Lorea Peterson Redondo bridges business and education

Photo by Eric Sucar/Penn Today | Story by Brandon K. Baker/Penn Today

As a dual-degree graduate student at Penn GSE and Wharton, Lorea Peterson Redondo set out with four clear goals: to find mentorship, become a stronger leader, cross disciplines, and learn how to apply business strategy to educational transformation.

She found that and more while pursuing an M.B.A. and Education Policy M.S.Ed. She’s been inspired by countless case studies and faculty, she says, including Michael Golden, Vice Dean of Innovative Programs and Partnerships, Catalyst @ Penn GSE, and Jonathan Zimmerman, whose class had her enthralled.

“Lorea brought a wealth of experience, insight, and enthusiasm to our class on the history of school reform in the United States,” says Zimmerman, the Judy and Howard Berkowitz Professor in Education. “She also taught me about Mexico — where she worked for a set of private schools — and about the fiscal dimensions of education. I know exactly how lucky I am to have students like her.”

Through her experience at both Penn GSE and Wharton, she says one of the most rewarding parts has been learning from her peers.

“I’ve learned just as much from my classmates as I have from my professors. Every time I walk into a classroom, I’m struck by the insight, intensity, and generosity of the people around me. Someone will share a story or offer a perspective that completely shifts how I understand a reading or concept. I think to myself, ‘Wow — I hadn’t thought of it that way.’ That constant exchange of ideas, that community of minds challenging and uplifting each other, has been one of the most transformative aspects of these two years. I came for the education — but I’m leaving most grateful for the people.”

Read more about Lorea's background and her experience as a dual-degree student in Penn Today.