Last Thursday, the Johnson School held its annual club fair. It's a madhouse environment in the Atrium where first-years get to grill second-year club officers about what they do and why we should be a part, and second-years try to gauge interest in their respective labors of love.
For me, Net Impact was a given. With my interest in sustainable business and entrepreneurship, it's the club to be in for career opportunities and events surrounding all things clean, green, and socially aware.
As an aspiring entrepreneur (I've started publicly declaring my intention to start a world-changing company), I was looking for what I could do build those skills, along with my leadership. So I decided to apply to be a consultant for the Big Red Incubator, a business incubator that Cornell runs as part of their "entrepreneurship triad," which also consists of venture fund Big Red Ventures and legal consulting service Big Red Legal. BRI consultants get the opportunity to solve real-world problems, and develop real-world marketing plans, for small companies from around the country. I'm considering (along with a number of other options) working for a start-up of some sort over the summer, and any consulting or other project I can do will definitely help me add value to their operations, no matter what they entail.
I've also joined the entrepreneurship and venture capital club, since I'm excited about their programming. They hold all sorts of events and workshops dedicated to helping business school students gain access the worlds of technology being developed in Cornell labs all over campus. And they organize a symposium of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, to spread the entrepreneurial spirit around the school.
My token fun club is the Rockin Outdoor club, because I think the key to enjoying a cold climate is having something outdoors that you love to do. I went to undergrad in Vermont, so I snowboarded my brains out (sometimes to the detriment of my schoolwork) all four years. But that's what made my time in Vermont so memorable and special. Fingers crossed that Greek Peak gets some solid snow this year.
There were so many more clubs on offer, but I had to go with what gave me energy, where I felt drawn and excited. So that's what I did. I've been to a few first meetings, and I've got a few more tomorrow. I'm ready to get out there and see what I can learn, and what I can add.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
First week of classes -- Break-even and then some...
On Friday, we finished the first week of classes, and I feel much the wiser. With only seven weeks allotted per core class, you just have to hit the ground running. And that we have. In Economics, we're already just a couple days away from the first quiz on opportunity cost, the production possibilities curve, and division of labor. And in Accounting, the balance sheet has taken on a life of its own, expanding into expenses and revenues.
And aaaah, marketing... The one class I knew would be quant-free, the only class where a liberal arts/journalist/religion major would be free to take a deep breath and rela--- BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS IS DUE WHEN? Professors Eisenstein and Stayman, after one quick lecture on the uses and merits of quantitative assessments in marketing, turned the entire first-year class loose on a 12-problem marketing math assignment that looked a lot like Greek to me on first inspection. And to make matters worse, it was due Thursday morning. That gave me about a day to get this beast tamed. Of course, I had plans for a leisurely Wednesday, free from anxiety; my first day off since moving to Ithaca three weeks ago. But that was not to be. My dreams were bothered by the dread of confronting problems I couldn't solve. And I woke up in the morning feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Before I knew it, the morning had started slipping by. It was almost 11 already. The dread was quickly building. I had finished the first three problems, but I couldn't figure out where to start number 4. I needed some guidance.
So, I did what I had to do. I took a shower, shaved, put on some decent clothes, and headed for Sage Hall. I got to the library and began an email dialogue with my core teammates, several of whom were having similar problems. We all agreed to meet in the Atrium at 12:30. That's where I found something hugely comforting -- probably about 15-20 teams were huddled around tables, working solutions to the same assignment. Quant jocks and poets alike were engaged in vigorous debate as to which formula to use on which problem, others explaining still-hazy concepts like cannibalization and net present value to their peers, who would explain what they could to the next overwhelmed countenance they encountered.
I had heard the PR spiel that the Johnson School was a collaborative place, but here was the proof. Everyone was working together on this assignment. And no one seemed to be simply piggybacking. They would listen to an explanation, ask questions, and work to synthesize and understand WHY. Maybe then, and only then, would they start their own calculations.
