So far this semester I’ve taken classes on Organizational Behavior and Human Resources. We’ve discussed the importance of leadership and effective communication. MBA students tend to have high aspirations and enthusiasm. After all, we all have ability, ambition, and bright futures ahead of us.  We talk a lot about what makes people and organizations successful.   However, in looking at how the respective institutions and coaches have handled these horrible tragedies, I believe that there is a necessary perspective for MBA students:  what happens when things don’t go right? Will we be equipped as leaders to handle adversity? Will we be able to navigate uncharted waters?

As leaders we have a responsibility to be forthright and honest, particularly when problems abound.  When it appears bleakest, whether it’s a scandal on campus or poor quarterly earnings, leaders must be transparent. Fans, shareholders, students, and colleagues require and deserve honest discourse about the past, but also a roadmap for the future.

As a future leader, will I have the fortitude to not only make difficult business decisions, but also to fulfill my civic responsibility to the people that will rely on me?  While my experience at GW is far from over, I’ve already been provided with a unique lens for which to evaluate non-business related circumstances.  Like all people, I hope that the Penn State and Syracuse situations are resolved justly, but these two examples have prompted me to reflect on what it means to be a leader and their responsibilities.

I’m more than halfway through my first semester, and the program has lived up to my expectations and the criteria by which I had originally evaluated it.  I’ve made friends, I’ve met really interesting people outside of the program, and my fiancée and I have really enjoyed living in Washington, D.C.  However, I keep coming back to the idea of culture, which feels incredibly important, but also difficult to define. How have I fit in? Can I get better here?

Full disclosure time: microeconomics is hard for me.  It’s like learning a completely different language and it’s taken longer for me to get the hang of it than I would like.  In fact, I took a quiz last week and I didn’t do all that well.

Here’s where the surprise comes in. My professor, a man with 120 students, personal research requirements, and a personal life, emailed me to let me know that my score was not where I would have liked it to be and offered to review the quiz with me one-on-one at my convenience.  I was blown away.  I never saw a professor take initiative to meet with students as an undergraduate student, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it to happen in graduate school.

I hate to belabor the point, but culture matters. Furthermore, the quality of people in the program matters.  The reviews that you read about programs often talk about rankings, percentage of graduates with jobs, and their starting salaries.  All of those things matter a lot. Getting your MBA is a big investment. But nowhere in my research did I read, “Professors might email you out of the blue because they care about your learning.”  Culture is about ethos, but more important, it’s about people.  I have fit in and I can get better here.

By Brian Landau

JUD, as it is affectionately known, stressed out most of us for the entire module. For those of us without a quantitative background, the course material was largely alien. For those of us with a quantitative background, the course material was largely alien.  Nevetheless, in thinking about my experience thus far in business school, JUD underscores the wide array of emotions and expectations that I had in the process of coming to George Washington, which was a lengthy one rife with moments of self-evaluation and introspection.

Decisions and Uncertainty:
Was going back to school the right decision? What would be the outcome of my experience? Why the MBA program at George Washington?  What would living in Washington, D.C., be like? Would I make friends? Like many of my classmates, I left a good job and moved a significant distance to come to GW.  My decision to attend business school was a decision that not only impacted me, but also my loved ones.

Once I was settled in D.C. and back at school, there was a whole other set of questions:

Judgment:
Do I ask too many questions in class? Are my emails as funny as I think they are? How come nobody calls me on the weekend?

The first few weeks of graduate school have confirmed several important things:

1)      Nobody will ever drink more coffee than I do. Ever.
2)      Experiencing something new with strangers can be the ultimate bonding experience.
3)      Challenges are always worth it.
4)      No, my emails aren’t funny.

Although we don’t have any real time to sit back and celebrate the achievement of completing our first module, I think that it’s very important that we take some time to reflect on this significant milestone in our lives.  The next module will have its own set of experiences and challenges.  Personally, I will be taking classes like Economics and Finance for the first time.  However, if there is one challenge that I am particularly excited for, it’s figuring out how to work the class “Data Models” into a catchy theme for my next blog post.

