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	Kofi Kankam, WG'04 President

As I received texts, calls, and emails during my first day as the President of the Wharton Club of NY, it reminded me of what we all found magical about Wharton: The people and the lives they've lived and impacted. Though I graduated seventeen years ago (wow), Wharton has never been too far from my life in terms of those with whom I have worked and socialized, and from whom I've learned and felt support. I suspect it's the same for many of us reading this email.

My hope is that you will see the Wharton Club of NY - its programming, events, networking and opportunities for professional development - its people - as your community and home. For many of us, these last sixteen months have fostered two overwhelming sentiments: Firstly, a sense of appreciation and gratitude for our health and lives. Secondly, a longing for a sense of community. Our Club, through Regina's decisive leadership and our volunteers' countless hours of work, has survived, thrived, and commenced to reimagine itself based on our new reality in the NYC area and globally.

There are four general precepts for leadership that the last year has stamped in my mind:

1. Out of many, one Wharton - Like the Jamaican creed, our diverse interests, occupations, ideologies, and backgrounds are all bound together by our collective status as Wharton alums. We are a big umbrella and all of us should be represented in our offerings.
2. A strong Wharton Club of NY correlates to a stronger Wharton School as the Club is the closest touch point for so many of us and represents the largest number of Wharton alums in the world.
3. Our Club is a community first - With the exception of the people, many of us can cobble together pieces of our offerings elsewhere. But, the amazing set of people is hard to replicate. I want to be sure a sense of community underscores all that we do.
4. Learn. Innovate. Implement. Under Regina's leadership, we had to repeatedly engage in this virtuous circle. And that's an exercise we need to continue as we continue to work to be relevant.

Our team will be in touch with you over the ensuing weeks to connect with you and act upon some of the feedback we have heard from our community to be even more impactful in your lives. We always welcome more suggestions! I encourage you to renew your involvement in the Club and get involved in shaping YOUR club.

In Service,

Kofi Kankam, WG'04
President, Wharton Club of New York
kofi@whartonny.net