Celebrating Diversity During One Wharton Week at UPenn
Clear Admit recently explored how the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania has become a premiere institution of diversity among U.S. business schools.
As part of a commitment to celebrating and examining diversity, the MBA community at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has, since 2015, observed an annual Return on Equality (ROE) Week—recently renamed One Wharton Week. Throughout the week, held this year from February 12th through 15th, MBA students gather to build community and create an open dialogue about diversity through lectures, panels, and other special events.
“One Wharton Week has evolved in the three years since Return on Equality was founded, but at its core, it’s still the greatest demonstration of how the Wharton community can come together and learn from each other,” Simone Thomas, WG’18, co-president of ROE, explained in a news story on the Wharton website. ROE is a student-led coalition with the stated vision of making Wharton “a pioneering institution that deliberately equips students to be leaders and advocates of inclusive organizational practices, enabling individuals to be recognized and valued as their whole selves.”
One Wharton Week is made possible by a coalition of clubs and student organizations from across the university that come together to put on programming. In the mix this year, the Wharton Analytics Club hosted an event examining bias in technology and algorithms. The Media & Entertainment Club also screened the movie Get Out, which addresses a range of topics related to racism, and followed up the viewing with small group discussions.
“We wanted this collaborative effort to express the deep commitment from all groups to diversity and inclusion work here at Wharton,” Thomas said.
Other events included a discussion of personal faith, a talk from Vice Dean of the MBA program Howard Kaufold entitled “The Business of Equity,” and an examination of the #MeToo movement. The #MeToo talk was one of the most highly anticipated events for the week, staged amid an intense political climate on campus and many efforts to make a difference put forth by students, organizations, and administrators.
“We’re hoping to facilitate an open discussion in which we can understand the experience and thoughts from both genders and provide a platform for people to ask questions about a very uncomfortable and complicated topic,” Thomas explained. A full schedule of the events hosted during One Wharton Week is listed here.
Although One Wharton Week is largely student run—with members of the MBA Classes of 2018 and 2019 in charge of securing speakers, promoting the week, and advising on content—it also receives strong administrative support. This partnership between the administration and students was formed in 2017 when Kaufold asked members of the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Steering Committee to meet with students to collaborate and advise on the MBA program’s diversity and inclusion strategy.
Below is a sneak peek inside One Wharton Week 2018.
Top MBA Recruiters: Finding Your MBA Career at PwC Firm Strategy&
Navigating job applications and interviews after all the hard work of earning your MBA can be tiresome. After devoting a year or more of your time to gaining the skills of a top business professional, shouldn’t future companies be knocking down your door?
It might not be that easy, but there are certainly a number of companies currently seeking the best and the brightest up-and-coming business leaders, who acknowledge the kind of skills an MBA can contribute to their team. Among them is Strategy&, one of the top recruiters of MBA students at business schools throughout the world.
For MBA graduates looking for careers in the consulting industry, Strategy& could be the perfect opportunity to break into the field and develop critical skills in strategy and consulting. And as an MBA graduate with a wealth of knowledge within the industry, companies like Strategy& are probably also looking for you.
About Strategy&
Strategy& was established more than 100 years ago by Edwin G. Booz, eventually being known for most of its life as Booz & Company. In 2014, the firm was acquired by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), when it was renamed to Strategy&. The firm is headquartered in New York City, with more than 57 offices throughout the world. Today, the company features roughly 3,000 employees and more more than $1.3 billion in revenue.
Strategy& functions currently as the strategy consulting team for PwC, offering strategic solutions in an uneven business climate, helping companies to transform, invest in growth, and stay in tune with business trends even through rapidly changing times.
Why MBAs Love Strategy&
Strategy& is an active recruiter from business schools around the world, including top programs like Harvard Business School, NYU Stern, and INSEAD, among many others. The company is also supportive of staff who have not yet earned an MBA but hope to advance their business education. Strategy& even offers junior staff the chance to apply for full MBA sponsorship, and provides flexible work opportunities so students can pursue a degree while still maintaining their career.
The Strategy& consulting experience is shaped in a way that relies on mentorship, with a 1:6 ratio of partners to junior consultants. For MBA students—who have already demonstrated an interest in investing in their growth and education in the field—this type of setting means that class is always in session.
Life at Strategy&
New consultants at Strategy& can expect a clear and structured path laid out at the start of their career, with rapid career progression possible. New associates will advance towards roles as partners, typically spending two to three years at each level along the way.
While undergraduates would begin in associate roles, those with MBA degrees can jump right in at the senior associate level. Senior associates have the opportunity to develop their skills by working closely alongside clients to resolve complex issues and guide clients and their companies towards success. From there, MBAs could move upward into a manager role, then director, and finally partner.
