Tag: GO! week

After many years of executing the GO (Gateway Olin) Program for incoming full time MBA students, one might assume is was business as usual. However, this year we had the pleasure of welcoming 140 new students in to our new buildings, Knight Hall and Bauer Hall.

The MBA Programs staff had the exciting challenge of using the new space in as many ways as possible to help students feel comfortable while getting to know their academic home.

Seeing the Forum filled with green t-shirts on Team Building Day gave us a real sense of community and closeness.  Being able to fit nearly every student in the Atrium to enjoy meals together was a logistical dream come true!  Ray Sparrowe kicked off the Core OB course in the Active Learning Lab which earned rave reviews from the students.

We concluded GO! Week with the traditional riverboat cruise on the Mississipi.  We are looking forward to many more firsts and discoveries with the Class of 2016!

During GO! Week orientation, Olin’s MBA Class of 2016 gets some free advice from second year MBAs on getting the most out of business school. Hear what the wise, old second years have to say about the past year and what they would have done differently if they had only known then what they know now. Welcome to all the first year MBAs!

Executive MBA class 44 came together on Sunday, April 6 to kick off Go! Week and their 20-month Executive MBA journey. And, after a lighthearted reception and dinner, there were no April fools in this bunch as they retreated to their study rooms to tackle the first of the week’s assignments.

Olin’s latest EMBA cohort boasts an average age of 41 years of work experience and that adds up to nearly 800 years collectively! They come from close by (a mile from Washington University) and far away including San Francisco, Denver, Memphis and Springfield, to name a few. Olin’s once-a-month format makes it possible for executives to commute to class from any where.

From former Top Gun pilots to Air Force strategists, 12 members of the cohort are veterans or are currently serving our country in multiple capacities. From physicians to entrepreneurs from bankers to business owners, EMBA 44 represents nearly 20 different industries.

This 44th cohort of Olin’s Executive MBA program will navigate through general business management, the Leadership Residency, experiential learning themes and the International Residency where they will work with cohort Shanghai 13 at our partner school Fudan University, before graduating on December 11, 2015.

Welcome to the Olin family, EMBA 44. It will be a great ride and we’re looking forward to every minute along the way!

Maxine Clark, founder of Build-a-Bear Workshop, Inc. shared her business experience and expertise with the MBA Class of 2015 yesterday afternoon during their Gateway Olin (GO!) Orientation Program.

Clark shared her personal and professional journey with the students to inspire them to follow their dreams.  Her message included the importance of mentors and taking risks as the MBA students begin carving their professional paths, as well.

She graciously answered questions from the audience for the last 30 minutes of the program and concluded by sharing her email address so the conversations could continue. @CheifExecBear tweeted last night after the event that, “their questions were energizing!”

Build-A-Bear stores first opened their doors in St. Louis in 1997 and expanded to 400 locations around the globe under Clark’s leadership. She retired in June from her position as “Chief Executive Bear”, but remains on the company’s board. She is a frequent and popular speaker on campus. Build-A-Bear’s new CEO is Sharon Price John.

Photo credit: Jerry Naunheim

With Gateway Olin (GO!) starting today and internships coming to a close for 2nd year MBA’s, Olin is gearing up for another year of classes. I was in a meeting late last night with Ryan Maher, Liz Fernandez, and Ashley Ross putting the final touches on our roles as GO! Week Leaders.

I’ve got a meeting tomorrow night with Derek and Elizabeth Lewis to go over Olin Partners Association’s (OPA) welcome BBQ on Saturday.

With my internship at Sigma-Aldrich concluding Friday, I cannot help but feel excited to get back into the swing of things at Olin and meet all the new students in the class of 2015.

Pictured above: GO! Week team building exercise with the class of 2012.

Watch this video from last year’s GO! Week to see what’s in store!