NAWMBA update

After a day full of flying on Thursday, 9 of us first years arrived in Anaheim with no incidents. We piled into a taxi van and went straight to the Disneyland hotel, which has to be one of the greatest places to have a conference…Mickeys in the carpet!? Love it! It’s like the wink to where we are even when we are in conference rooms. We checked in really quick and got ready for the various receptions.

First we headed to the IU reception and it was really nice, very intimate and a great spread. We got the chance to chat with Maggy Siegel, the COO of Dylan’s Candy Bar and a Kelley alum. We also we are able to meet some really nice girls from University of Utah.

Then it was off to the kick-off reception. They had many of the planning committee members speak. It was a nice time but we were all exhausted. We talked with some students for Kansas and then headed back to our room to hit the sack, we are on EST still!

This morning we all got up super early, 4:30, and couldn’t go back to sleep. After trying to rest for about an hour and half we went down to the gym, before getting into our suits and hitting the sessions. We had a great student breakfast where the CMO from Meredith publishing spoke. Then I headed to the Campbell’s presentation before catching Maggy’s and a sample of Dylan’s newest candy which will be unvailed next week! It was delicious! Then it was lunch on the patio, a requirement when in So Cal, before I hit the career fair.

I am trying to recharge my batteries a little and get some school work done before we hit the park and the reception they are having there later.

Career fair in action! Not as many companies as we were hoping for but we were able to get some face time with a few. Lots of handhakes and card exchanging. And I met a really cool entrepreneur that started the marketeersclub.com that specializes in free online tools for marketers in brand management. Good times at NAWMBA

TGITh (Thank God It's Thursday!)

So week 2 is coming to a close, we have a powerpoint information session scheduled for all day tomorrow, but our real classes are done for the week.

We had a 2.5 hour management block first thing in the morning, where I got to be scribe (take notes of who is participating) While the scribe role alleviates some of the stress of participating, it is hard to keep track of everyone’s comments. It did help a little in learning people in my cohort’s names.

And with a 2 week build-up…we finally had marketing! I was really excited to have my first graduate level class of it especially since I am transitioning into the field. The class went really well, and although I know the information we covered was really basic today, I was on top of all the material.

Then after the quickest lunch ever, my team had our first Core recap session. We each were responsible for 2 classes and had to explain the material and go through any issues our teammates had. It was a great review, I learned more by having my teammate explain the journaling and t-accounts than trying to teach myself (again!) I led the finance section too, so helped reinforce my background.

With an hour or so before I had some presentations, I came home and let Addie out (where she attacked our neighbor’s dog!) and had a snack before heading back to campus. First up, was the Diversity Conference Information Session to help us prepare for all the MBA conferences coming up within the next few months. It was really informative and the second years offered up some great advice. Then it was off to the Kelley Marketing Club (KWC) where we got to meet the leadership team and find out about some of the events being held. I am looking forward to helping lead a trek out to Minneapolis to visit Target and General Mills. So we’ll see.

There is no homework due for tomorrow, I think we are going to just take it easy and maybe knock out an episode or two of Mad Men (can I call that research!?) Then maybe I will try to go to bed early, or at least before 1. TGITh!