A Week in the Life of a Kellogg Student
It feels good to be back after the holidays, and I had a busy first week filled with a myriad of activities. While there is no “typical” week at Kellogg, highlights of my first week will hopefully provide some insight into what it’s like to be a student here:
Monday – Global Curriculum: On the first day of classes, Jake (the Jacobs building) was abuzz with students reconnecting with each other. My first class was Global Initiatives in Management. This will likely be my favorite class this quarter. We will be exploring the role of emerging markets – specifically Latin America – in the global economy. It was a highly interactive class, and we are all pretty excited to be visiting Brazil and Colombia during spring break as part of our field study.
Tuesday – World Class Professors (and treats!): I have most of my classes on Tuesdays and Fridays, so it was a very busy day. My marketing class was with Professor Hennessy, and the class was worth all 801 points that I bid. It was also “First Tuesday.” On the first Tuesday of every month, the Student Affairs office provides us with treats, and I definitely needed the sugar for my busy day. The menu this month included Caramel Cashew Chewies, Chocolate Almond Brickle Cookies, Orange Iced Cookies, Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Brownies and too many more to list.
Wednesday – Experiential Learning: Last quarter, I participated in the Neighborhood Business Initiative (NBI), sponsored by our Net Impact Club. The program involves providing pro-bono consulting services to non-profits in the Chicago/Evanston area. My team was selected as one of five finalists for the NBI Case Competition, and we presented our findings on Wednesday to a panel of judges. While we ultimately didn’t end up winning, we gained valuable consulting and presentation skills from the project and added value to a non-profit organization.
Thursday – Leadership Opportunities: I met with a second-year student to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming 2013 Kellogg Africa Business Conference. This was immediately followed by a meeting with the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN) student leadership team. We are in the midst of planning on-campus events, as well as providing support for the KIN Global Summit in May 2013. I’m so happy I get to hone my leadership skills while being involved with issues that I’m passionate about.
Friday – TG: TG (Kellogg’s happy hour) was an opportunity to catch up with friends and unwind from a busy week. Free drinks at the end of the week? Who can say no to that?
Saturday – Alumni Support: Several Kellogg alumni were on campus as part of the Black Management Association’s Super Saturday mock interview event. Alumni provided mock interviews to several first-year students, recruiting for marketing and consulting jobs. It was refreshing to know that they would take time out of their busy schedules (and give up their Saturday) to provide incredible support and feedback.
Sunday – Exchange Student Support: I signed up to be a buddy for exchange students who will be spending the winter quarter at Kellogg. We have dinner planned and will be enjoying deep dish pizza – what better way to welcome new folks to Chicago?
As you can see from this first week alone, there are so many occasions to learn, challenge yourself and have fun here. There’s never a shortage in opportunities, and that’s what I love about Kellogg.