The development of strong mentor relationships is seen as crucial at Strategy&. Mentors will provide a constant source of support for new associates, offering guidance as they move upwards through the company, choosing projects they are passionate about and forming strong professional networks. Mentors will also provide real-time feedback, helping pave the way for a successful career.
Landing a Job at Strategy&
Strategy& is an active recruiter of MBA programs throughout the country, where they may host events on campus and offer direct information to students on applying for positions at the company. Students from any program, even if the school does not actively recruit there, are able to apply directly for their internship and job openings through their website. Jobs are available at a number of the firm’s locations throughout the country and around the globe.
Summer internship opportunities are a great way for students to get their foot in the door at Strategy&, and may end up leading to full time employment. This was the case for Bryan, now a director at the company and based out of Chicago. Bryan interned for the company during the summer while earning his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He completed his MBA in 2011, joined Strategy& as a full-time colleague, and is now a key member of the Technology Strategy team.
“I had the opportunity to do an internship with the firm between my first and second year at business school, and I came away impressed with the caliber and character of the people at the firm,” Bryan said of his experience with Strategy&. “In only nine weeks, the camaraderie and professional bonds that I was able to develop with my teammates, fellow interns and leaders at the firm was special.”
How to Ace These 5 MBA Interview Questions
Clear Admit recently explored 5 crucial interview questions you’ll need to know during the height of MBA interview season, based off the site’s in-depth interview guides and archives, which you can read below.
Interviews, interviews, interviews … it’s all anyone seems to be talking about these days, and with good reason. Harvard Business School, Michigan’s Ross School, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern, and UVA Darden are just some of the schools that have already or are in the process of sending out Round 2 interview invitations. Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan, and UPenn / Wharton are among those soon to come.
Instead of driving yourself crazy with worry, why not buckle down and perfect your answers to the questions you are most likely to be asked? To help you prepare, we’ve scoured our Interview Guides and Interview Archive to compile our very own list of five MBA interview questions you need to ace. These questions are among those that most often make their way into MBA admissions interviews at leading schools.
While the questions listed here are most commonly asked as part of blind interviews, they can certainly also come up in the course of non-blind interviews. In those cases, you’ll want to be prepared to go deeper into some of the specific experiences you shared in your application. (Check out our quick refresher on the difference between blind and non-blind interviews).
For detailed insights into each school’s interview process, the questions they ask, and how to tackle those questions, access Clear Admit’s Interview Guides.
5 MBA Admissions Interview Questions You Need to Ace
Walk me through your résumé.
The real trick with answering this open-ended question is to gauge how much detail is too much. Imposing a structure can help. “It’s best to err on the side of brevity,” says Alex Brown, who asked this very question of many hopeful Wharton applicants during his time working in admissions at the Philadelphia school. “Think of this résumé walk-through as simply laying the groundwork for deeper discussion of your background and accomplishments.” A good idea is to develop a two- to three-minute run-through, beginning with where you grew up and went to college, what you studied and perhaps something you enjoy outside of work. Then move into a concise overview of your work experience, beginning with your first job and continuing to present day, making sure to explain why you made the choices you did and what you learned in each major role. “This kind of high-level overview gives your interviewer the perfect opportunity to ask for more detail about specific points if she wants it,” Brown says. If you have a gap of three or more months due to unemployment or some other cause, you should be prepared to address it, Brown warns, although in a short résumé question as part of the interview, it may not come up.
What are your career goals?
With any luck, you will already have a well-honed response to this question, developed and refined as part of the process of writing your application essays. “If you are looking to shift industry or function, this is your chance to explain your reasoning and that you have carefully thought through what may be involved in successfully making the transition,” Brown says. Keep in mind why the adcom is asking this question, Brown suggests. “They want to know how focused you are on the MBA and whether you are in a position to take advantage of the resources business school offers or at risk of getting overwhelmed,” he says. Present a very clear post-MBA goal, Brown recommends. “Schools prefer to admit students who can explain exactly what kind of job they want to pursue beyond graduation and articulate how it will set them up to obtain their long-term career objectives,” he says. Schools are also looking, with this question, to see if your goals make sense and are feasible in light of your past experiences; are you able to articulate a clear path and plan?
Why X school?
Here, schools want to see if you have really done your research on their program and whether you are a good fit with their culture. So, do your research. “I recommend a three-pronged approach to make a truly compelling case for your interest in a given school,” Brown says. Start with academics, he says, naming specific courses and professors that you are interested in. “Remember, your interviewer wants to see that you have really researched the school.” Second, mention specific clubs, conferences and other special programs that will help position you for your career goals. “Even better, show how you would contribute to the school community, such as by organizing an event to share specific knowledge you bring with your future classmates,” Brown suggests. Third, show that you have a good understanding of the school’s community, culture, class size and location and have thought about how these fit with your personality, goals and background. “If you have visited campus or talked with current students or alumni—definitely say so, lead with this.” Brown stresses. “Beyond showing that you’ve invested time in getting to know the school, this also helps your interviewer have a mental picture of you on campus.” he says.