By Brian Landau

Admittedly, not many of the potential applicants I speak with are as prepared as Simone, but there is definitely a difference between the people who are prepared and the people who aren’t.  To help you be in the former group, I thought I’d share a little advice from the other side of the table.

Treat It like a Job Fair

That’s what these recruitment fairs are, really.  They’re an opportunity for you to learn more about programs you’re interested in and for them to learn more about you.  Come dressed in business casual or business professional, and act as you would in a job interview.  The person you meet at the table might sit on the admissions committee or be an influential alumnus.  This is the first impression you are making with the school, and that impression is hard to correct if you start off on the wrong foot.

Research Target Schools Ahead of Time

If you walk in to the ballroom and know you’re planning to apply to GW or Stern or Kellogg, then you should probably know the average GMAT or GRE scores for those schools ahead of time.  It’s better to ask a question about a program, symposium, or study abroad experience that is on the website but provides scant detail.  I get a lot of questions about our Consulting Abroad Project, and I love answering those questions because it means the individual has clearly reviewed our website.

Talk to Schools You Hadn’t Considered Before

You should have a list of target schools, but you should also talk to schools that aren’t yet on your list.  We all know the powerhouse programs, but the rankings can’t tell you whether a school is the right fit for your personality and goals.  The fairs are a great opportunity to talk to admissions reps and maybe an alum or current student from different schools all over the world.  This could be the only time a representative from that school is within a day’s drive of your city.  And don’t forget that the people at the table can go a long way in telling you about the attitude and culture of the school.

This is the First Step in a Long Process

I was in LA on July 31st, which means I was recruiting for the Global MBA class of 2014 before the GMBA class of 2013 even gets started.  The fall recruiting fairs are often the first step, a first interaction.  As important that the fair is the first impression the school gets of you, it’s also the first impression you get of the school.  It is the start of a conversation—one that you can stop at any time, but one worth having.

I hope these tips are helpful and that they help you get the most out of the fairs.  Come prepared.  Talk to other schools.  Be your professional self.  Start a conversation.  I’ll see you at the table.

-Jason K

Most of our travel will be done in association with Kaplan Road to Business School, The MBA Tour, QS World MBA Tour, and QS World Grad School Tour. These forums are a great opportunity to get an overview of MBA programs and the application process, and admission is either free or a nominal charge. Besides offering a general fair where you can browse programs and talk informally with admissions officers, many of these events also feature panels with admissions directors and presentations by specific schools. Please come to our table and introduce yourself!

In addition to the MBA fairs, we’ll offer a variety of opportunities to meet us in your city. In many cities we will hold intimate group dinners a local hot spot. At these dinners you’ll meet other prospective students and have the chance to ask more in-depth questions about the MBA program. Details about each event will be found on the Around the World Page, and invitations will be sent to prospective students who live in those areas. Additionally, if you’d like to chat with an admissions director one-on-one before or after a fair, please email Carly Schildhaus at cschildh@gwu.edu to set up a time.

Of course, visiting campus is the ideal way to learn more about GW and get a feel for the culture and community. We’d love to host you and show you around campus. When you visit, we’ll connect you with a current student who shares your interests, and you’ll have lunch and observe a class. Fall on-campus and online information session dates will be posted soon. Or, email us at gwmba@gwu.edu anytime to set up an informal informational interview.

Watch your email these next few months for invitations to events in your area. If you’re not already receiving our newsletters, please sign up here. We look forward to meeting you!

As classes wind down at the School of Business and our second-year MBA  students prepare for life outside Foggy Bottom, I am reminded of the many ways the GW MBA and the School of Business remain a worthwhile investment.

Location, Location, Location. No political or business backdrop rivals Washington, DC. GW is a neighbor to culturally rich organizations such as the World Bank. GW has also on several occasions hosted President Obama, who recently chose our campus for his speech on a reducing the deficit. Several School of Business students were invited to attend President Obama’s address, an event that will certainly be a lasting memory for the community.

Community and Collaboration. Our graduates will remember their involvement in the diverse landscape that is the GW School of Business.  Whether they made worthwhile contributions to our growing Net Impact chapter or developed an inaugural business and society conference that welcomed journalists and business leaders from the DC metro area, our students are dedicated to making both a difference and an impact. The event Crossroads: The Interplay of Business, Government, and the Global Economy focused on GWSB’s unique position, led by Dean Doug Guthrie, to lead the business school community in exploring government’s role in global business development. This event was wholly designed and executed by our MBA students. Again, we had the good fortune to receive contributions from professionals at the World Bank as well as Bankers without Borders.

