Academics & Advising
MEET YOUR ADVISORS
Scott Romeika, Director of Academic Affairs and Advising, joined the Wharton advising team in 2003. Scott not only manages undergraduate advising services, but also plays an active role in the development of interschool initiatives, works to build and strengthen international opportunities for our students, and represents the Wharton School on a number of university committees. Scott provides support and guidance to the faculty on academic programs and policies and is responsible for their implementation and oversight.
Scott received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.A. and Psy.D. (doctor of psychology) from Widener University. He has completed internships in clinical psychology, college counseling, and school psychology settings. Outside the office, Scott enjoys running (scenic and muddy trails are best), music, trivia, baseball (go Phillies!), and Scrabble. Scott can be reached at romeika@wharton.upenn.edu.
Melissa Hagan, Senior Associate Director, serves as the 
primary advising contact for students who are considering study abroad in Asia. She also oversees the leave of absence process. Melissa earned a B.A. in Psychology from Arcadia University in 1999 and a M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont in 2001. When she's not advising students, you can find her out on the running trail and spending time with her husband and her dog, Sammi. Melissa can be reached at thomasm2@wharton.upenn.edu.
Marianne Lipa, Senior Associate Director, works with 
students in coordinated dual-degree programs and also serves on the Internal Transfer and Dual Degree Committee. She is the liaison to the Office of International Programs and serves as the contact person for study abroad programs in Europe. She also advises students interested in submatriculation into the MBA program at Wharton.
Marianne earned her M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education in 2004. She received her B.A. in Romance Languages and History from Bowdoin College in 2001; she is fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian. She also attended the Business Bridge Certificate Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She enjoys traveling extensively both domestically and internationally and is an avid skier. Marianne can be reached at mlipa@wharton.upenn.edu.
Lindy Black-Margida, Associate Director, provides advising for incoming freshmen and is the primary advising contact for students who are interested in pursuing minors or submatriculating into the Penn Law program. She also works closely with Wharton international students and serves as a liaison to the Office of International Programs' International Student & Scholar Services Division. Lindy earned a B.S. in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia. She loves to travel and enjoys spending time outdoors. Lindy can be reached at lindyb@wharton.upenn.edu.
Alissa Carpenter, Associate Director, serves as the key contact for students who are interested in pursuing studying abroad in the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. Prior to joining the Wharton team, she earned her B.S in Speech Communications from Millersville University and a M.Ed. in Social and Comparative Analysis in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing/teaching yoga, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends. Alissa can be reached at acarp@wharton.upenn.edu.
Hoi Ning Ngai, Associate Director, serves as the primary 
liaison to several campus resources, including Counseling and Psychological Services, the Tutoring Center, and the Weingarten Learning Resources Center, working to develop and support programs and initiatives that address the unique needs of Wharton students. She also serves as the key contact for students who are interested in studying abroad in Australia and New Zealand. She completed her B.A. in Psychology at Dartmouth College in 2000, her M.A. in Higher Education at UCLA in 2004, and her Ph.D. in Higher Education at UCLA in 2010. She loves to explore new cities, cook/eat new foods, and take/teach kickboxing. Hoi Ning can be reached at hngai@wharton.upenn.edu.
