Wharton Leadership Ventures invites you to apply to become a Venture Fellow
Learn more about UGR Ventures | Info Session Slide Deck (9/3/25)
Venture Fellows are a group of committed students who coordinate and help facilitate the learning opportunities on each venture. This unique and talented group of students meet weekly throughout the year, participate in annual leadership trainings and have dedicated themselves to being service-focused students.
Apply to be a Venture Fellow | Undergraduate Venture Portfolio
Become a Venture Fellow
Venture Fellows help create transformational leadership experiences by coaching peers through challenge, uncertainty, and reflection. As a Fellow, you’ll develop your own leadership while helping others discover theirs.
The Venture Fellow program is open to current Wharton sophomores. Prior participation in a Wharton Leadership Venture is not required to apply.
The Role of a Venture Fellow
Prior participation in a Wharton Leadership Venture is not required to apply for the Venture Fellow program. We welcome students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences who are committed to learning, serving others, and growing as leaders.
Each year, approximately 6–8 students are selected to join the Venture Fellow community for the remainder of their undergraduate experience. Venture Fellows are chosen not because they have all the answers, but because they demonstrate strong leadership potential through qualities such as:
- Leadership Character
- Emotional Intelligence
- Diplomacy
- Adaptability and Resilience
- Effective Communication
Venture Fellows contribute throughout the entire venture lifecycle. They:
- Recruit and engage prospective participants
- Facilitate pre-venture information sessions
- Coach and facilitate learning during ventures
- Support reflection and program assessment after each venture
Leadership Is Learned Through Experience
Rather than solving problems for participants, Venture Fellows create opportunities for participants to solve them themselves, turning experience into meaningful leadership learning.
The Venture provides the environment, but the real work is helping participants transform challenging experiences into lasting learning.
Preparing to Lead
Before serving on ventures, Venture Fellows complete an extensive leadership development curriculum that prepares them to facilitate meaningful learning in dynamic environments. Training includes:
- Leadership theory and experiential education
- Facilitation and debriefing techniques
- Coaching and developmental feedback
- Expedition systems and risk management
- Wilderness skills (where appropriate)
- Emergency preparedness
- Group dynamics and team development
Training continues throughout a Fellow’s time in the program through ongoing practice, mentorship, and reflection.
As a Venture Fellow, You’ll Develop Experience In
- Facilitating reflection and debrief conversations
- Coaching peers through challenge and uncertainty
- Guiding teams through complex decision-making
- Giving and receiving meaningful developmental feedback
- Navigating group dynamics and conflict
- Creating psychological safety while allowing productive struggle
- Balancing participant ownership with appropriate risk management
- Translating experience into leadership learning
Being a Venture Fellow is more than a leadership position. It is a multi-year commitment to continuous learning, thoughtful reflection, and helping others grow. The experiences you facilitate will shape participants, and the process will shape you as a leader.
Venture Fellow Application will open in Spring 2027!
Meet the Venture Fellows!
- Meet the 2026-27 Venture Fellows.
Are you a Venture Fellow alumni?
We want to connect with you!
2026-27 Venture Info Session Deck
- Slide deck will be posted once available
Staff
Erica Montemayor, Associate Director
emont@wharton.upenn.edu
Kellie Vetter, Program Manager
Kvetter@wharton.upenn.edu
“My time as a venture fellow has been nothing short of spectacular. This program has placed me in the middle of some of the most interesting, human, and challenging circumstances among some of the most intelligent and insightful people that I’ve ever met. I’ve learned how to take care of myself through challenges that I can offer my support to others. I’ve climbed mountains in Patagonia, trained with firefighters in New York City, and built lifelong relationships right here in Philly. As my stint as a Venture Fellow has come to a close, I continue to find myself drawing nuggets of wisdom from my experiences with the program and I expect to continue growing from my time with WLV for years to come.” – Anonymous Venture Fellow
“Being a Venture Fellow has been the highlight of my college experience. I have had the opportunity to hike through the peaks of Patagonia, build bonds with other Wharton students through Expedition Training on the Appalachian Trail, and facilitate unique and impactful leadership development experiences for the Penn community from sailing to mountain biking trips. I would highly recommend this fellowship to anyone who is interested in the exploring the outdoors and fostering their own personal growth and development.” – Nicholas Yohn W’24, Venture Fellow Chair
“Being a venture fellow has allowed me to combine my passion for outdoor adventures with a non traditional learning experience on how to become a stronger communicator and team player. The diverse WLV community is amazing and I’ve met so many cool people from my experience here. I’m excited for what’s to come as I lead more intensives and learn about what it means to be a venture fellow. ” – Kai Mai, Venture Fellow
“This program changed my Penn experience. Through Venture Fellows I got to learn more about myself, and I got the opportunity to intimately get to know students of Wharton that I otherwise would not have met. Through the community and our programming I learned key skills in coaching and leadership, while also have fun and being part of so many wonderful adventures. I will never stop recommending this to anyone who wants to know what communities at Penn are worth joining. This is a top tier experience, and everyone should participate in programming and join the community.” – Gabrielle Coetzee W’24, Venture Fellow
More Venture Resources
Financial Aid
Scholarships for the Leadership Ventures are awarded annually for expedition-based Ventures. Only initial Terra Dotta registrants will be eligible for the Scholarship.
Policies and FAQs
In the Terra Dotta registration system, students should input their true preferences for all ventures.
Wharton Leadership Ventures adheres to the University of Pennsylvania Policy on Equal Opportunity.
We are here to help.
We encourage you to speak to any Venture Fellow or Associate Director Erica Montemayor.
Apply for a Fellowship
Venture Fellows Venture Fellows are selected during their sophomore year and serve as student leaders on Leadership Ventures for the remainder of their undergraduate experience. Prior participation in a Wharton Leadership Venture is not required to apply.