International Immersion. Our international consulting project, a requirement for all Global MBA students, is a signature aspect of our full-time MBA program. Soon, our first-year MBA students will depart DC for locales such as Ghana, Vietnam, and Brazil for two weeks as a capstone to their seven-week consulting assignment. These students will come back to campus recharged and committed to further investment in their development as global business leaders. Our second-year students will leave the School having been academically and culturally fortified by their own experiences in countries such as Turkey, Mexico, Sweden, and India.

GW. The School of Business is privileged to be part of The George Washington University. As the largest research university in Washington, GW offers numerous educational assets that are valuable to our MBA students. The University and the School of Business share an ethos of service and community, and our students regularly participate in service projects born of these values. To take advantage of the resources offered by other GW schools such as the School of Media and Public Affairs and the Elliott School of International Affairs, MBA students can take classes in international affairs and attend lectures by such high-profile politicos as Hillary Clinton.

I would say, and I think our students would agree, that all of these qualities make for an unforgettable MBA experience.

There never were in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity.   — Michel de Montaigne

Insurance giant Chubb recently published the following on its website:

“Those who perceive diversity as exclusively a moral imperative or societal goal are missing the larger point. Workforce diversity needs to be viewed as a competitive advantage and a business opportunity. That’s why Chubb makes diversity a business priority and strives to achieve a fully inclusive diverse workforce.

“Diversity is about recognizing, respecting and valuing differences based on ethnicity, gender, color, age, race, religion, disability, national origin and sexual orientation.  It also includes an infinite range of individual unique characteristics and experience, such as communication style, career path, life experience, educational background, geographic location, income level, marital status, military experience, parental status and other variables that influence personal perspectives.  These life experiences and personal perspectives make us react and think differently, approach challenges and solve problems differently, make suggestions and decisions differently, and see different opportunities.  Diversity, then, is also about diversity of thought.  And superior business performance requires tapping into these unique perspectives.”

At the GW School of Business, we embrace diversity in all of its wonderful permutations. Like Chubb and other Fortune 500 corporations, the School of Business recognizes that as an MBA program we are only strengthened by diversity of thought, orientation, ethnicity, and national origin. With an international population that typically exceeds 30% of each incoming class, we value and seek student points-of -view from culturally rich countries such as Malawi, Mexico, and Kuwait as well as India, Russia, China, and New Zealand. Domestically, we seek to incorporate the diverse experiences of underrepresented US minorities into our cultural mix with the intent of creating vibrant learning opportunities where students can celebrate both their similarities and differences.  At the GW School of Business, it is our belief that a classroom is only enriched by courting all voices.

Over the past year, MBA Admissions has worked to expand our access to diverse audiences through partnerships with organizations such as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs as well as the National Black MBA Association. Through introducing our portfolio of MBA programs to these and other organizations and offering scholarships to talented prospective MBA candidates, we hope to increase our pipeline of dynamic prospective MBA students.

From my humble perch as director of MBA admissions at a business school, it appears the business case for diversity is abundantly apparent. The strength of an organization, public or private, business or university, rests on its people resources, something often referred to as human capital. The human equation is eclectic and fluid and capable of great expansion through the force of ideas. And good ideas can, and do, come from every place and all walks of life. At GWSB, we continue to pursue a medley of human experiences, confident that an assortment of voices and views will fortify an MBA program with a global reach.

MBA Admissions and the School of Business will continue the Business Case for Diversity conversation April 1^st and 2^nd. On the evening of Friday, April 1^st, we will host a reception and dinner for prospective and admitted students. On Saturday, April 2^nd at Duquès Hall there will be a mock class, a presentation about the F. David Fowler Career Center, panels with current students and young alumni, and a closing dessert reception with partner organizations such as the National Black MBA Association, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

Please join us.  Click here to register for The Business Case for Diversity, or call MBA Admissions at 202-994-1212 for more information.

