Editing Wharton School (section)

== History ==

Joseph Wharton, a Philadelphia industrialist who made his fortune in zinc, nickel, and iron, provided the founding gift for a school of business education in 1881. His vision of professional education for business—modeled on existing professional schools in law and medicine—was revolutionary, as business education previously occurred through apprenticeship rather than formal study. The Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, as it was originally known, established the model for collegiate business education that subsequently spread worldwide.<ref name="wharton"/>

Wharton's development through the twentieth century expanded programs, faculty, and facilities while building reputation as premier business school. The school pioneered research-based business education, with faculty producing scholarship that shaped both academic disciplines and business practice. Wharton's alumni network grew into one of the world's most influential business communities, with graduates occupying leadership positions across industries and countries.<ref name="wharton"/>