The 34th Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Conference

Dear Friends and Family of AAMBAA,

On behalf of the current and alumni members of the African American MBA Association (AAMBAA) at Wharton, I am honored to welcome you to the 34th Annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Conference. We truly appreciate your participation in our annual Conference, which as the first of its kind in the United States, continues to serve as a great source of pride for the students of African decent at Wharton.

The theme of this year�s conference, �Connecting and Developing Dynamic Leadership� is an ideal one given AAMBAA�s visions for the future. The goal of AAMBAA this year is to raise the bar in all of our endeavors and to create a dynamic network. By driving meaningful change for current students, prospective students and alumni of the AAMBAA family, we will ultimately become more successful on a personal and professional level. This can all be garnered through the development of dynamic leadership, which is based on innovation and a willingness to take new risks and have a bold yet intelligent outlook on the future.

Leadership can be taught but is also innate within us and pushes certain individuals even further, enabling them to motivate others to come together in order to achieve shared goals and aspirations. Good leaders embody characteristics that others strive to emulate. We look to the hundreds of AAMBAA alumni who have been successful in many different fields of business and industry as clear examples of leadership. We encourage all of our alums and friends to stay connected and continue to develop dynamic leadership by imparting their wisdom upon the current and future students of the AAMBAA family.

The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Conference marks a seminal moment. This is a homecoming for all members of the AAMBAA family; a chance for prospective students and visiting students to experience the Wharton community; and, a unique opportunity for leaders in business and industry to join current students and other guests of AAMBAA. These are all the stakeholders in our future success and we must work diligently to bring together and link these fragmented networks.

Wharton was created with leaders in mind and we are working to enhance our own capabilities within our organization. AAMBAA has proactively worked with the leadership teams from the Wharton African Students Association (WASA) and the Caribbean Business Association (CARIBIZ) in order to better support each other and strategically leverage all the talents of the student body of African descent. Furthermore, we have initiated partnerships with new constituencies like Wharton Women in Business (WWIB) and the Wharton Hispanics MBA Association (WHAMBAA) to fortify our networks and our intellectual capital base. These outreach efforts are both beneficial and necessary to ensure our continued success in an increasingly global and diversified business landscape.

In closing, it is my pleasure to express our sincere appreciation and deep gratitude to all our speakers, moderators, panelists, corporate sponsors, conference partners, alumni, advisors, student coordinators, and returning and first-time conference attendees. You are all valued stakeholders and allow us to maintain this proud tradition of leadership and excellence.

Warmest regards,

Adrian Perry
President, African American MBA Association