Welcome back to Campus Chronicles, a column we feature during the school year to provide a weekly look at the b-school campus press. Since student papers offer a great window into student culture, activities and academics, keeping up to date with these publications is a great way to discover insider information into your top schools – information that will come in handy when working on application essays. Over the course of the school year, we will be covering the breaking news from The Wharton Journal, Harbus (Harvard), Chibus (Chicago), Monroe Street Journal (Michigan/Ross), Fuqua Times, Columbia Bottom Line, Stern Opportunity, Fifteen (MIT Sloan), Stanford Reporter, and Haas Week.
For the first edition of Campus Chronicles ’08-’09, we turn our focus to Harvard Business School’s Harbus and The Wharton Journal at the University of Pennsylvania.
At Harvard the introduction of a new RC course called Learning at HBS (LHBS) has led to a debate regarding the class’s usefulness and place in the curriculum. The aim of this mini-course is to establish section norms and guidelines for the year, yet discussions often center on issues of diversity. While some students assert that the sessions are helpful in sparking meaningful discussion, others feel that the classes are repetitive and could be condensed to cover the material more effectively. Most students agree that, “while the classes were an excellent vehicle for generating interesting discussion, they did very little to help the sections resolve the issues that were raised.”
However, the fact that no resolutions are reached in LHBS may be a good thing: the discussions extend outside the classroom, allowing for a greater examination of the issues at hand. Harbus journalist Elana Green states, “The larger goal may be to get each of us to realize in a very personal way that people who we respect and who we know to be intelligent can hold viewpoints on very divisive issues that completely contradict our own.” This understanding, she goes on to state, allows students to take the first step towards resolving these issues at HBS or after graduating from the program.
On the social side of things, Harbus reports the latest frenzy over the upcoming Priscilla Ball – the dress-up party of the year. Tickets sold quickly, as some students organized their sections into groups, with one person designated as the ticket buyer, to maximize their chances of snagging tickets. Other students tried a different approach in planning a mass attack on the online system and allowing whomever got through to work through the list of students.
Besides confronting the challenge of getting tickets, students must also make the difficult decision of what they will wear to the event. A Java Poll reported that there were over 500 different outfit themes being tossed around, indicating the seriousness with which students plan their costumes. One student, Ming Yang, indicates that it is overwhelming to plan outfits for 90+ people, stating that the final vote came down to either “The girls next door” or “Field Hockey team.” In regards to the actual Ball, Ming states, “Everything goes… Basically it is a party where everyone puts their guard down.” Harbus concludes with the point that “this might be the only time where you get to see future presidents and CEOs walking in 80’s aerobics teach outfits!” Sounds like fun.
Meanwhile, The Wharton Journal sheds light on the latest talk in the Leadership Lecture Series – a talk by Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who serves as an advisor to both the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States and also happens to be the father of Mike Mullen (WG ’09). The Leadership Lecture Series is designed to provide students with a window into how leaders across a range of organizations approach universal challenges.
Admiral Mullen discussed how taking accountability for one’s actions demonstrates integrity and ensures a means of moving beyond blame towards the success of the overall objective. Touching on the evolution of technology and international relationships, Admiral Mullen’s statements reminded the audience of the challenges that they will face as leaders in such a connected global community. The Admiral concluded his talk with a candid discussion of his own failures, indicating the importance of perseverance and the leadership of others in helping him overcome these setbacks. By the end of the lecture, the audience had gained insight into another effective and inspiring leadership style.
The Wharton Journal also reports the success of the Southeast Asia Global Immersion Program in which 36 Wharton students spent four weeks over the summer learning about global business management and having an unbelievable time. During the program, the students visited Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, participated in 27 company visits, and networked with alumni at the Global Alumni Forum in Ho Chi Minh City.
Stay tuned for the next edition of Campus Chronicles.
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