“What will be my legacy?” This was a question that I constantly asked myself when I entered the Broad MBA program in the Fall of 2007. As I recall many of the events during orientation as well as the rigors from the first week of school (and the 2nd, 3rd, 4th…. N th weeks of school), I realize through my interactions with my teammates and classmates that much of what we learned from the program stemmed from the minds and aspirations of the students in addition to the wide array of subjects we learned from textbooks and lectures. Thus, I asked myself what I could contribute to the MBA Program and what I wanted to take away from my Broad MBA experience.
My involvement in the MBA Program outside of academia has been diverse. My initial intentions were to get exposed to as much as the program had to offer. As such, I joined many of the associations: Broad Net Impact, MBA Association, MBA Finance Association, Graduate Supply Chain Management Association, and MBA Marketing Association. In addition, I also ran for MBA Student Council. I was eager to make a difference in the MBA program, and I felt the best way to do this was to learn and contribute to all aspects of it. After all, much of the success and reputation of the program comes from a student’s motivation to get involved, suggest improvements, and educate others about the great things that the Broad MBA has to offer.
As I learned more about my desire (and, in some ways, duty) to contribute to the reputation of the Broad MBA Program, I found that my interests aligned with the purpose and goals of Broad Net Impact. In my journey as President of Broad Net Impact, I got involved with organizing a Sustainability Panel for the MBA Program, participating in the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, managing various Campus Greening Initiatives, and organizing other projects to show that Broad MBA students cared about the community, the environment, and “making the world a better place” in general.
Finding ways to improve the program and my overall MBA experience also included getting involved with the MBA Association. As a soon-to-be alumnus, I wanted to contribute even after my time at Broad. My interests led me to serve as the Vice President of Alumni Relations, and this gave me the opportunity to work with Career Services, Admissions, and the MSU Alumni Association. I aimed to improve relations with Broad MBA alumni and to create an effortless process for alumni to get involved. After all, I wanted to easily stay in touch with the program as an alumnus.
Each student finds a way to contribute to the program, whether it be through student organizations, holding tutoring sessions for classmates, monetary contributions, or even through thought-provoking classroom participation. However, this fact is clear. A student’s experience in the Broad MBA program is directly correlated to the ability to be self-motivated and to strive for continuous improvement. As long as the student is willing to accept and try new ways of thinking, he or she will contribute to the Broad MBA reputation as a leader and ultimately leave a meaningful legacy at Broad.