A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others. –Unknown

In February, I had the pleasure of attending the Teach for America (TFA) Summit in Washington, DC.  As a partner school with Teach for America, the GW School of Business (GWSB) had the opportunity to speak with prospective MBA students during the three-day summit.  Unfortunately, I missed the opening remarks from TFA founder Wendy Kopp who, I was told, set the summit abuzz with her inspiring words of educational advocacy for all children everywhere—no matter their zip code.

For twenty years Ms. Kopp and her band of teachers have been building a movement to end educational inequity in America. Teach for America stands strongly behind the belief that it is possible for children growing up in low-income areas to carve a path to educational achievement and excellence.  A key component of the Teach for America ethos is the notion of teaching as leadership.

“Teachers as leaders” is a concept about which Ms. Kopp writes extensively in her latest book, A Chance to Make History.  We see this leadership in the many applications GWSB receives from former TFA teachers.  Our Teach for America MBA candidates are typically some of the strongest with regard to leadership and social impact.  Like many other prospective students, they are attracted to GWSB’s focus on social impact and elements of “servant leadership.”  Our message of globalization, leadership, and responsible management pulls from key servant leadership concepts of awareness, growth, and community building.  These concepts fit firmly with the teaching as leadership lessons that TFA graduates bring into an MBA, particularly a program with a focus on building responsible leaders for a global marketplace.

As Teach for America expands its business model overseas with Teach for All, I expect that I will see even more TFA MBA candidates ready to increase their global literacy and business acumen as they continue to pour their passion into all aspects of educational reform and management.

This reminds me of an African proverb that has lived with me for most of my days: “Each one, teach one.”

This week I had the pleasure of witnessing ethics in action both away and on the home front.

The “away” reference is directed toward Colgate-Palmolive and Ian Cook of New York City. The highly esteemed and unmistakably British Mr. Cook is currently the Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive and was invited by the School of Business to visit and deliver a lecture on corporate social responsibility in today’s business marketplace. Mr. Cook provided a rich tapestry of examples of Colgate-Palmolive’s efforts in the United States and locales such as the Philippines and much of Europe where the company employs a corporate philosophy of managing with respect. And how does one multi-billion-dollar entity do that, you may ask? 

According to Mr. Cook, managing with respect requires keeping calm under stress, being optimistic and resilient, communicating well, having a sense of humor, and, most importantly, getting outside of one’s self. This means it is imperative that global managers regularly leave their home country and culture in order to best learn how to manage a diversity of people and environments. Mr. Cook noted that in a world where values matter more than ever, it is critical that Colgate-Palmolive remain steadfast in its “living our values” strategy that focuses on people, performance, and planet.

Back on the home front, after the informative and inspiring lecture by Mr. Cook, MBA Admissions invited prospective MBA candidates to a panel discussion on the importance of social impact and how social responsibility and sustainability are incorporated into the GW MBA curriculum. Several current students led a discussion on their involvement with Net Impact and how they were becoming well versed in pertinent issues related to sustainability and social enterprise through coursework in environment, energy, technology, society, and global corporate social responsibility.

No GW School of Business CSR discussion is complete without current students mentioning Dr. Tim Fort, Executive Director of the GW Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility and the GW Peace through Commerce program. GW students emphasized how their views of CSR are being shaped by Dr. Fort’s research on using organizational structures to foster effective ethical sentiments in business. GW students also noted how valuable it is to be at a business school with a robust and thriving Net Impact chapter. The GW School of Business chapter regularly hosts networking events, conferences, and panels with leading industry experts from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The students’ enthusiasm for social enterprise and the GW experience was clearly evident and recognized by the prospective MBA candidates. 

Overall the panel discussion was both informal and influential—time well spent for all.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. —Chinese Proverb

Education enthusiasts promote the benefits of lifelong learning and how the pursuit of knowledge leads to increased personal and professional engagement in life. MBA candidates, a most curious sort to begin with, regularly ponder the merits of earning an MBA and whether or not the education will pay dividends once they are out and about in an uncertain and lively marketplace.

