Simon School Admissions Blog

Record attendance at the Rochester International Jazz Festival

By: Tonya

This past Saturday wrapped up the eighth annual Rochester International Jazz Festival.  A nine-day music event that featured such headliners as: Smokey Robinson, SMV, Jake Shimabukuro, Carolyn Wonderland, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Michael McDonald, Taj Mahal, and the Susan Tedeschi Band.  An estimated 133,000 people attended over the nine days, exceeding last year's 125,000 attendees.

I had the good fortune of attending Friday night's Taj Mahal and Susan Tedeschi Band performance at a sold out Eastman Theatre.  It was an incredible evening of jazz and blues.  Mayor Bob Duffy kicked off the evening by introducing Susan Tedeschi, a Grammy-nominated blues and soul artist, who amazed with her powerful voice and fearless stage presence.  After a brief intermission, Ursula Burns, the new CEO of Xerox Corporation, introduced Taj Mahal, a Grammy-award winning blues musician who has been singing and performing for over 40 years.  He entertained with his guitar and banjo and had the audience shouting and singing out responses such as "uh huh!" 

The hallmark of the festival is the variety and international flavor -  Columbia, Russia, Finland and the UK were just a few of the countries represented at the festival, with musicians coming from all over the world.  Among jazz enthusiasts, the Rochester International Jazz Festival is considered "top-shelf" and a "must-go" for all jazz fans.

Broaden Your Horizons: The Caribbean

By: Tonya

Hot, sandy beaches and palm trees gently rustling in the breeze - just a typical April day in Rochester?  Yes!  If you attended the Broaden Your Horizons: Caribbean event! 

Over a delicious lunch of jerk chicken, rice & beans, and green beans, five of our students shared the culture, history, and traditions of their Caribbean roots with 200 fellow Simon students, faculty, and staff.

Roger Cordero Mueses, MBA '10, kicked off the event with the Dominican Republic.  He talked about their rich musical history and the island sounds of Merengue and Bachata.  Baseball is the national sport and the Dominican has exported such baseball greats as Sammy Sosa, Pedro Martinez, and Juan Marichal. 

Byron Barnes, MBA '10, taught us a little Haitian Creole and shared some beautiful mountain scenery from the "Pearl of the Antilles," also known as Haiti.  Will Reynolds, MBA '09, taught us about the national products of Guyana (sugar cane, timber, rice, fish, gold, and diamonds) and reminded us that Guyana is not the same country as Ghana!

Puerto Rico was up next and Myrdna Vargas, MBA '10, shared beautiful photos of her home country and explained how the people there are made up of Spanish, Taino, and African heritage.  Salsa, Merengue, and Reggaeton is the music you will hear in Puerto Rico.  Last, we got to experience the bright colors and excitement of Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago.  Sean Senhouse, MBA '10, showed us pictures from Carnival and told us that "liming" (the art of congregating with friends and would-be-friends) is a favorite pastime there.

We are truly very fortunate, here at Simon, to have over 33 countries represented in our MBA program.  The Broaden Your Horizons events give us the opportunity to learn about these different countries and regions and expand our knowledge and perspective.  I want to give kudos to the students who presented the Caribbean to us and I look forward to the next BYH at Simon!

Simon Partners with Teach For America and the Peace Corps

By: Tonya

Simon has recently signed on with the Peace Corps as part of their Fellows/U.S.A. program and with Teach For America as one of their graduate business school partners. 

As part of the Fellows/U.S.A. program, returning Peace Corps volunteers will receive up to $10,000 a year towards tuition to study at the Simon School.  Our Dean, Mark Zupan, sees this as a "win-win," stating that the "volunteers who have given of themselves have earned a break in tuition, and they will bring their wide ranging experiences and leadership skills to our School."

Similarly, the Teach For America partnership offers alumni of the organization a $10,000 annual scholarship to attend Simon.  In addition, a two-year deferral option exists for students who are admitted prior to their corps experience.  "Our recent success in placing younger MBA graduates has exceeded our expectations, and Teach For America alumni will contribute to this positive momentum," says Greg MacDonald, Executive Director of Admissions and Administration.

We are so pleased to announce these two partnerships and look forward to working with the corps and alumni of both organizations.

Mr. Potato Head Arrives in Rochester

  BY: Tonya

As a parent, I feel so fortunate to live within 20 minutes driving distance to the Strong National Museum of Play in downtown Rochester.  Strong is recognized as one of the nation's top museums for families and children and is home to the National Toy Hall of Fame.  My children love visiting the museum, so much so that we purchased a family membership for the year.  The membership entitles us to unlimited general admission for the year - a great deal since my children want to go all the time!

