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On the Scene in Orlando, Florida for the National Black MBA Association Conference This year’s National Black MBA
Association conference held in Orlando, Florida was a
networking and socializing extravaganza. Opportunities to meet
recruiters from hundreds of companies were enormous. The
nightlife provided more chances to meet other current MBA’s,
alumni, and prospective students. In light of recent events and the
economic downturn, only about 25 companies pulled out of the
conference the week prior, leaving well over 300 hundred
companies on the roster. The likes of
Coca Cola, Whirlpool, and Tyco International were
represented. Not only were we able to renew relationships with
recruiters we met at the orientation program for the
Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, we made new
contacts. During the day we could attend workshops
and the career fair to speak one-on-one with recruiters.
However, at night, the socializing was amplified. Most current
students arrived Thursday late afternoon. Weather was
fabulous. The predicted thunderstorms seemed never to have
arrived. On the first night the Roots gave a concert at the
House of Blues. The place was wall-to-wall partiers. I ran
into classmates from undergrad and even high school. The
following day was the career fair ending with a Carl Thomas
concert sponsored by our friends to the east, Ford Motor
Company. The fun did not stop there. Several local area clubs
welcomed conference participants with open arms. Club XS, for
example, had three levels, including a rooftop. Recruiters
could be seen at these events having a good time and
interacting with students and alumni. Very early the next morning was a
Consortium breakfast where we met and talked with prospective
students. There were fellows from other member schools as well
as our own Kris Nebel. During and after the event we spent a
good amount of time passing along tips and strategies for
applying to b-school. This event was followed by a bigger
breakfast and shopping at the extensive outlet malls. The
weekend was capped off with a soiree at BET Soundstage. People
were swapping contact information and promising to keep in
touch, while eagerly filling the dance floor until the wee
hours of the morning. It was almost impossible not to make a corporate contact or a new friend. There were so many talented and ambitious people in one place all working together toward a common goal. The NBMBAA really fosters a sense of community and seeks to bring minorities into the corporate fold. One of the ways the organization accomplishes this is through effective networking and socializing events. At the MBA level our community is both small and vast at the same time. I for one, can’t wait until next year in Tennessee. |