Today we’re happy to welcome students from the Fall Class of 2010 to their first classes of PKP (optional, Preparatory Knowledge Program) at Ivey! It’s amazing the vibe that changes once new students arrive. Our otherwise quiet office here on main campus is buzzing with activity, and it’s great to finally put the names to the faces of those that we have been corresponding with over email, or whom we’ve interviewed on the phone. With welcoming a new class, it also means that we’re getting ready to say goodbye to another one – our Fall MBAs of 2009, graduating at the end of this month. I distinctly remember sitting at last year’s MBA Summer Formal, where I was telling some of the newly arrived MBAs how quickly the year would go by – and here they are, getting ready to graduate.
One of the best parts of our job here in the MBA Recruiting & Admissions office, is meeting potential candidates and having the opportunity to witness their transition from potential applicant, to MBA candidate, to Ivey student and then Ivey alumni. We’re there from the first moment they start their MBA journey – whether they’re just doing b-school research, or asking questions about the application – to the day we get to see them walk off the stage with their MBA degree (the OTHER best part of our job is getting to help out at each convocation). On top of that, the relationship with our MBA grads continues long after graduation. Our alumni are so involved in the school, and are always willing to help with recruiting initiatives, in the classroom as guest speakers, or as mentors for current students. Seeing how our students grow and develop over the course of one year and beyond, and witnessing the bonds they form with the Ivey community – classmates, faculty and staff – is one of the amazing things that makes our jobs so worthwhile.
So – if you’re thinking about your MBA, remember that it should be a journey, and not a destination. Your MBA experience should be just that – a life experience. One that stays with you long after you graduate, and one that you are proud to have been a part of.
Congratulations to the Ivey MBA grads of 2009, and Welcome to the Ivey MBA class of 2010! We look forward to the year ahead…