Five o'clock came, and associate dean, Cathy Dove, started encouraging us to break for the school-wide picnic at Stewart Park on the shore of Cayuga Lake. I made it down by around 6, exhausted but feeling exhilarated by what I'd just been through. In the midst of panic, near-meltdown, and some really hard work, I had learned a lot of the major math concepts I'll be using through the core in marketing and other classes.
Even though I was far from convinced that I'd gotten the right answer on every problem, that night I slept a heckuva lot easier.
And aaaah, marketing... The one class I knew would be quant-free, the only class where a liberal arts/journalist/religion major would be free to take a deep breath and rela--- BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS IS DUE WHEN? Professors Eisenstein and Stayman, after one quick lecture on the uses and merits of quantitative assessments in marketing, turned the entire first-year class loose on a 12-problem marketing math assignment that looked a lot like Greek to me on first inspection. And to make matters worse, it was due Thursday morning. That gave me about a day to get this beast tamed. Of course, I had plans for a leisurely Wednesday, free from anxiety; my first day off since moving to Ithaca three weeks ago. But that was not to be. My dreams were bothered by the dread of confronting problems I couldn't solve. And I woke up in the morning feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Before I knew it, the morning had started slipping by. It was almost 11 already. The dread was quickly building. I had finished the first three problems, but I couldn't figure out where to start number 4. I needed some guidance.
So, I did what I had to do. I took a shower, shaved, put on some decent clothes, and headed for Sage Hall. I got to the library and began an email dialogue with my core teammates, several of whom were having similar problems. We all agreed to meet in the Atrium at 12:30. That's where I found something hugely comforting -- probably about 15-20 teams were huddled around tables, working solutions to the same assignment. Quant jocks and poets alike were engaged in vigorous debate as to which formula to use on which problem, others explaining still-hazy concepts like cannibalization and net present value to their peers, who would explain what they could to the next overwhelmed countenance they encountered.
I had heard the PR spiel that the Johnson School was a collaborative place, but here was the proof. Everyone was working together on this assignment. And no one seemed to be simply piggybacking. They would listen to an explanation, ask questions, and work to synthesize and understand WHY. Maybe then, and only then, would they start their own calculations.
Five o'clock came, and associate dean, Cathy Dove, started encouraging us to break for the school-wide picnic at Stewart Park on the shore of Cayuga Lake. I made it down by around 6, exhausted but feeling exhilarated by what I'd just been through. In the midst of panic, near-meltdown, and some really hard work, I had learned a lot of the major math concepts I'll be using through the core in marketing and other classes.
Even though I was far from convinced that I'd gotten the right answer on every problem, that night I slept a heckuva lot easier.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Johnson Outdoor Experience
It's Sunday, and the action hasn't stopped yet. Friday morning, the vast majority of Johnson School students loaded onto four charter buses at 8:30, bound for Casowasco, a summer camp on the shore of Lake Wasco, one of the smaller of New York's Finger Lakes, about an hour north of Ithaca.
Since early in the spring, the Johnson Outdoor Experience (JOE, like the name) had already been touted as the best and most important orientation event. But as we arrived, our first-year faces showed sleepy and skeptical as a group of 25 or so second-years and Accelerated MBA students jumped and moshed their way onto the great front lawn chanting "JOE, JOE, JOE." Who created these monsters, we wondered? And were we going to join their ranks? If so, what would the indoctrination look like? Would we too be offered happy pills and matching t-shirts, and end this blue-skyed summer day as ranting buffoons? Luckily not. What actually happened was that the excitement and enthusiasm of these second-years began to rub off on us. Some first-years even talked in low tones about maybe taking on the role of JOE facilitator next year.
After a rousing rendition of the Cornell alma mater with dean Joe Thomas, we were split into groups consisting of about 10-15. I won't bore the reader with descriptions of the morning and early afternoon's teambuilding activities. Suffice it to say that, between crossing imaginary rivers of acid, falling into each other's arms, and narrowly avoiding the death grip of a giant imaginary spider's jaws, I got to know many of my teammates better, and even had a bit of fun in the process.