This weekend, Strong welcomed their newest exhibit, The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head.  The exhibit allows children to take an "outer-space journey to a jungle safari, archeological dig, and undersea trek."  These "adventures" are designed to provide children with engaging learning experiences that will assist them in developing school readiness, literacy, problem-solving, mathematics, science, and social studies skills. 

For me, walking through the National Toy Hall of Fame is a blast from the past!  The halls are lined with glass cases of the world's largest collection of toys, dolls, and games.  It brings back such memories to see my old Donny & Marie dolls and my first Easy Bake oven!  There are more than 70,000 toys to see here!

The folks at Strong will tell you that "toys are among the most important human artifacts, they are learning tools that foster imagination, creativity, and critical thinking."  As a parent I agree.  This is a great way to spend a day in Rochester!

Women Alumnae Share Benefits of Getting a Simon MBA

By: Tonya

This month we hosted our first "Women's Conference," an event for prospective female Simon students.  What a great event!  We had women come from Chicago, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City to learn more about the Simon MBA experience.  The women had the opportunity to meet with our current students and alumnae who shared their stories about getting a Simon MBA.  Our alumnae touted the MBA as "a degree for life," and told the women how the Simon MBA has prepared them for the various leadership positions they have fulfilled in their careers.

The keynote at dinner was given by Deborah Soffin '01, Iams Dog Brand Manager, who discussed her 7 years at P&G and her work with Dryel, Gain, and Iams Multi-Cat, as well as Iams Dog Brand.  The following morning the women had breakfast with Denise Fitzgerald '02, Chief Executive Officer, Midlakes Management Corporation, who shared her insights on leveraging the MBA in the field of health care management. 

We are so appreciative of the following alumnae who shared their experiences on the alumni panels: Katie Dudek '05, Financial Analyst, Xerox Corporation; Malati Patil '08, Business and Planning Analyst, Executive Associate Compensation and Benefits, M&T Bank; and Kristin Short '02, Assistant Vice President, The Bank of New York Mellon.

We look forward to this becoming an annual event!

New "InnovatUR" scholarships offered at Simon

By: Tonya

In repsonse to the down economy, Simon is offering special scholarship support for U.S. citizens and permanent residents adversely affected by the current economic situation.  Over the next two years, up to 50 "InnovatUR" scholarships wil be offered annually to prospective students pursuing a full-time M.B.A. degree at Simon. 

"Much like savvy investors, such as Warren Buffet, know that now is the time to buy financial assets, the Simon School realizes that now is the time for leading business schools to take 'equity stakes,' through scholarship support, in top prospective students," says Dean Mark Zupan. 

Those interested should complete the online application and submit an optional essay explaining why you should be selected for the scholarship award (applicants should use Optional Essay #3 on the online application).  In addition, candidates will need to have an admissions interview on the Simon campus or in select U.S. cities.

For more information please contact Gregory MacDonald, Executive Director of Admissions and Administration, at (585) 275-3533 or admissions@simon.rochester.edu.

Simon to Host Women's Event for Prospective Students

By: Tonya

I am so pleased to announce that Simon will host our first women's event for prospective students on Friday, December 5th to Saturday, December 6th.  This will be a great opportunity for women interested in learning more about our MBA and MS programs to visit our campus and meet with our current students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 

The program will cover topics such as:

• our unique program offerings
• student life
• career management resources
• the admissions process
• scholarship opportunities

In addition, women will have the opportunity to learn more about our membership in the Forté Foundation, an international organization dedicated to directing talented women to leadership roles in business.  As a sponsor school, Simon awards Forté scholarships and offers networking opportunities through the annual Forté MBA Women's Conference, as well as numerous seminars and events.

All women interested in pursuing an MBA or MS degree are invited to attend this event that promises to be both informative and inspirational.  To register please visit: www.simon.rochester.edu/ftevents. 

Leadership (Part II): the Forté Foundation 2008 Women’s MBA Conference in New York City

By: Tonya

Did you know that Simon is one of the 37 top MBA schools that make up the Forté Foundation? 

It is such a privilege to be a part of this consortium of major corporations, top business schools, and influential non-profit organizations united to help direct talented women towards leadership roles in business.  Each year Forté holds an annual conference where all of these organizations come together, along with talented MBA students, for several days of speakers and sessions that are informative and inspirational.  I was honored to get to attend the conference this year with 5 incoming Simon students and 3 current students.  I think we all walked away with an amazing experience, an expanded network, and valuable insights into women’s business issues, like shattering the glass ceiling, finding work/life balance, negotiating skills, and leadership development.

