean Katherine Klein talks with leaders and researchers about the power of business and finance to drive positive societal and environmental change.

2021 Year in Review: Dollars and Change Podcast

The field of gender lens investing is growing. A new report by Wharton Social Impact and Catalyst at Large analyzes data from over 200 funds and shares key numbers and trends.

New Gender Lens Investing Research: Insights from Project Sage 4.0

Stacy Shimanuki, C’24, W’24, writes about her summer working on a Wharton Social Impact Research Experience project on the financial inclusion of migrant workers in Singapore.

Spending a Summer in Singapore To Conduct Social Impact Research

Lindsey Cameron, assistant professor of management at Wharton, discusses key findings from her research on how drivers in the gig economy create “workplace games” to find control and meaning in their work.

Research Spotlight: Prof. Lindsey Cameron on Drivers in the Gig Economy

Caroline Culmo, W’24, C’24 discusses how her impact investing experience at the Fund for Health helped her learn about the private sector’s role in reimagining health equity.

How Working With the Fund for Health Reshaped My Understanding of Health Equity