But for me, the best and most important parts of the weekend in the woods were the free times set aside just for talking, roasting marshmallows, swimming, and sharing a bunk or tent with new classmates. As promised in my first posting, I'm going to highlight as many interesting conversations and individuals as I can, in hopes of painting an eventual picture of the diversity of the class.
I spent much of the the evening discussing love, marriage, and business with two new Asian friends -- Satoshi from Japan and Yong Seuk from Korea. We discussed the difficulty of living in a new country and learning to function in a different language (I commiserated as much as I could with stories from my recent time in Argentina). I learned that the drinking culture common among businessmen in both of those countries stems from the introversion common among their people. Satoshi told me that meetings in Tokyo are often quiet affairs where executives and team members shy away from sharing their ideas. The real work often happens outside the office -- at the bar, when a few drinks helps them open up and trade ideas that would have seemed crazy a few hours earlier.
At breakfast, I discussed water management, the Indian IT sector, and other topics with an Accelerated MBA student named Priyanka. This young woman from Mumbai has just completed her one year masters in electrical engineering at Cornell. Along the way, she decided that an MBA would come in handy in her goal of helping NGOs improve infrastructure for transporting water and other resources in rural India, so she has just entered the one-year Accelerated MBA program. Two degrees from Cornell in two years is impressive, I thought. With her IT and NGO work experience, I figured she must be well above the average age of an MBA student; AMBA students tend to average about four years older than the two-year class. Not so. Priyanka is 24, and primed to take her learning back to make a difference in India.
At lunch and on the way home, I sat with a fellow first-year Park Fellow named Kevin. I learned a lot about his experience in the military -- he was stationed in Germany for three years, spending one of those in Iraq, mostly helping destroy stockpiles of Iraqi weapons built up by Saddam Hussein's regime. I also found out about Kevin's experience at West Point, where he used his negotiation skills and persistence to help West Point's color guard become a regular at Yankee Stadium, home of Kevin's favorite team. He even carried the flag during two games of the World Series. Kevin impressed the folks at West Point so much that he even was asked to join their admissions team after he ended his formal military service.
It would be impossible to relate all of the conversations I had over the weekend; indeed, these were only a few.
When I got home from the weekend on Saturday afternoon, I collapsed into bed for about an hour before getting dressed to the nines for the Park Leadership Fellows inaugural event. I got to meet the Park family -- our benefactors -- great and generous people who smiled on their class of 26 like watching their own child score the winning goal in a soccer game. And I got my first little dose of public speaking, where I shared the details of where I've been and where I hope to go. I kept my future aspirations humble -- I said I wanted to use my study of Sustainable Global Enterprise to start a world-changing company. Now I just have to get through the core...
Since early in the spring, the Johnson Outdoor Experience (JOE, like the name) had already been touted as the best and most important orientation event. But as we arrived, our first-year faces showed sleepy and skeptical as a group of 25 or so second-years and Accelerated MBA students jumped and moshed their way onto the great front lawn chanting "JOE, JOE, JOE." Who created these monsters, we wondered? And were we going to join their ranks? If so, what would the indoctrination look like? Would we too be offered happy pills and matching t-shirts, and end this blue-skyed summer day as ranting buffoons? Luckily not. What actually happened was that the excitement and enthusiasm of these second-years began to rub off on us. Some first-years even talked in low tones about maybe taking on the role of JOE facilitator next year.
After a rousing rendition of the Cornell alma mater with dean Joe Thomas, we were split into groups consisting of about 10-15. I won't bore the reader with descriptions of the morning and early afternoon's teambuilding activities. Suffice it to say that, between crossing imaginary rivers of acid, falling into each other's arms, and narrowly avoiding the death grip of a giant imaginary spider's jaws, I got to know many of my teammates better, and even had a bit of fun in the process.
But for me, the best and most important parts of the weekend in the woods were the free times set aside just for talking, roasting marshmallows, swimming, and sharing a bunk or tent with new classmates. As promised in my first posting, I'm going to highlight as many interesting conversations and individuals as I can, in hopes of painting an eventual picture of the diversity of the class.