It is my position—one that I regularly share with GW MBA candidates—that the MBA ultimately morphs into the gift that keeps on giving. The insights in books authored by the likes of marketing guru Philip Kotler or corporate strategy mastermind Michael Porter can linger in one’s life and be of service in a multitude of enriching ways beyond the classroom. Cases hotly debated in a classroom full of intellectual vigor and ambition become part of a collection of knowledge that lives with students indefinitely. Classroom experiences leave students with approaches to problem-solving and analysis that expand management capabilities for years, if not decades, post-graduation.

I recently met with a candidate in our Global MBA program who inquired about the utility of the MBA and whether the degree is ultimately worth the investment. Without question, the financial commitment to an MBA program is significant and should be carefully considered. However, the utility cannot be measured just in dollars. A graduate degree should be viewed as a long-term investment in your professional toolbox.

Markets will remain dynamic and the economy volatile, but any investment of an educational nature is apt to grow and multiply. Armed with a graduate business degree and the network and alumni relationships that follow, one can be confident that the experiences and perspectives an MBA afford are life-changing.

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. —Oliver Wendell Holmes

Learning something new permanently expands your view of the world and the people in it. An MBA from The George Washington School of Business offers  an unparalleled worldview. Our ethics-infused programs provide a front-row seat in Washington, DC, where we integrate the internationalism and political debates of our nation’s capital into the MBA experience.

No doubt these experiences remain etched in our students’ consciousness long after they leave GW. No doubt learning from professors such as Timothy Fort and Mark Starik leaves an indelible mark on students’ professional path as they consider and promote the merits of social responsibility and sustainable leadership. No doubt our students will leave their imprint on the School of Business and change the School as much as they will be changed by it. No doubt our lifelong learners will benefit from the MBA program and, in the end, consider their time well spent.

Many individuals contemplating an MBA wonder when is the best time to move forward with their quest for the degree. The “when is the right time?” question is a crowd favorite and a question that is not always easily answered. The ideas that there is a time and place for everything, and that good things come to those who wait, ring true for most MBA candidates.

While it is true that the GW MBA program does not have any minimum work experience requirements, we strongly prefer students who have had at least two years of full-time professional work experience. The way we see things, there are many reasons to commit to a few years of work prior to applying to an MBA program. Trust us when we say it is likely that you will be a better you, and a stronger contributor to our MBA program, if you spend some time in the marketplace experiencing the rigors and rewards of working full-time.

Ours is a program of applied learning. This means that the personal and professional maturity, core business skills, and management acumen that you will have gained through your work experience will be an integral part of your B-school experience. Prior business exposure will fuel your classroom discussions, inform your team dynamics, and aid your understanding and participation in group discussions and business case preparation. In addition, having work experience prior to your MBA gives you an advantage with potential employers. Many employers often like to see what you have done and who you were before your MBA days before they invite you to their post-MBA party.

Assuming that you now have two or more years of work experience, what’s next? Consider the following questions: Can an MBA best prepare you for the next chapter of your professional career? Do you feel your career could be accelerated by earning a graduate business degree? Do you enjoy your current job but feel that you lack key business knowledge and skills that could make you a better performer?

Think about these questions as well as several others that will be unique to your life goals and values: If your goal is to attend a full-time program, have you considered both the financial and time commitment? Are you prepared to leave the workforce for up to two years? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then, by all means, take a closer look at an MBA program.

Timing is a strange thing because it is rarely an exact science. You collect the data and evaluate the environment, but in the end you have to take a leap of faith and dive in.

“Next to excellence is the appreciation of it.” —William Makepeace Thackeray

At the GW School of Business we have just completed our first round of MBA admissions. I have had the privilege of appreciating quite of bit of excellence in the candidates who have submitted applications for our Fall 2011 full-time Global MBA class.

In Duquès Hall on our Foggy Bottom campus in DC, the admissions team has been squirreled away behind closed doors reviewing stacks of applications from students as far away as India, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. We have met professionals who have passionately pursued leadership roles in fields as diverse as management consulting, education management and advocacy, aeronautical engineering, entertainment marketing, and real estate development. These candidates have traveled far and wide, both professionally and personally, in efforts to both learn from and promote business practices from a multitude of diverse audiences. In my many interviews I have been impressed as MBA candidates have discussed the importance of cultural literacy—the ability to relate to people from different backgrounds, cultures, and languages—as a key business and personal tool for success and advancement in a global marketplace. During candidate interviews, on more than one occasion I have found myself thinking, “Excellent! What an excellent response.”

