Day in the Life
To give you a snapshot of a typical session, we’ve outlined the kind of classes and activities you’ll experience.
9 am
Having returned from an early morning bike ride, run, or yoga session, or after a quick review of last night’s readings, students gather around bagels and coffee just prior to class. This is a time for catching up with one another about what happened between the class blocks—a promotion, a new baby, or an interesting business trip overseas. In Term 1, morning classes might begin with Managerial Economics Professor Ray Fisman, who was named to an economics “Dream Team” of 11 innovative economists under the age of 40 and whose research on corruption has gained him international recognition.
Noon
On Thursday, project teams might meet over lunch to discuss next steps for completing homework and long-term assignments. If it’s Friday, there’s likely to be a guest speaker. Speakers are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, such as previous speakers Steve Foster, Managing Director and founder of TPG Ventures, an affiliate of the Texas Pacific Group; Dave Olsen, co-founder of Starbucks; Richard Parker, former director of competition at the Federal Trade Commission; and Robert Reich, former U.S. Labor Secretary. On Saturday, a panel of your fellow students might be sharing their particular areas of expertise with their classmates. On any day, you can usually find time to take a quick walk around campus to get refreshed and energized for the afternoon.
1–4 & 4:30–7:30 pm
There are usually two more classes in the afternoon. In Term 3, the first one might be Corporate Strategy with Professor Paul Tiffany, who is well known for his book Business Plans for Dummies. The second might be Capital Markets and Investments, where students learn to identify the risk characteristics of various asset classes. In Term 4, you may be in Negotiations with Professor Michael Morris, who is highly regarded for his research on social judgment—the study of how people make sense of events observed in their environment. Don’t worry about the long hours—the faculty have a way of mixing lecture, discussion, Q & A, and in-class exercises to keep everyone’s energy level high. Of course, refreshments are served throughout the day, so a cup of coffee is always just steps away.
8 pm
When classes end for the day, the evening is still young—this is New York and San Francisco, after all. The program office may have organized a dinner for the entire class at a local restaurant, or students might break up into smaller groups to hit the town on their own. This is also a great time to connect with other student groups on both campuses through planned networking events. Depending on what’s coming up tomorrow, everyone might meet for drinks to recap the day or hit the books in the hotel’s study room to prepare for tomorrow.