I spent much of the the evening discussing love, marriage, and business with two new Asian friends -- Satoshi from Japan and Yong Seuk from Korea. We discussed the difficulty of living in a new country and learning to function in a different language (I commiserated as much as I could with stories from my recent time in Argentina). I learned that the drinking culture common among businessmen in both of those countries stems from the introversion common among their people. Satoshi told me that meetings in Tokyo are often quiet affairs where executives and team members shy away from sharing their ideas. The real work often happens outside the office -- at the bar, when a few drinks helps them open up and trade ideas that would have seemed crazy a few hours earlier.
At breakfast, I discussed water management, the Indian IT sector, and other topics with an Accelerated MBA student named Priyanka. This young woman from Mumbai has just completed her one year masters in electrical engineering at Cornell. Along the way, she decided that an MBA would come in handy in her goal of helping NGOs improve infrastructure for transporting water and other resources in rural India, so she has just entered the one-year Accelerated MBA program. Two degrees from Cornell in two years is impressive, I thought. With her IT and NGO work experience, I figured she must be well above the average age of an MBA student; AMBA students tend to average about four years older than the two-year class. Not so. Priyanka is 24, and primed to take her learning back to make a difference in India.
At lunch and on the way home, I sat with a fellow first-year Park Fellow named Kevin. I learned a lot about his experience in the military -- he was stationed in Germany for three years, spending one of those in Iraq, mostly helping destroy stockpiles of Iraqi weapons built up by Saddam Hussein's regime. I also found out about Kevin's experience at West Point, where he used his negotiation skills and persistence to help West Point's color guard become a regular at Yankee Stadium, home of Kevin's favorite team. He even carried the flag during two games of the World Series. Kevin impressed the folks at West Point so much that he even was asked to join their admissions team after he ended his formal military service.
It would be impossible to relate all of the conversations I had over the weekend; indeed, these were only a few.
When I got home from the weekend on Saturday afternoon, I collapsed into bed for about an hour before getting dressed to the nines for the Park Leadership Fellows inaugural event. I got to meet the Park family -- our benefactors -- great and generous people who smiled on their class of 26 like watching their own child score the winning goal in a soccer game. And I got my first little dose of public speaking, where I shared the details of where I've been and where I hope to go. I kept my future aspirations humble -- I said I wanted to use my study of Sustainable Global Enterprise to start a world-changing company. Now I just have to get through the core...
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
First day of classes... and the (mostly unwarranted) panic the night before
Today was the first full day of classes -- Accounting, Economics, Finance, and Marketing. Sounds pretty standard for an MBA curriculum, right? Right. But yesterday, I still hadn't bought the books, nor had I confronted the reading and other preparation necessary for the first day of class. And what was this about having core classes start during orientation?
Tuesday morning (the day before class), I finally escaped from our two-day team simulation (more on that in another posting) long enough to buy the books -- there was, in the end, no more time left to do so. At the end of the simulation, more or less a 10-hour day of hardcore team work and narrowly averting driving my team, industrial engine producer Vroom Corp., into the ground, I started to panic at the idea of three chapters of finance to read, two articles for marketing, reading an annual report and a chapter for accounting; thankfully nothing for Professor Frank's class. This was going to be a lot of reading about a lot of stuff I don't know a lot about for one night...
Somewhere in the midst of the process of realizing what I needed to do, how little time I had, and the very real possibility of falling behind from the beginning, a calm came over me. It came through a welcome epiphany. In the five years since undergrad, I had somewhere along the line picked up a skill I didn't have when I graduated from Middlebury -- the ability to sit still, the ability to concentrate, the ability to beat a deadline. Thank you journalism!
After the aforementioned marathon team simulation, I loosened up with a little finance and marketing in the library until it closed at 7. Then I moved quietly downstairs in Sage to a breakout room and read some more. Then, around 8, I admired the crimson sunset on the walk home. I was already well over halfway done with my work. When I got home, I ate a leisurely dinner and chatted with my wife and her friend, who's in town visiting. Then I read some more before bed. I got up early and read for an hour or two before class this morning. And you know what? I got it all done.
