Student Clubs & Organizations

School-sponsored clubs, organizations and activities give you numerous opportunities to learn and lead—on campus and in the community.

Our small size offers numerous opportunities for students to assume management roles. There are over 20 clubs, and a student newspaper. There are clubs with an academic focus, clubs relating to a specific population at Simon, as well as the Graduate Business Council which organizes extracurricular activities for all students.

Academic/Industry Clubs

The mission of the Consulting, Operations & Technology Association (COTA) is to establish itself as an organization pivotal to the success of students concentrating in Operation Management and Information Systems at the Simon School and those students interested in the consulting industry. The Association will concentrate on building lasting relationships with administration and faculty, networking with alumni to encourage speaking engagements and operating facility tours, providing substantial assistance to members in securing internships and full-time positions in all three industries through targeted education and training and developing a sense of continuity and legacy within the Simon community.

Co-Presidents:  Nicholas Korba and Lillian Testa
Email address:  COTA@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon Entrepreneur's (SE) is a student-run, faculty, industry, and community advised club centered at the William E. Simon School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester. The club was founded in September, 2005 on the following vision:  We declare the possibility of instilling entrepreneurship as a way of being in all endeavors and integrating students, faculty, alumni and external resources to create a platform for launching successful ventures and contributing to the development of a top ten entrepreneurship program. Implicit in this declaration is the realization that entrepreneurship is a way of managing one's life and resources to undertake new ventures. It can be applied not only to emerging technologies, but also to family and small businesses, initiatives and restructuring in large corporations, social impact, and personal projects. It is the goal of SE to create an enviornment that fosters such thinking in all disciplines by creating a portfolio of academic, professional, and social activities that integrate entrepreneurial interests and resources from throughout the Rochester community.

President:  Michael Annechino
Email address:  Entrepreneurs@simon.rochester.edu
 

The Financial Management Association (FMA) seeks to provide a forum in which students can learn about and discuss issues surrounding the financing of businesses around the world. The FMA draws upon knowledge found in its members, the Simon faculty, industry speakers, and the student body in general to initiate and facilitate stimulating discussions on some of the financial trends and occurrences in the corporate world. Special consideration is given to how these issues pertain to investment banking, corporate finance, securities analysis and individual investing. The investment side of the club seeks to enhance our members' understanding of the investment industry and assist those wishing to pursue a career in the areas of Corporate Finance and the Capital Markets:  Investment Management and Research, Sales and Trading, Research and Private Banking.

President:  Gurpreet Singh Bedi
Email address:  FMA@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon Health Sciences (SHS) is a collaborative effort of students and faculty focused on fostering the understanding of the rapidly changing healthcare environment. SHS provides opportunities to support and develop student interests in pursuing careers in businesses related to healthcare and the life sciences, including biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, information and biomedical technology, venture capital, consulting, and investment banking. Club members attend executive seminars, recruiting trips, conferences, and brown bag discussions to help prepare them for interviews, internships, and future positions in the healthcare industry.

President:  Sarah Howard
Email address:  SHS@simon.rochester.edu
 

The Simon Marketing Association (SMA) brings together students, faculty, and business leaders who share a common interest in marketing. Top executives discuss their individual roles, as well as the marketing strategies they employ in fields as diverse as advertising, consulting, financial marketing, market research, product development, retail marketing, and brand management. Companies participating in these activities have included Procter & Gamble, Johnson and Johnson, Reckitt Benckiser, Microsoft, Bausch & Lomb, Eastman Kodak, Kraft, PepsiCo, General Mills, Pillsbury, and Xerox. In addition to presenting speakers, building marketing skills with hands-on activities, and offering students networking opportunities, the SMA sponsors the annual interschool Simon Marketing Case Competition, which brings together top marketing talent from many of the best MBA programs in the country.

President:  Tarang Jain
Email address:  SMA@simon.rochester.edu

 

Social Clubs/Cultural Clubs

Business Christian Fellowship is devoted to making God's love known by serving the entire Simon community. Members assemble weekly to pray for the Simon School, to study the Bible, and to assist those who need our help. The BCF provides a chance for members to support each other, to grow spiritually by experiencing the inward transformation, and to learn God's power through prayer. Bible study groups, church visits and consulting can be arranged upon request.

Email address:  BCF@simon.rochester.edu
 

Latin American Student Organization of Simon (LASOS) will provide incoming and second year students with business knowledge and network opportunities in the US and Latin American markets as well as increase the exposure of the Simon Students to the business environment. LASOS is permanently developing many activities towards career development and information exchange in partnership with other Simon Clubs, National Latin Associations and Top Business Schools. It's also our objective to assist the Simon School in fulfilling the expectations and needs of Latin Americans and other international students. LASOS also plays an important role in supporting incomings to adapt and adjust to the student life in a new enviornment through a friendly and close enviornment based in small events. Its member include Latin and Hispanic American students and all Simon students interested in the Latin economy, culture and diversity. Our diverse club has students not only from Latin America, but also from the U.S.A., Eastern Europe, Germany, Spain and Japan.