Since this is my second blog that examines leadership.  I wanted to tell you about the Dialogue with Leadership Luncheon that was held during the conference.  The accomplished businesswomen that led the discussion were: Sharon Allen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deloitte LLP; Lisa Weber, President of Individual Business at MetLife; and Patricia Sellers, Editor-at-Large at Fortune magazine.   The panelists discussed their perspectives on building professional legacies, making meaningful career and life choices, maintaining the integrity of business, and becoming responsible corporate citizens.  Advice they offered included the importance of focusing on people and surrounding yourself with a good team.  They also stressed that women should never become complacent and never remain stagnant in their career and responsibilities.

The conference also included an MBA Career Fair where MBA students had the opportunity to meet with Fortune 100 recruiters from some of the world’s most prestigious corporations, like: Abbott, American Express, Avon, Bank of America, Capital Group, Chevron, Citi, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Eli Lilly, Ernst & Young, Fidelity, GE, General Mills, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Intel, John Deere, Johnson & Johnson, Lehman, McKinsey, Merrill Lynch, MetLife, Moody’s, Morgan Stanley, Wachovia, and Williams.

Forté membership is open to all women who attend Simon, a Forté sponsor school.  For more information, visit: www.fortefoundation.org.

Leadership (Part I): Marshall Goldsmith Speaks at 2nd Sands Leadership Lecture

By: Tonya

As I travel back from the Forte Foundation 2008 MBA Women’s Conference in New York City I can’t help but think about all of the inspirational women business leaders I met over the last three days. These women have risen to the top in their chosen professions and are presidents, “chairmen,” CFO’s, and CEO’s. Leadership is that intangible force that we all strive for in business. For example the Forte Foundation focuses on directing talented women towards leadership roles in business, and our slogan at Simon is “Where Thinkers Become Leaders.” So, I have decided to focus my next couple of blogs on leadership . . . what is leadership and how does a person become a leader?

If leadership is defined as “working with and through others to achieve objectives,” it makes sense that many companies are stepping up to the challenge of leadership development. One approach companies have taken is executive coaching. In May the Simon School hosted the 2nd Sands Leadership Lecture, featuring Marshall Goldsmith, “Corporate America’s Preeminent Executive Coach.” Goldsmith is an authority in “helping successful leaders get even better.” He has been invited to work with over 80 major CEOs and their management teams and is the author of, ‘What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,’ a New York Times best seller.

Goldsmith told the standing room only audience that it is not enough to focus on what we should do to be a successful leader, but we should be looking at what we shouldn’t do just as well. He discussed the 5 annoying habits that can hold us back in our careers, they include: (1) winning too much; (2) adding too much value; (3) telling the world how smart we are; (4) “I already knew that;” and (5) passing judgment. In order to develop as a leader we need to do the following: ask, listen, think, thank, respond, involve, change, and follow-up. We should always be asking ourselves how we can get better. He offered the following advice: Be happy now, value your friends and family, follow your dreams, and life is short so enjoy it! I agree Marshall!

Goldsmith shares his coaching advice online at www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com. He says he is always happy to share what he has learned, so feel free to visit his site. Stay tuned for my next blog on my attendance at the Forte Foundation 2008 MBA Women’s Conference in New York City!

Work Hard and Dream Big: Joe Abrams' Inspirational Kalmbach Lecture

By: Tonya

Last night Joe Abrams '74 spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of Simon students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Executive Advisory Committee (EAC) members about his path to co-founding Intermix, Inc., the company that launched dozens of entertainment/social networking web sites including MySpace.

He told the crowd that in 25 years of business development one thing stayed constant - making plenty of mistakes.  And one thing he learned was to "go the opposite direction of the herd."  Joe went the opposite direction in the early 80s when many people told him that no one was going to buy computers and again later when naysayers said that there was no future for the internet.  Well, tell that to Joe now, who sold Intermix to NewsCorp in September 2005 for $580,000,000.  From 2003 - 2004 Intermix had approximately 45 million people spending hours on their sites every week, this made them as big as any major TV network.

Today Joe is the Chairman of Empire Interactive, a subsidiary of SilverStar Holdings, an interactive software operating company.  He also sits on the Board of Advisors for HandHeld Entertainment and Akeena Solar.

During the lecture Joe presented the question, "What is an entrepreneur?"  to the crowd.  In order to get the audience to ponder the question, he held up a plastic water bottle and asked everyone what they saw.  Answers shouted out included: a container, a vase, a fashion statement, a weapon, and Joe's favorite, "a tool for playing spin the bottle."  The point that Joe drove home was that an entrepreneur thinks of new and different uses for the bottle.  "Sometimes the best company can take an old invention and think of new ways to use it," he enthusiastically stated.

Joe attributes much of his success to the "tremendous" education he received at Simon.  He felt that Simon prepared him both academically and for the leadership positions he would fulfill.  "I couldn't have been better prepared," Joe told the crowd.  He then went on to say that the only things that can limit a person in life are energy and imagination, so he ended by encouraging the crowd to "work hard and dream big!"