’Tis the season

Consider spreading some holiday cheer by participating in the Annual Penn Volunteers in Public Service Christmas Drive. Toys and gifts donated will support the efforts of organizations like the People’s Emergency Shelter, Potter’s Mission, Our Lady of the Rosary and Intercultural Family Services. All items for the holiday drive must be new. Please specify the gender and age-appropriateness of all gifts. Contact Isabel Mapp, director of Penn VIPS, at 215-898-2020 for donation drop-off locations.

New dual degree

Biotechnology and business have linked arms at Penn with a new dual degree program for biotechnology management. Students can now earn an M.B.A. from Wharton and a Master’s of Biotechnology from the Engineering School and the School of Arts and Sciences. Scott L. Diamond, director of the Biotechnology Program, said decisions made in today’s biotechnology business world, such as those involving drug discoveries, require “a fundamental grasp of modern molecular biology.” With the new program, he said “an M.B.A. student [can] look at DNA microarray data in the morning and learn about biotechnology licensing in the afternoon.” More at www.upenn.edu/biotech.

They did it again

The Financial Times Business Survey ranks Wharton’s M.B.A. for Executives as number one for the second year. Columbia Business School came in second with New York University’s Stern School following in third. The schools are ranked in 16 categories and on responses to two questionnaires: one for the business schools and one from alumni who have been in the workplace for three years since graduation. Some of the categories include salary percentage increase, career progress, work experience and aims achieved.

Oops!

Margaret Mary Thomas’ e-mail address (“At Work With…,” Current, Nov. 14) is mmthomas@sas.upenn.edu.