Wharton Retail Club is a student club at the University of Pennsylvania, facilitating the personal and career development of students interested in retail by building a network of exceptional undergraduates, faculty, and retail professionals.
Mission/Vision
The Wharton Retail Club, a dynamic student organization at the University of Pennsylvania, is dedicated to nurturing the personal and professional growth of students passionate about the retail industry. Our mission is to create a vibrant network that connects exceptional undergraduates, esteemed faculty, and accomplished retail professionals, fostering a community of collaboration and shared expertise.
Through our diverse range of programs and initiatives, we strive to provide our members with opportunities to immerse themselves in the fast-paced world of retail. From thought-provoking speaker events featuring industry leaders to personalized mentorship programs, exclusive industry treks, and hands-on projects, we offer a comprehensive platform for students to gain invaluable insights and practical experience.
Our Overarching Goal
To expose students to the wide array of opportunities within the retail industry through engaging events such as speaker sessions, informational meetings, panels, and participation in our seven specialized committees.
When people think of retail, they often think of fashion or customer service roles. However, the retail industry encompasses much more, including exciting and dynamic careers in areas such as finance, marketing, supply chain management, and technology. We aim to broaden our members' perspectives on the retail sector by showcasing diverse career paths.
Our Seven Committees
Internal Operations: Responsible for planning internal events to foster a strong sense of community among club members. Oversees the General Body Membership program (GBM), plans meetings, manages the club's listserv, and coordinates all social events.
Research: The research committee will focus on rundowns of retail news, global retail trends, analysis of successful retail strategies, planning Q&A sessions with professionals or alumni, retail hacks, retail recruitment opportunities, etc. These will be compiled as a newsletter, blog, and educational video series.
Consulting: The Consulting Committee of the Wharton Retail Club is dedicated to providing strategic advisory services to retail companies. Each semester, the committee is divided into teams, with each team assigned to work with a specific retail company. These teams work on semester-long projects, focusing on key areas of improvement identified by the company, such as social media marketing, search engine optimization, influencer collaborations, B2B partnerships, distribution channels, etc. Led by a project lead, the team completes targeted deliverables, ultimately providing valuable insights and recommendations to enhance the company's operations.
Corporate Outreach: The corporate outreach facilitates collaborations with retail companies to organize panels, recruiting events, and speaker events. We will also work on obtaining corporate sponsors for our club.
Events: The Events Committee plans various creative events for our club members, from informal gatherings to more structured activities. We organize events such as guest speakers from the retail concentration, collaborations with other clubs, and our annual NYC Trek. We handle everything from company outreach and destination planning to managing transportation, participant selection, and itinerary development for the Trek.
Marketing: The WRC Marketing Committee is responsible for growing WRC's presence on campus to be the first stop for all Penn students interested in retail. This consists of creating and designing posts, brainstorming new ideas for content, and collaborating with team members.
Finance: The finance committee is responsible for planning, budgeting, and allocating our semesterly club budget, planning and organizing fundraisers, and developing corporate sponsorships.
Our GBM Program
All undergaduate students are welcome to be a part of our General Body Membership (GBM) program. Our GBM program consists of attendance at our tri-weekly GBMs, info sessions, recruiting events, panels, and club socials.
This is a good fit for those who want to learn more about the retail industry, but are looking for something with a lower time commitment than a committee.