• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Leadership

Wharton Students Blast Alum Donald Trump in an Open Letter

By
John A. Byrne
John A. Byrne
and
Poets&Quants
Poets&Quants
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John A. Byrne
John A. Byrne
and
Poets&Quants
Poets&Quants
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 11, 2016, 2:57 PM ET
Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center, Wednesday, July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)Photograph by John Minchillo—AP
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

More than 2,000 current students and alumni of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business have condemned Donald Trump in an open letter to the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Under the heading “You Do Not Represent Us,” the signatories to the letter tell Trump that they are “deeply disappointed” in his candidacy.

“We, proud students, alumni, and faculty of Wharton, are outraged that an affiliation with our school is being used to legitimize prejudice and intolerance,” the letter reads. “Although we do not aim to make any political endorsements with this letter, we do express our unequivocal stance against the xenophobia, sexism, racism, and other forms of bigotry that you have actively and implicitly endorsed in your campaign.”

More from Poets&Quants: Confessions Of A U.S. Army Vet Who Went To Harvard Business School

The signatories include Samir Nurmohamed, an assistant professor of management at Wharton; Katherine Klein, a management professor; and several administrators, including Allie Harcharek Ilagan, manager of marketing and communications for the Wharton Social Impact Initiative; and Stephanie Kim, an associate director of the same initiative. Most support for the document appears to come from current or recently graduated students, such as Christine Goldrick, a joint MBA/MPA candidate who graduates next year; and Zach Kahn, who was president of the Wharton Graduate Association, the MBA student association on campus. Several dozen chose to remain anonymous.

While the open letter is still gaining traction, the 2,063 persons who signed the document as of Monday represent only a small fraction of the Wharton community. The school currently boasts 4,931 students in degree programs, including 2,503 undergrads and 1,788 MBAs, and more than 450 standing and non-standing faculty. The school’s alumni base is composed of some 94,000 people. Those who signed the letter have strong feelings about Trump’s candidacy. Still, on Friday, not many more than 600 had signed the open letter.

“I want the world to know that Trump’s values do not represent the larger Wharton community,” says Elea McDonnell Feit, former director of Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative. An FAQ section for the open letter notes that it “reflects the personal views and opinions of the signatories only and is not affiliated with The Wharton School. The Wharton School takes no political position and does not comment on its students, alumni, or faculty.”

More from Poets&Quants:The Toughest Challenges MBAs Face In Business School

Trump, who started his undergraduate education at Fordham University and transferred to Wharton as a junior, graduated from the school as an economics major in 1968. He has not been shy about trumpeting his Ivy League pedigree on the campaign trail. “I went to the Wharton School of Finance, the toughest place to get into. I was a great student,” he has said. He’s called Wharton “super genius stuff.” Accused of making a vulgar comment, he responded: “Who would say that? I went to the Wharton School of Finance!”

Officially, the school has remained tight-lipped about Trump. Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett has been careful not to publicly say anything that could be interpreted as a sign of disapproval of the candidate. Junior Corey Stern, who wrote a story about Trump’s connections to the school for the student newspaper The Daily Pennsylvanian, has said that the university administration “refused to comment in any capacity, even to say that he was a graduate or served on a board.”

More from Poets&Quants: Elon Musk & Sheryl Sandberg Most Admired Business Leaders By MBAs

In the past, Wharton has both celebrated and praised Trump. In commemorating its 125th anniversary in 2007, the school included the candidate in a listing of its 125 most influential alumni. The school’s alumni magazine touted him as “the best known brand name in real estate.”

It’s not unusual for business school students to hold views that are on the left end of the political spectrum. In 2012, Harvard Business School MBAs overwhelmingly favored President Obama over HBS alum Mitt Romney. A survey by the student newspaper, The Harbus, found that Obama had the support of 65% of the students versus 32% for Romney.

This article originally appeared on Poets&Quants.

About the Authors
By John A. Byrne
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Poets&Quants
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

lb
PoliticsCongress
Leon Black says Epstein’s network included Elon Musk, Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, while saying ‘I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde’
By Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
4 hours ago
John Collison, president and co-founder of Stripe
SuccessJobs
Stripe cofounder says Gen Z will need two college majors to compete thanks to AI—and investing legend Charlie Munger called it first
By Emma BurleighJune 26, 2026
5 hours ago
young woman looking frustrated while working on her laptop at home
SuccessCareers
Gen Z’s hiring hell is real: 1 in 3 employers admit they’re replacing entry-level roles with AI—and tech and manufacturing jobs are most at risk
By Preston ForeJune 26, 2026
5 hours ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsJune 26, 2026
7 hours ago
Marketing leaders speak at Fortune's Fuel Up event in Cannes. (L-R) Natalia Ball, Mars Pet Nutrition; Zena Arnold, Sephora; Tati Lindenberg, Unilever; Laura Jones, Instacart; Ruth Umoh, Fortune
RetailCMO
The new CMO playbook: how marketers are balancing broader remits and tighter budgets
By Sam BirchallJune 26, 2026
8 hours ago
mj
CommentarySuccession
Morgan Stanley on life after selling your business: a roadmap for entrepreneurs
By Mark JansenJune 26, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
13 hours ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
23 hours ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
23 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.