Begin the transition early

• Confirm the club’s timeline and process for selecting incoming leaders.
• Identify responsibilities or projects that will continue beyond your term.
• Establish a transition timeline with clear responsibilities for outgoing and incoming board members.
• Schedule time for outgoing and incoming leaders to meet before the transition is complete.

Prepare for the handoff

Create or update materials that will help the incoming team understand:

• Each officer’s responsibilities and recurring tasks
• The club’s annual calendar, signature programs, and important deadlines\
• Current priorities, unfinished projects, and outstanding commitments
• Best practices and lessons learned
• Important policies and processes
• Key contacts within Wharton, Penn, and outside organizations
• Recommendations for the incoming leadership team

Transfer files, accounts, and access

Ensure that incoming leaders can access the systems and information required to operate the club, including:

• Shared files and historical records
• Club email accounts
• Websites and social media accounts
• Communication channels and distribution lists
• Event-planning materials
• Membership information
• Vendor and partner information
• CampusGroups or other club-management platforms

Complete a financial handoff

Work with the incoming team to review:

• Current account balances
• Outstanding reimbursements, invoices, and purchase orders
• Existing funding commitments
• Recurring expenses
• Sponsorship agreements
• Financial records and prior budgets
• Relevant WGA funding processes and deadlines

Introduce incoming leaders to key partners

Connect the incoming team with:

• Relevant WGA leaders
• Faculty or staff partners
• Conference or event partners
• Sponsors, vendors, and external organizations
• Leaders of other clubs with whom the organization regularly collaborates

Meet with your club advisor

Before completing the transition, meet with your club advisor to:

• Review the club’s current status and upcoming commitments
• Discuss challenges or concerns that the incoming team should understand
• Identify unresolved governance, financial, or operational matters
• Confirm that incoming leaders know how and when to seek support
• Determine whether a joint meeting with incoming leaders would be helpful

• Schedule an Appointment with your Club Advisor – Meet with your club’s advisor virtually or in-person
• Student Life Advising Resources – Find key services and support systems for MBA students, covering leadership, wellbeing, community involvement, and more
• Club Event Planning Resources – The Office of Student Life’s curated guide on everything you need to know to plan an event from selecting a date to sourcing funds.
• MyWharton Calendar – Find all the key University, School, Program, and club dates to help you pick the best date and time for your event.
• MBA Student Engagement Best Practices & Guidelines – Review the shared expectations for how MBA students communicate with and engage with one another across official and informal channels.

• Whenever possible, outgoing officers should meet directly with their successors rather than relying only on written documentation.
• Transfer access securely and remove former leaders from accounts when appropriate. Do not transfer personal passwords or retain confidential student information unnecessarily.
• Resolve outstanding financial matters whenever possible and clearly document anything that will remain open after the leadership transition.
• Introduce incoming leadership and club partners to preserve relationships and ensure a seamless transition between points of contact.
• Be available for reasonable questions during an agreed-upon transition period, but give incoming leaders room to establish their own priorities and leadership approach. Clarify when your responsibilities end and avoid making decisions on behalf of the new team after the transition is complete.

• Club Advising
• OSL Associate Director of Governance Email (WGA, Cluster Boards, Leadership Opportunities)
• OSL Associate Director of Events Email (Club Events and Conferences)
• OSL Senior Associate Director Email (WGA finance escalation, purchase orders, and internal vs. external funding questions)
• Email us at mbastudentlife@wharton.upenn.edu