And you know what else? I like my professors. I'm excited about becoming an economic naturalist. Accounting seems kinda interesting. I didn't wait to be cold-called in Finance; I actually raised my hand. And I think I'm going to understand this marketing thing after all. All in all, it was my best first day of school in a long time.
Tuesday morning (the day before class), I finally escaped from our two-day team simulation (more on that in another posting) long enough to buy the books -- there was, in the end, no more time left to do so. At the end of the simulation, more or less a 10-hour day of hardcore team work and narrowly averting driving my team, industrial engine producer Vroom Corp., into the ground, I started to panic at the idea of three chapters of finance to read, two articles for marketing, reading an annual report and a chapter for accounting; thankfully nothing for Professor Frank's class. This was going to be a lot of reading about a lot of stuff I don't know a lot about for one night...
Somewhere in the midst of the process of realizing what I needed to do, how little time I had, and the very real possibility of falling behind from the beginning, a calm came over me. It came through a welcome epiphany. In the five years since undergrad, I had somewhere along the line picked up a skill I didn't have when I graduated from Middlebury -- the ability to sit still, the ability to concentrate, the ability to beat a deadline. Thank you journalism!
After the aforementioned marathon team simulation, I loosened up with a little finance and marketing in the library until it closed at 7. Then I moved quietly downstairs in Sage to a breakout room and read some more. Then, around 8, I admired the crimson sunset on the walk home. I was already well over halfway done with my work. When I got home, I ate a leisurely dinner and chatted with my wife and her friend, who's in town visiting. Then I read some more before bed. I got up early and read for an hour or two before class this morning. And you know what? I got it all done.
And you know what else? I like my professors. I'm excited about becoming an economic naturalist. Accounting seems kinda interesting. I didn't wait to be cold-called in Finance; I actually raised my hand. And I think I'm going to understand this marketing thing after all. All in all, it was my best first day of school in a long time.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Intro Post
I'm a first-time blogger, so I'm excited to share my experiences with the world in a totally different way than ever before. One thing I'm really happy about: I finally have free reign to express myself as I like. At BusinessWeek, every piece I wrote was reviewed, critiqued, and edited by at least three people, and sometimes by as many as ten. I intend to use this blog forum to be as unedited and as honest as I can -- seems that's the only way to get anything really worthwhile out of this. I hope that anyone who reads my posts will get to know me, the Johnson School, and the Park Leadership Fellows program better.
As a recovering journalist, volunteer, and die-hard liberal arts undergrad, I sometimes feel like a sore thumb amidst the marketers, salespeople, and finance gurus with whom I now surround myself at the Johnson School. But I've found many kindred spirits here already. As I get going into the heart of the first year and really start connecting with people, one of my goals for this blog is to highlight as many of them as I can; I believe it's the people that really shape the business school experience.
As I get used to this new medium, I just ask that you bear with me. I'll work to get up to speed as fast as I can. With the core starting this week and my own personal anxiety growing, I know I'll have more than enough subject matter to practice with...
As a recovering journalist, volunteer, and die-hard liberal arts undergrad, I sometimes feel like a sore thumb amidst the marketers, salespeople, and finance gurus with whom I now surround myself at the Johnson School. But I've found many kindred spirits here already. As I get going into the heart of the first year and really start connecting with people, one of my goals for this blog is to highlight as many of them as I can; I believe it's the people that really shape the business school experience.
As I get used to this new medium, I just ask that you bear with me. I'll work to get up to speed as fast as I can. With the core starting this week and my own personal anxiety growing, I know I'll have more than enough subject matter to practice with...
Friday, August 10, 2007
I grew up in York, PA and attended Middlebury College, majoring in Religious Studies. After graduation, I spent two years working as an AmeriCorps*VISTA for the San Diego Council on Literacy and then the International Rescue Committee. After traveling with my now-wife, Shannon, I moved to New York, where I joined BusinessWeek’s B-Schools Channel and later the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Channel. I recently spent five months in Argentina writing for BusinessWeek and volunteering for a microfinance organization. I’m now a Park Leadership Fellow and excited to share my experiences with you.
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