The Weekly Update – Full-Time MBA: February 4, 2016
Program News & Announcements
2016 Rice Business Plan Competition
NC State’s Jenkins MBA students are invited to submit a team or teams to apply to compete in the 2016 Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) on April 14 – 16, 2016. Deadline to apply is February 19th. The RBPC is intended for new startup ventures created and managed by currently-enrolled graduate students and all teams should have the endorsement of a university faculty or staff advisor. Last year at the competition, more than $1.5 million dollars were awarded to the 42 competing teams, including 8 cash prizes of $100,000 or more. More information, eligibility requirements and submission guidelines can be found on the RBPC website. If students are interested in forming a team, email Nichole Miller at nkmille3@ncsu.edu or Beverly Porter at bdporter@ncsu.edu for next steps.
Amazon Web Services Cloud Computing Workshop: February 15th
Amazon Web Services will be presenting a Cloud Computing Workshop on Monday, February 15th from 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in Hunt Library Auditorium. This event is hosted by the NCSU Computer Science Graduate Student Association. Email questions to compsci-gsa@ncsu.edu. RSVP here.
Extended Maintenance for Moodle and MyPack Portal March 5th – 6th
The Office of Information Technology will perform extended maintenance affecting multiple core components of the OIT Datacenter Infrastructure the weekend of March 5th. Maintenance activity will begin at 6 a.m. on March 5th and will end no later than 6 p.m. on March 6th. Online students and other students needing to access Moodle sites should plan in advance for this scheduled downtime when it may not be possible to access course materials.
NC State University Graduate Student Research Symposium: March 23rd
The 11th Annual NC State University Graduate Research Symposium will be held at the McKimmon Center on Wednesday, March 23rd from 1:30 – 4 p.m. This year, there will be approximately 200 poster presentations representing research being conducted in over 60 graduate programs from all colleges. This event is co-sponsored and organized by the NC State University Graduate Student Association (UGSA) and the Graduate School. Visit this page for more information.
Academic Advising
Reminder: Attention Graduating Students
All students who have met their hours for graduation by the end of Spring 2016 should have received an email from their advisor regarding steps needed to graduate this semester. Please check your email for the required steps and complete by the March 15th deadline. If you believe you have met your hours but have not received an email, please contact your advisor for directions.
Reminder: Plan of Work Due March 1st for Full-Time Students
All First Year Full-Time MBA students are required to submit their plan of work before Fall/Summer registration begins. Please check your email from your advisor and complete by March 1st to ensure your advising hold is removed before registration starts.
Career Management Center
Register Now for the 2016 Carolina MBA Connection Networking Event
Join Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, and Wake Forest University’s School of Business for the 2016 Carolina MBA Connection Networking Event on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at the RTP Headquarters’ Conference Center. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet key business partners in the North Carolina area – some of the companies registered to attend include Hanesbrands, Merz North America, Reynolds American, and The Redwoods Group. For details, visit the Carolina MBA Connection website.
Poole College of Management Career & Internship Fair – Spring 2016
The PCOM Career and Internship Fair will be held on Friday, February 5th from 10 – 3 pm at the McKimmon Center at NC State. A list of attending employers can be found here; note that each employer indicates what majors they are recruiting for, so be sure to look for MBA to see if the companies you are interested in are interested in you!
Poole College Business Sustainability Collective
Reminder: Sustainability Track in 2016 Lulu E-Games
If you’re developing a new idea or working on a startup, you’re encouraged to enter the university’s annual startup competition called the Lulu eGames. The Lulu eGames awards cash prizes along with in-kind awards, such as a year-long community membership to HQ Raleigh. In addition to the prizes, it’s a great opportunity to get feedback on your startup from leading entrepreneurs across the country. This year the competition features a new B Corp Champions Challenge with $9K in cash and prizes for sustainable ventures promoting social and environmental change. To learn more about each track, how to enter the competition and have your questions answered, please visit ei.ncsu.edu/egames.
Reminder: B the Change: NC State B Corp Clinic Spring 2016 Launch
Join the NC State Poole College Business Sustainability Collective on Friday, February 5th from 2:30 – 4 p.m. for the launch of the spring 2016 edition of NC State’s B Corp Clinic. This program is designed to connect students to aspiring B Corporations, including local entrepreneurs. The B Corp Clinic offers students hands-on consulting experience and the chance to learn about B Corporations, social and environmental impact assessment, and sustainable business models. Learn more about the event and get tickets here. Learn about how the Fall 2015 B Corp Clinic went here.
Professional Events & Networking
Book Release Event – The Patient Revolution: How Big Data and Analytics are Transforming the Healthcare Experience with Krisa Tailor, NC State MBA Alumna & Healthcare Industry Consultant at SAS: Feb. 4th at HQ Raleigh
Come out for a book release party for Krisa Tailor‘s new book, The Patient Revolution: How Big Data and Analytics are Transforming the Healthcare Experience. Registration and additional information about the book, Krisa, and the event can be found here.
WolfPack Your Lunch Series – Think Like A Designer: Feb. 5th at Hunt Library
Join Dr. Leigh Shamblin to learn about the design process and practice human-centered design in action. This is a hands-on session, so be prepared to participate! Click here for registration and parking information.
Raleigh Chamber’s Young Professional Network Social: Feb. 11th at Level Up
Build your business connections and meet other local professionals at the next YPN social on Thursday, February 11th from 5:30 – 7 at The Level Up Kitchen and Barcadium in downtown Raleigh. This event is free for YPN members. RSVP by February 4th to attend.
