Wharton MBA Opportunity Weeks provide students with valuable time to explore unique programming throughout the semester, both credit-bearing and extracurricular. Occurring four times during an academic year, these weeks give students time off from their regular academic schedule, providing autonomy to enrich their Wharton experience on their own terms. Many students will use these weeks to travel abroad with a Global Immersion Program (GIP) or Global Modular Course (GMC), sharpen their leadership skills in real time through a Leadership Venture, recruit for internships or a post-MBA role, travel with a student club, or enjoy some much-deserved down time.
To learn more about the many ways MBA students utilize Opportunity Weeks, we asked five current students how they spent their last Opportunity Week in October, and how they plan to spend their next one in January.
Sunny Jiang, WG’24
Major: Operations, Information, & Decisions
Career Plans: Consulting
How did you spend Opportunity Week in October?
My first year I spent the October Opportunity Week recruiting for internships. This past October, I went on a Leadership Venture to the Atacama Desert.
What are your plans for Opportunity Week in January?
Last January I participated in a Global Modular Course in Paris that was life changing! This upcoming January, I’m excited to go on another Leadership Venture sailing Tall Ships around New Zealand.
What do you feel are the best benefits of Opportunity Weeks?
Leadership Ventures have been my best experiences at Wharton; leveraging Opportunity Weeks to expand my global horizon, build connections, challenging myself, and hone leadership skills.
Macaela Seward Schumacher, WG’24
Majors: Business, Energy, Environment, & Sustainability (BEES), Marketing
Career Plans: Consumer Packaged Goods
How did you spend Opportunity Week in October?
Last October I spent Opportunity Week recruiting. This past October, I spent time traveling in Peru with business school friends.
What are your plans for Opportunity Week in January?
Last year I was traveling with a GIP and going straight into internship interviews! This year I will be attending a Leadership Venture in Antarctica and then traveling to the Patagonia region.
What advice would you give to future students on how to make the most of their Opportunity Weeks?
My first year, Opportunity Week was all about dialing into the recruiting process and exploring what companies were good fits/interviewing. It’s a great time to focus on your job search because you can quiet a lot of the noise from the rest of your MBA life. I’m excited this year to take advantage of personal travel with friends as well as a Leadership Venture. Opportunity Weeks are a great way to build in some stretch experiences and travel to hard-to-reach places because you have so much time off from class.
Christopher Maddox, WG’24
Majors: Real Estate, Finance
Career Plans: Private Equity/Venture Capital
How did you spend Opportunity Week in October?
I traveled to South Africa with a small group of second year MBA students.
What are your plans for Opportunity Week in January?
I’ll be participating in the Saudi Arabia Trek and then going skiing in Chamonix!
What do you feel are the best benefits of these weeks?
The biggest benefit is having extended quality time with your classmates to solidify connections made in class by exploring new cultures together.
Max Kneis, WG’24
Majors: Management, Marketing
Career Plans: Consulting
How did you spend Opportunity Week in October?
I took a trip with friends to the Azores in Portugal.
What are your plans for Opportunity Week in January?
I’ll be participating in a GIP in India, then going on a European Ski Trek with Wharton Ski Club!
What advice would you give to future students on how to make the most of their Opportunity Weeks?
These are great times to travel, building meaningful relationships and deeper connections away from the hustle and bustle of school. These trips have really accelerated bonding and I’ve left every single one closer with at least 2-3 people who I then regularly engage with back at Wharton.
Lucy An, WG24
Major: Business Analytics
Career Plans: Health Care, Consulting
How did you spend Opportunity Week in October?
I traveled to Greece with some friends.
What are your plans for Opportunity Week in January?
I’m excited to ski in Switzerland on the Wharton Ski Club Trek!
What advice would you give to future students on how to make the most of their Opportunity Weeks?
If you’re not using the time to recruit, use the week to travel and bond with your classmates! I know I won’t have dedicated leisure periods like this once I rejoin the workforce, so I’m trying to take full advantage of every one of these weeks.
To learn more about Opportunity Weeks, visit here. Connect with any of the students featured in this story here.
— Abby Behrends
Posted: January 9, 2024
