Venture Fellows

Wharton Leadership Ventures invites you to apply to become a Venture Fellow

Serving as a Venture Fellow is a unique and rewarding opportunity to grow as a leader while guiding others through transformative leadership experiences. As a VF, you’ll not only strengthen your own skills but also play a key role in developing the leadership potential of your peers.

Meet the WG26 Venture Fellows | 2025-26 Venture Portfolio

THE ROLE OF A VENTURE FELLOW

Venture Fellows (VFs) play a vital role in the Leadership Ventures program by acting as both coaches and facilitators. They support participants before, during, and after the ventures—leading pre-trip sessions, guiding experiential leadership challenges in collaboration with partner organizations, and collecting feedback to help improve future programs. Each venture is staffed by 2–4 VFs who work closely with participants and partners in the field.

Before serving, all VFs participate in specialized training focused on wilderness skills and leadership development to ensure they are fully prepared. The VF program is also known for fostering a strong, supportive community among its members.

WHO ARE VENTURE FELLOWS

VFs are second-year students who are carefully selected during the spring of their first year for their leadership capabilities. The program seeks individuals who demonstrate:

Strong Leadership Character
Emotional Intelligence
Diplomacy
Adaptability and Resilience
Effective Communication Skills

Approximately 36 students have been chosen to serve as Venture Fellows this year.

FELLOWSHIP ELIGIBILITY

Please note: Per McNulty Fellowship policy, students may hold only one fellowship at a time. If you are selected as a Leadership Fellow (LF), Nonprofit Board Fellow (NPBF), or Lipman Fellow, you are not eligible to be a Venture Fellow. However, you may serve as a VF while also participating in the Semester in San Francisco or Harvard Kennedy School programs, or while serving as a Student Leadership Fellow (SLF).

Become a Venture Fellow

Venture Fellow Application Timeline
Key dates from the WG26 Venture Fellow selection process. WG27 can expect a similar timeline for Spring of 2026

Information Session

Wednesday, February 19 | 12:00–1:00 PM | JMHH G50
[View Slide Deck] | [Watch Recording]

Application Period

Opens: Thursday, February 20 → [Apply Here]
Closes: Thursday, March 20 → [Apply Here]

Coffee Chats
Meet current Venture Fellows and ask questions.

Wave 1: Monday, February 24 – Tuesday, February 25 → [Sign Up Here]
Wave 2: Monday, March 3 – Tuesday, March 4 → [Sign Up Here]

Office Hours @ MBA Cafe
Drop in for one-on-one guidance.

Tuesday, March 18 | 12:00–1:30 PM
Wednesday, March 19 | 12:00–3:00 PM

Interview Process

Notifications Sent: Saturday, March 29
Interviews Conducted: Sunday, March 30 – Wednesday, April 2

Fellowship Offers & Onboarding

Offers Extended: Monday, April 7
Onboarding Session: Thursday, April 10
Transition Activity: Sunday, April 13

Mandatory Venture Fellow Training Week

Saturday, August 16 – Saturday, August 23, 2025
In-person, overnight, full-week commitment

Questions? We’re here to help! We encourage you to speak with Director Jules Roy or you may also direct questions to venturefellows@wharton.upenn.edu.

WG26 Info Session

Wednesday, 2/19/2025, 12 pm – 1 pm | Location JMHH G50

Info Session: Video Recording 2/19/25

Slide Deck: VF Recruitment Info Session February 2025

Venture Fellows

Congratulations to the WG26 Venture Fellows!

Meet our Venture Fellow Alumni:

Are you a Venture Fellow alumni?

We want to connect with you!

Fill out this form

Staff

Jules Roy, Director

Kellie Vetter, Program Coordinator

A group of people standing in a circle inside a room with white walls and large windows. They appear to be engaged in a discussion or activity.

A group of people gathered around a campfire in a forested area, surrounded by trees under a sky with a pink and blue hue, suggesting evening time.

A large group of people posing outdoors in front of trees, some with playful expressions and gestures. They hold a banner that reads "Wharton Leadership Ventures."

A group of hikers standing together in a forest, smiling, each wearing backpacks and holding trekking poles.

A group of people sitting and smiling in a forest campsite, surrounded by trees. There are two tents and camping gear visible, with a stone fire pit in the center.

A small group of people examining a detailed topographic map on a table, with one person pointing at a specific area.

A group of people sitting at a picnic table outdoors, smiling and writing in notebooks. Some are wearing casual clothing with university logos.

A person wearing an orange helmet is rock climbing on a rugged cliff. They are smiling, wearing a maroon shirt, khaki pants, and climbing gear.

A large topographic map spread across a table with several people examining it. One person points to the map with a pen, while another stands nearby. A coffee mug is visible on the table.

A large group of people posing cheerfully outdoors in a forest setting. They display various playful gestures and expressions, holding a banner that reads "Wharton Leadership Ventures".

“Serving the Wharton community as a VF was the highlight of my MBA experience – the program provided an environment where I could grow personally, facilitate growth in others, and steward an organizational culture. It regularly pushed me outside of my comfort zone and challenged me with constant improvement. I highly recommend any student interested in personal growth apply to serve as a Venture Fellow.”
– Curtis Garner, VF ’23

“My Venture Fellow experience was the highlight of my entire time at Wharton. It epitomized genuine friendship, a desire to give without expectation of receiving, and high levels of commitment and willingness to learn and grow. I believe that I have become more introspective, more adept to lead, and better equipped to learn from and lead my peers. The program truly practices what it preaches, if you go all in alongside your classmates! ”
– Philip Morgan, VF ’24

“I decided to become a Venture Fellow in the hopes that others who join ventures come away with a sense of belonging, a feeling of community, and stronger foundations of leadership. And yet the Venture Fellow program continued on my learnings as a venture participant and gave me an even greater sense of belonging, an unbelievably supportive community, and stronger foundations of leadership in execution and in observational leadership.”

– David Kielsmeier, VF ’23

“The VF community has been my favorite community at Wharton by far. It is made up of some of the most authentic and hardworking people I’ve met at Wharton. We all come from such different backgrounds, but have come together to create something really special. Jules and Kellie have consistently been our north star as we all continue to develop as leaders. The additional faculty that supports from the 4 corners of the world have been amazing at at challenging us to think about the sort of leaders we want to be and how what we learn in the program translates to the real world. I wouldn’t change my experience with the Venture Fellow program for anything.”

– Romel Singleton, VF ’24, Recruiting Chair