The admissions committee looks for something unique and compelling in each candidate. In addition to a strong academic profile, we like to see evidence of pursuit of excellence in professional endeavors as well as a passion for learning. One individual taught history and science to fifth graders in a low-income area of Houston, Texas, as a teacher with Teach For America. She now wants to earn an MBA so that she might lead and manage several charter schools in other low-income areas in the United States. To her I say that such an endeavor is excellent, and there is a place for you here at the GW School of Business.

As we begin another round of the admissions cycle, reading, reviewing, and interviewing, I am reminded of what lies at the core of the GW MBA student. During interviews I am often asked different versions of the question, “How is the GW student different than any other MBA student?” I like to respond by noting that the GW student is both collaborative and competitive. Our students are as interested in each other’s success as their own. At GW we employ our own version of “lifting as we climb,” the notion that one can move ahead and move forward while supporting the goals and efforts of our unique learning community.

While regaling us with your lofty professional and academic pursuits remains essential, at this point in the admissions process we are as much interested in the “who” as the “what.” We want to know your story, the unique blueprint of your life that led you to the School of Business. Primarily, the interview is about making a connection with both the interviewer and the MBA program. How did it come to be that you are sitting in my office, perky and rhapsodic, poised to discuss your interests in all things MBA?

Weaving an artful MBA story can present a bit of a challenge. First and foremost, your story must be authentic. Do not tell someone else’s story. Do not offer a narrative that you think might be MBA-suitable as defined by some prep guide or How to Get into Business School X book.  At GW, we want the real deal. We want the particulars and nuances of your life told as only you could. Your MBA fingerprint will match no other, and only you can provide us with your life signature.

Secondly, come prepared. Prior to your MBA interview, think about how you intend to deliver focused, relevant, and articulate responses to all inquiries into your personal and professional path. Do not be surprised or thrown off guard when asked to link your interests in brand management to your previous work experience as a concert pianist. While we embrace career changes, we remain steadfastly interested in how you plan to navigate the path from Beethoven to Proctor and Gamble.

Finally, the “art” part of the interview is to know that the goal is to have a conversation, not to forge an inquisition. I do not prefer the rat-a-tat-tat back and forth of a rigorous Q & A session. Instead, our encounter should more resemble a dance where GW takes the lead and you, the interviewee, follow closely with responses and insights into what makes you one amazing MBA candidate.

Yes, indeed I do.

I also believe that in today’s world, this phrase highlights the fact that women are an essential foundation of the global economy, evidenced by the reality that 70% of new businesses are started by women and 85% of brand purchases are made by women. In addition, the Financial Times recently reported that the three richest self-made women are from China, as are 11 of 20 global female billionaires. One does not have to look far to see that women such as chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and CEOs Indra Nooyi (Pepsi) and Ursula Barns (Xerox) are leading business ventures and economic insights that contribute to the global business landscape in unprecedented ways.

At the GW School of Business, we recognize the importance of highlighting the contributions that women make to the global society. We aim to regularly feature these amazing women who are doing amazing things all over this and other continents. In an effort to highlight the leadership roles that women continue to play in our global society, the GW MBA Admissions team and the School of Business recently hosted an event titled Women Changing the Globe. This event recognized leading women who are part of the GW community, featuring a panel of GW alumni and a current MBA student. These women spoke of their professional experiences in the global marketplace.

Cassandra de Souza, a first-year student who previously worked at the World Bank, spoke of her experience providing support to the Ethiopian government to implement a US$100 million project protecting basic health services. With her GW MBA, Cassandra intends to transition her career from international development into the private sector.

Participants also included alumni such as Denise de Bombelles, who conducts global investor outreach on behalf of the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB). Each panelist spoke of the personal and professional experiences that shaped her desire to operate on a global stage. Each woman referenced the GW School of Business as a formidable partner in providing the key technical and management skills necessary to be a leader.