Give us an example of a time you took a leadership role.
The way interviewers ask this question can vary—sometimes you’ll be asked directly about your most notable leadership experience and other times you’ll be invited to describe your general leadership style. “It’s important to keep a few basic principles about leadership in mind,” Brown says. “A leader is someone who has a strong vision or point of view and is able to see things others are not,” he continues. A leader must also have excellent communication skills. Choose an example that demonstrates these points. An ideal leadership example will describe a time when you negotiated with and persuaded key stakeholders, such as clients or a supervisor, to buy into your vision and then delegated the work and managed colleagues or juniors. “If you encountered obstacles along the way, share how you dealt with them,” Brown says. “If possible, you should also show success through quantified results,” he adds. As important as a successful outcome is demonstrating how you drew on the help of others where necessary. “No one is successful on their own,” Brown says. Show that you understand that strong leadership means teamwork and playing well with others, he says.
Tell us about a time you failed.
As tempting as it may be to say that you’ve never failed at anything…that is not what that adcom is looking for here. “In fact, this is a favorite question for those who appear to be ‘rock stars’ on paper,” Brown says. But rock stars make mistakes, and having an example in your back pocket of a time things did not go according to plan can show humility as well as your capacity to learn and grow. “The best answer to this type of question ends with a more recent experience where you took the lesson you learned from the failure and put it into play, affecting a better outcome.” he says.
These five questions certainly don’t cover everything your interviewer is likely to ask you, but they do touch upon some of the things you’re most likely to be called upon to share as part of your MBA admissions interview. You can take some of the anxiety out of the interview process by giving each one some thought, drawing on some relevant experiences from your past, and practicing the responses you would give. Don’t practice too much so that you appear overly rehearsed—since it’s important to seem both authentic and genuine—but prepare enough so that you’ll be ready to truly put your best self forward.
School v. School: NYU Stern or Columbia Business School?
What happens when you pit two of the New York metro’s top business school’s against each other in a head-to-head duel of MBA might? It’s a school vs. school showdown, as we compare Columbia Business School to the Stern School of Business. Let’s take a deeper dive! Continue reading…
Toronto News: DeGroote Launches New Fellowship, Rotman Makes New Hire, and More
Let’s visit some of the biggest news coming out of Toronto business schools this week.
EMBA Physicians Invited to Enroll in HLA Fellowship Program – DeGroote Communications Department
According to a press release from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, the Michael G. DeGroote Health Leadership Academy (HLA) is launching a new fellowship program for physicians who enroll in the Executive MBA in Digital Transformation (EMBA) at the DeGroote School of Business. Called the HLA Physician Fellowship Program, five fellows will be selected for the inaugural year of the program, which starts in September 2018.
The EMBA in Digital Transformation is a 13-month program that allows candidates to work while pursuing their degree. It features an evolving interdisciplinary curriculum includes customized, integrated cases developed around new and emerging trends in business and technology.
“The HLA strives to attain a transformative impact on global healthcare by nurturing a community of future leaders,” Del Harnish, Co-Director of the HLA, said. “This fellowship program helps develop these leaders by providing a broad perspective of the intersections of health and business knowledge.”
You can read more about the new fellowship here.
Rotman School Strengthens Business Design and Innovation with New Appointment – Rotman Media Centre
The Rotman School of Management announced an exciting new faculty hire via their Media Centre: Angèle Beausoleil is joining the school’s faculty as an assistant professor of Business Design and Innovation. In addition to developing and delivering new courses, she will be collaborating with Rotman DesignWorks, the school’s Business Design Centre on industry projects to help advance innovation practices at the school.
You can read more about Professor Beausoleil here.
Schulich School of Business Wins 2018 MBA Games – Schulich Media Centre
Last month, a team of MBAs from the Schulich School of Business at York University bested teams from 16 other Canadian graduate business schools to win the 2018 MBA Games. The victory was Schulich’s seventh MBA Games win in 16 years.
“This was our year to win the MBA Games,” said Catherine Sim, Team Captain, who expects to graduate with a Schulich MBA degree later this year. “It feels great to bring the Queen’s Cup back to where it belongs.”
You can read more about the team’s triumph here.
Vincent Kompany: International Footballer and MBA All-Star
When it comes to soccer (err, football) Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is one of the most widely known centre backs in the world. The Belgian international joined City way back in 2006 and went on to lead his club to victory, helping bring the team its first Premier League title in over four decades in 2012, and then again in 2014.
