Turner Impact Learning Experiences (TILE) Program Expands Social Impact Education at Penn
The Turner Impact Learning Experiences (TILE) program marked a powerful first year, demonstrating strong student demand for learning at the intersection of impact, sustainability, and business.
Supported by the passion and philanthropy of Bobby Turner, W’84, and Lauren Turner, W’85, the TILE program provides students across Penn and Wharton with direct access to leading faculty and industry professionals through speaker sessions, career panels, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities. Over the course of nine sessions in the 2025-2026 academic year, the events drew more than 570 student attendees, with participants learning from and engaging with 20 speakers: 6 faculty members and 14 industry professionals.
The TILE program expands access to speakers and events that were previously available only to participants in the Turner ESG Fellows program – and expands the event offerings beyond what was previously offered in the program. Rather than a small, application-based cohort of undergraduates, the TILE program opens these opportunities to all students—undergraduates, graduate students, and professional degree candidates—seeking to learn from leaders in the field. In its inaugural year, the program generated strong interest across campus, drawing more than 15 times as many attendees as previous event offerings.
Wharton Impact’s Managing Director Sandi Maro Hunt shared, “Shifting the structure of the program was an innovative response to increased student demand and changes in student schedules and interests.” Of Turner, she added, “We are very grateful that Bobby is so engaged with the work he philanthropically supports, providing industry insight to us and trusting us to evolve programs when it makes sense to do so. These program changes are a win/win to better achieve his vision of bringing these opportunities to even more students.”
Workshops, Career Panels, and More
The fall semester kicked off with two career sessions co-hosted with MBA Career Management. Jenn Savoie, Senior Associate Director at MBA Career Management, moderated. In early September, during the Careers in Impact and Sustainability Finance panel, students joined industry leaders Julia Fish, C’10, G’18, WG’18 (Glenmede); Abrielle Rosenthal, C’94, W’94 (TowerBrook Capital Partners); and Scott Stimpfel, GrEd’13 (Future Standard), for an inside look at careers shaping the future of sustainable finance. Later that month, the Careers in Impact and Sustainability Consulting panel connected students with industry leaders Dayin Chen, WG’23 (Deloitte); Katherine Magee, WG’23 (Bain & Company); Neeta Ramnath (Accenture); and Hassan Siddiqui, EAS’13 (Boston Consulting Group).
“It’s inspiring to see so many students eager to build the skills needed to invest responsibly and effectively.”
– Prof. David Wessels
October brought hands-on learning with the first installment of the Valuations Workshop, led by Wharton faculty member David Wessels. The session explored the unique challenges of assessing early-stage, high-growth startups, where traditional methods often fall short. With 130 students in attendance, the workshop underscored strong demand for practical, skills-based training in impact-oriented contexts. Later in the fall, students continued with Part 2 of the Valuations Workshop with Professor Wessels, drawing over 100 students back to deepen their technical skills. The session explored how term sheets define the structure, economics, and governance of startup investments.
Professor Wessels shared, “It’s inspiring to see so many students eager to build the skills needed to invest responsibly and effectively. My hope is that the tools we’ve covered in investing empower them to make the world a better place, and I look forward to continuing this series given the interest we’ve seen.”
“It felt like a huge advantage for my growth and future career.”
– Maggie Doyle, WG’27
Maggie Doyle, an MBA student who sourced and evaluated early-stage impact startups through the Penn Medicine-Wharton Fund for Health program during her first year, said the session strengthened skills she could immediately apply in her work. “Professor Wessels made some complex concepts feel simple, and it felt like a huge advantage for my growth and future career,” said Doyle.
In November, Wharton faculty members Zeke Hernandez and Britta Glennon presented Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Immigration. The discussion explored the economic effects of immigration and foreign-born labor, as well as the implications of the recent US visa policy. Attendees also received a copy of Hernandez’s new book, The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers.
TILE continued in the spring, kicking off with an Impact Measurement Workshop hosted by Michael Brown, Senior Research Fellow at Wharton Impact. Students learned the basics of impact measurement in impact investing, with an emphasis on making the case for an enterprise’s impact before proceeding with investment.
Next, Sustainable Computing and AI asked, “Is AI a net positive or a net negative for the climate?” As a part of Penn Energy Week, Wharton faculty member Arthur van Benthem chaired the discussion between Penn Engineering faculty member Benjamin Lee and sustainable investing professional Tyler McCullough of Parnassus Investments. The lively discussion explored AI’s increasing energy and resource use, as well as the operational challenges. They emphasized that companies must manage their energy and water impacts responsibly to maintain public trust and avoid real business risks.
In March, Climate Investing with Builders Vision taught students how to evaluate a climate fund manager through a real-world case study. Ben Huang (Vice President, Investments) and David Hirsch, W’06 (Vice President, Energy), led the workshop and a panel discussion on careers at the intersection of investing and climate. Builders Vision is an investment and philanthropy platform that harnesses innovative capital to accelerate promising solutions in three sectors: food & agriculture, energy, and oceans.
The semester closed with Impact and Governance Forensics: Short-selling Strategies for Hidden Risks. Vinit Sethi, C’95, W’95 (Greenlight Capital), and Rob Brown (Resolution Investors) spoke with Wharton faculty member Daniel Taylor about how they have used forensic accounting to identify inconsistencies, risks, and opportunities for short-selling based upon governance gaps or climate impact-related risks. They closed with a discussion of strategies for investigating risk and how this might be applied to the current investing landscape.
The TILE program returns in the fall, with technical workshops, career panels, and more. All Penn and Wharton students are welcome; sign up for our newsletter to be notified when events are announced. If you think you’d be a great speaker and would like to get involved, please fill out this form.
Get Involved with the TILE Program
The TILE Program provide students across Penn and Wharton with the ability to learn from leading faculty and professionals in the impact and sustainability space. Endowed by Bobby Turner, W’84 and Lauren Turner, W’85, TILEs encompass speaker sessions, career panels, hands-on skill-building workshops, networking events, and more. All currently-enrolled students across Penn and Wharton are invited to participate!