PHILADELPHIA, September 19, 2019 — The Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies at the University of Pennsylvania announced the appointment of Ambassador Joseph Westphal as the inaugural Chang Sun Term Professor.
Chang Sun, G’89, WG’89, PAR’10, PAR’14, PAR’22 generously endowed the faculty chair to expand the Lauder Institute’s Senior Global Fellows Program, in which distinguished business and thought leaders, like Westphal, mentor students and contribute to the Lauder curriculum.
Martine Haas, Anthony L. Davis Director of the Lauder Institute and professor of management, announced the appointment, effective July 1, 2019.
“I am thrilled to have Ambassador Westphal at the Lauder Institute, where his first-hand knowledge on government and international affairs advances our work to develop global citizens into decision-makers,” said Haas. “Chang Sun is a deeply dedicated Lauder alumni leader, and I know I speak for our entire community in thanking him for his generosity and vision in investing in such esteemed faculty at Lauder.”
“The Lauder Institute brings together academic experts and experienced practitioners to take on the biggest issues affecting our world, and it is support from alumni like Chang Sun that makes this possible,” added Dean Geoff Garrett of the Wharton School. “Ambassador Westphal exemplifies the very best of both the academy and public service. He is an exceptional scholar and global leader whose wealth of experience will propel Lauder to even greater heights.”
Westphal’s distinguished career in civil service includes previous appointments as U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, acting secretary and undersecretary of the U.S. Army, and the Army’s chief management officer. He has extensive experience in government, working on diverse policy issues in five administrations. He also spent twelve years working in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Westphal began his career in 1975 as a professor of political science at Oklahoma State University, where he later served as head of the department. In 2002, he became the chancellor of the University of Maine System and a professor of political science at the University of Maine. He also served as provost and director of the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School as well as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.
As the Lauder Institute’s first senior global fellow, Westphal has opened his network for international and military leadership immersions and prominent guest lectures. He is also a senior fellow at the Center for Leadership and Change Management at the Wharton School.
“Supporting excellent scholarship is the key to providing an excellent education, and I’m happy to do my part to make this possible,” Sun explained. “Ambassador Westphal’s insights into global affairs inform issues facing our world today, and he will no doubt continue to spark collaboration between academia and government.”
Sun is a managing partner at TPG Capital, a global alternative asset firm, and serves on the Lauder Institute Board of Governors. He is also a former member of Wharton’s Executive Board for Asia. He established the Ellen Sun Endowed Fellowship, which is dedicated to Lauder students from the Greater China region, and is a longstanding supporter of The Wharton Fund and the Lauder Institute Annual Fund.
About The Lauder Institute
Founded in 1983 by Leonard and Ronald Lauder in honor of their father, the Lauder Institute provides a fully integrated business education to a new generation of leaders coming of age in a rapidly globalizing world. The program combines an MA in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences with an MBA from the Wharton School or a JD from Penn Law, preparing each class of 70 students to become successful, culturally fluent global business leaders.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 18,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 99,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.
About the School of Arts and Sciences
The School of Arts and Sciences has established Penn as one of the world’s leading research universities. The largest of Penn’s academic divisions, the School is home to 27 departments that represent a full range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