Wells Fargo Executive Series with Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP: March 2nd
Bill McDermott, a personal champion of customer centricity, leads SAP’s 74,500 employees and more than 2 million-person ecosystem in executing the company’s vision and strategy to make the world run better and improve people’s lives. Bill will present from 4:30 – 5:30 in 3400 Nelson Hall on Wednesday, March 2nd. This event is free to attend, but an RSVP is required.
High Five Conference – Where Marketing and Creative Meet: March 2nd & 3rd
NC State’s Jenkins MBA program is proud to sponsor the High Five Conference, held March 2 – 3 in downtown Raleigh. If you consider yourself a marketer – strategist, communicator, designer, creative director, product manager, developer, writer, and everyone in between or on the periphery – this conference is for you. At High Five, learn about teamwork, partnership, and collaboration in new and unexpected ways to truly achieve marketing and creativity symbiosis. Click here for the agenda and here for registration and ticket information.
Forte MBA Women’s Leadership Conference: June 17th – 18th
Join over 400 women from the top MBA programs at this two-day conference in Austin, TX with 100+ speakers and opportunities to engage with female business leaders, network, and learn critical steps for success and access to top employers. This event is open to incoming first year and second year MBA students. Visit their website for more on the Forte Foundation, and view registration and conference information here.
2016 Appalachian Energy Summit at Appalachian State: July 18th – 20th
The 2016 Appalachian Energy Summit is a three-day conference encompassing discussion topics centered on improving current energy policies and practices in the nation. Students interested in Renewable & Alternative Energy, Energy Policy, and Environmental Preservation will find opportunities within the Summit to network with other students and key figures in the sustainability field. Appalachian State University is proud to host this free event and will be accepting select applicants and inviting the best and brightest to join them for the conference. Additionally, The Summit Poster Competition lends a competitive element to the conference, and is a platform for students to discuss their energy-related research.
To begin the process of joining the summit, email your resume to Cynthia Olsen, Student Summit Coordinator, at damoncl@appstate.edu and fill out the attendance application here to be considered for participation. If you have any questions, feel free to email Cynthia or call at 943-732-9613.
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
February 4: Book Release Event @ HQ Raleigh with NC State MBA Alumna
February 5: WolfPack Your Lunch: Think Like a Designer
February 5: PCOM Career & Internship Fair
February 8: The Physics of Football
February 11: YPN’s Networking Social at Level Up
February 24: 2016 Carolina MBA Connection Networking Event
February 27: Women for Success Lift Benefit
March 2: Drop/Revision Deadline – last day to drop a course/withdraw, without a W grade
March 2: Well’s Fargo Speaker Bill McDermott of SAP
March 2 – 3: High Five Conference
March 7 – 11: Spring Break – no classes
March 10 – 12: Raleigh Residency
March 25: Spring Holiday – no classes
April 26: Reading Day – no classes
April 27 – May 5: Final Exams
May 7: Spring Commencement
Meet a Jenkins MBA: The Weekly Spotlight
Name: Laura Helton, Professional Evening MBA
Employer & Job Title: Volunteer at Alliance Medical Ministry
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Previous Degrees & Institutions: M.D., Emory School of Medicine; MPH, University of Albany; B.S. in Anthropology, Emory University
Q: Tell us something about yourself that we might be surprised to find out.
A: I may be the only person you know who has tube-fed an Atelerix albiventris (African pygmy hedgehog)! We have a pet Atelerix named Meatball. Last year Meatball sustained a near-fatal tongue injury and the Exotic Animal Team at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine saved his life! They performed emergency surgery and placed the first-ever feeding tube in a hedgehog. We took Meatball home and I tube-fed him every four hours (night and day) while his tongue healed, knowing that the outcome might not be good. However, he made a miraculous recovery and is even a little bit famous now.
Q: What’s the most fun or enlightening experience you’ve had in the MBA program so far?
A: Enrolling in the Jenkins MBA program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. One highlight was People Management with Rich Podurgal – I sat on the edge of my seat the whole semester. His class made me think about my last position and how I could have been a much better boss with some training. Rich’s class, along with Alan Hoffler’s course in Business Communication and Presentation Skills, inspired me to work on how I present myself and interact with others (I can tell you this was nowhere in my medical training). Also, I had many “A-ha!” moments in Product Innovation, Data Driven Decision Making, ERM, Finance, and the leadership courses.
Q: If you had 5 minutes to teach someone something new, what would you teach?
A: How to play volleyball. It’s the best sport on the planet! Every element of the game is fun – serving, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, and digging. Volleyball is a great workout, especially if you play in the sand, and people who play are super cool. The women on my college team are still my best friends.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
A: “You should break up with your boyfriend and go out with me this weekend.” That is what my (now) husband said to me 13 years ago. Turns out he was right!
Q: What’s your dream job/career goal?
A: I already have a fantastic job. I am co-President and CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, CHRO…of a family of six – seven, if you count Meatball. It is a lot of work but the compensation is unmatched. I also get to see patients at Alliance every week. Solving medical mysteries is really fun and helping people in this capacity is both important and deeply moving.
However, being in the MBA program has rekindled a suppressed innovator’s spirit. (In my heart, I think I might actually be a designer). The next position I accept will require a combination of my medical experience, burgeoning business and communication skills, and creativity.