Cassandra and Denise represent just a few of the global leaders at the GW School of Business. Each year we have the privilege of meeting determined and dynamic women from places such as China, India, Turkey, and Malawi as well as California, Oregon, and Ohio. These incredible women hail from every sector, be it education, healthcare, or private equity. Composing more than 40% of the full-time Global MBA class, the women of the GW MBA program are well positioned to hold up their piece of the sky.

You see, I am huge fan of the incomparable Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka “Dr. Seuss.”  For sure, Dr. Seuss remains a literary genius as well as one who likely provided one of the first business models for sustainability.  I am speaking of his story The Lorax.  It is the Lorax who “speaks for the trees” and battles the greedy Once-ler character to espouse the benefits of corporate social responsibility.  Given that The Lorax was first published in 1971, I would say Dr. Seuss was certainly a man ahead of the times.

A story no less enduring and relevant than The Lorax is my personal favorite, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  This tale of personal growth and journeys to faraway lands embodies the spirit of the international residencies that are a key component of the globalization aspect of our full-time MBA program. 

Oh, the places you’ll go!

Brazil. Ghana. Serbia. Sweden. Turkey. Vietnam. 

This year, six residencies will be featured as part of the international consultancy projects available to our first-year Global MBA students. These are six opportunities to travel outside of the United States and be exposed to economies and business practices that are key contributors to a global economy. These external consulting projects allow first-year students to spend several weeks in Washington, DC, on campus reviewing a business problem with classmates prior to traveling abroad to meet business leaders and professionals associated with the project.

You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights!

In Brazil, students will work with the local Olympic organization committee in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. A GW alumnus and faculty member will lead students in Rio de Janeiro to gather information and make recommendations to the local committee.

The Ghana project will provide opportunities for Global MBA students to learn about the institutional and business environment of a growing economy in West Africa. Students will likely work with organizations such as the Ghana Export Promotion Council and the Ghana Investment Promotion Council.

In Serbia, students will work with a number of food and beverage producers in support of their domestic and export sales objectives.

In Sweden, the residency will focus on the clean technology sector in collaboration with the Swedish American Chambers of Commerce.

Turkey’s project involves the Istanbul Stock Exchange, and the Vietnam residency will provide opportunities to partner with a large steel company.

Going places and engaging the world is the cornerstone of the GW MBA program. Our international consulting projects reflect GW’s dedication to providing student access to an international stage. Next year, these six residencies will likely be replaced with six more opportunities to “go places.” It is a grand ride. I hope you will join us.

Visit our website to learn about more places you can go.

And remember… 

Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or  Mordecai  Ali Van  Allen O’Shea, You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So….get on your way!

En route to my dinner engagement, passing iconic institutes of elite consumerism a la stores Gucci, Prada, and Bergdorf Goodman, I relished the energy of New York City. Manhattan, with its bustling pace and eclectic clientele, never fails to assault the senses, and this day was no different. Distracted as I may have been by the street theatre that is New York, my thoughts remained diverted to the group of students I was due to meet at a mid-town restaurant. Imagine my state of glee when it was the MBA candidates who regaled me with their professional and personal pursuits and their conviction that earning an MBA remained critical to their professional and personal success. Their interests were varied yet their determination to expand their management and leadership skills was keenly evident. This reminded me, despite some reports to the contrary, that the MBA experience remains a valuable and relevant tool in today’s business marketplace. I was also reminded of intellectual vitality, a key attribute that can distinguish an MBA candidate.

Intellectual vigor, drive, and enthusiasm are critical attributes we seek in candidates for our MBA programs. Who are you, and how do you define your place in the world? More importantly, how are these values evidenced in the professional and personal choices you have made in your life? If corporate social responsibility and impact are a part of your DNA, is this reflected in your commitment to community service or the professional roles you have assumed in your career? If you are passionate about delving into the international landscape, have you studied or worked abroad or found other opportunities to immerse yourself in environments outside your own? We look for MBA candidates who are passionate about what they do, because we anticipate that they will bring the same passion for learning and excellence into the classroom. We expect GW MBA students to be lifelong learners who will manage the contours of the business environment with appropriate aplomb and assume the leadership roles required for a dynamic and global society.

Now, though, back to my dinner. The dinner was full of a spirit of conviviality and appropriate discourse on world events and how to meet the rigors of the GW MBA program. This likeable group of candidates were engaged and excited about GW and our ability to integrate our Washington, DC, location into our learning environment. I hope to see them again, perhaps this time on the GW campus.

English literature, art history, and philosophy majors, be still your liberal arts hearts, there is indeed a place for you at the GW School of Business.  Of this I am certain.  Even if Ayn Rand is your postmodernism heroine and you spent your heady undergraduate days debating the merits of The Fountainhead, it is likely that your undergraduate path, coupled with several years of work experience where you may have analyzed markets and participated in management trainee programs, has adequately prepared you for a robust MBA program. 

Yes, it is true that the sociology and theatre arts majors amongst us may have less experience with many of the quantitative rigors prevalent in an MBA program. After all, I was once a lonely English literature undergraduate who dared to seek an MBA in a sea of business, economics, and engineering majors—seemingly a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. However, there are steps one can take to increase his or her quantitative appetite. For example, if you are interested in earning an MBA and you have never really been friendly with a statistics or microeconomics course, consider taking a business statistics or economics course at your local community college. These courses serve as excellent introductions to much of the quantitative theory you will encounter in an MBA program, and completing the required coursework will began to prepare you for much of the applied academic learning that is a key component to any graduate business program. In addition, there are numerous local colleges that offer pre-MBA study programs for those students who seek an introduction to some of the business courses that will be covered in a rigorous MBA program. These pre-MBA programs offer a bit of a “sampler” of what to expect should you enroll in a full-time business program.

While it is important that an MBA candidate demonstrate an aptitude for quantitative material, which is the primary reason we ask candidates to submit GMAT or GRE scores, it is even more important that prospective MBA students evidence, through their applications, critical thinking and intellectual fervor. Who better than one who studied philosophy, with its emphasis on thought and analysis, to debate in a MBA classroom  the social impact of sustainable business practices or the effects of government policies in emerging economies? Many of the core management and responsible leadership courses and conversations that shape the curriculum at GW are positively impacted by those with a liberal arts sensibility, those who want to change the world and the way we think about it. 

At the GW School of Business, 40% of our new students entering in 2010 have a social science undergraduate background. We seek passionate thinkers of every sort, and we recognize that the poets amongst us are some of our most critical and articulate thinkers in the business world.

 Here at the George Washington School of Business (GWSB) it is most definitely preview season.  Just last Saturday we had our first Preview Day where we invited MBA students to an advance viewing of the MBA programs at the George Washington University School of Business.    We introduced MBA candidates to our students, alumni and faculty through a half day experience of meeting representatives from our Career Center and taking part in a mini MBA course led by esteemed falculty member Christopher Kayes.  Preview Day culminated with a reception at Ris, brainchild of a GW MBA alumnus and a culinary delight that left everyone with a whole lot of happy.  

GWSB Preview Day is designed to elicit a level of enthusiasm and anticipation for our MBA programs not too dissimilar from that which one might enjoy after viewing a well crafted  film preview.  We seek to excite you with our location (Washington, DC) and engage you with a rich curriculum and MBA program experience steeped in globalization, business ethics and leadership.  For GWSB it begins with our Foggy Bottom neighborhood less than six blocks from the White House in a world class international city that is host to World Bank and IMF meetings as well as iconic eateries such as Ben’s Chili Bowl.  A place where one can consume artful and flat out delicious artery clogging food so high in demand that the line often snakes around the corner most hours of the day.   On campus the preview experience extends into the first floor of Duques Hall at The School of Business.  Here candidates are greeted by staff and current students and have an opportunity to explore our home on G Street and network with other MBA candidates.  For GWSB our bold soundtrack includes the vision of new Dean Doug Guthrie, fluent in mandarin Chinese, a China scholar and noted expert in the fields of leadership and economic reform.  Dean Guthrie’s voice leads the charge as GWSB continues to be at the center of it all in terms of critical discussions on the relationships among business, society and international affairs.

I look forward to more Preview Days, both in the theatre and on campus.  Coming attractions for GWSB include a Women In Business Panel on November 18th and much more.  Stay tuned.