President:  Francisco (Paco) Santos Castilla
Email address:  LASOS@simon.rochester.edu
 

The Pacific Basin Forum (PBF) welcomes all students who are interested in exploring the business dynamics and cultural diversity of Asia. Our goal is to provide current PBF members with opportunities to learn about business related issues in Asia Pacific and the U.S., to network with Alumni and corporate speakers and to foster friendships with other Simon students through social activities.

President:  Chia-Hsin Chen
Email address:  PBF@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon Association of Women MBA's (SAWMBA) is a non-profit national organization dedicated to supporting business women both during their tenure at graduate school and in the years that follow. SAWMBA is a professional organization that strives to enhance the Simon experience for all MBA women. The organization coordinaties efforts in career services, professional development, and mentoring. In addition, SAWMBA fosters camaraderie throughout Simon's female community through a variety of social activities. SAWMBA has started a scholarship fund which recognizes Simon's exceptional women leaders.

President:  Brigid Crean
Email address:  SAWMBA@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon National Black MBA Association (SNB) is a student chapter of the Natioanl Black MBA Association. This was a strategic move to align the club with a renowned national MBA organization which would allow for greater depth and reach when implementing programs. The purpose of SNB is to provide a forum for students who are interested in the issues concerning the economic advancement of African Americans in the United States. Our members participate in activities designed to promote and enhance professional, academic, and personal achievement. Throughout the school year, SNB members strive to enrich each club member's MBA experience, the Simon School, the University of Rochester, and the Rochester community.

President:  Jacqueline Day
Email address:  SNB@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon UNcorked was founded under the belief that our students should take advantage of every opportunity to set themselves apart from other members of the business community. Like golf, wine has become an important part of the business networking culture. Without a solid foundation, you can find yourself in embarrassing situations. For example, suppose you are hosting a budiness dinner. You carefully researched the restaurant's wine list in preparation for the dinner and selected a wine you thought would be ideal. Upon being seated at dinner, the waiter informs you that they are out of the wine and asks you to make another selection. WHAT DO YOU DO?!?!

President:  Amanda Mari
Email address:  Uncorked@simon.rochester.edu
 

SimonUnited was created to bring the Simon community closer together:  younger and older, domestic and international, female and male. Its purpose is to encourage Simon students to further their cultural awareness and attain a sense of tolerance and understanding;  to foster unity within our diverse community and the greater global society;  to help members appreciate and understand each other and our society's diversity, recognize unfairness if it exists and take personal leadership in confronting bias. SimonUnited provides guidance and support in dealing with culture shock of Business School, the US or traveling overseas. The events, organized by SimonUnited, point out the great importance of curiosity, direct observation, contemplation and self-evaluation in the process of forming ourselves as future business leaders.

President:  Adam Shackelton
Email address:  SimonUnited@simon.rochester.edu

Sports Clubs

The goal of the Simon Golf Club is to provide all Simon students with the opportunity to learn and play the game of golf and capitalize on the game's connection with the business world and generate networking opportunities with classmates, faculty, administration, alumni and corporate representatives. The Simon Golf Club will coordinate a variety of golf outings throughout the school year at some of the 60+ area courses. These outing will be the primary vehicle used to introduce members to fellow classmates, Simon faculty and administration, area alumni and business executives. The Simon Golf Club will provide students with the chance to develop and refine their golf skills, and stresses the importance of golf as both a social and networking opportunity. Our club will plan lessons, driving range outings, basic course outings, tournaments, and other social events. These events will be open to the entire Simon community, including students, faculty, partners, alums, and friends. In addition, speakers will be scheduled to discuss golf etiquette, networking, and the impact on the business world.

President:  Andrew Armstrong
Email address:  golfclub@simon.rochester.edu
 

The mission of the Soccer Club is to provide opportunities for students to play soccer, while promoting the Simon School. The leadership and teamwork demanded by this sport can also be translated into success off the field. In addition, it gives the student not only a break from the books and the demanding academic enviornment, but also a unique opportunity to network and share experiences with other MBA students and Simon almuni. The school participates in many tournaments in the U.S. throughout the academic year. The tournaments usually take place at Yale during the fall and at Tuck during the spring. These tournaments gather business schools from the leading U.S. and European business schools, such as Harvard, Wharton, Yale, Columbia, London Business School, and Tuck, among others. For the last five seasons, the club traveled to Connecticuit and New Hampshire to take part in the Yale MBA Tournament and to the Tuck MBA Cup respectively. Despite our smaller class size, Simon has competed on an even level with the top-ranked business schools.

Coaches:  Brian Annechino, Michael Annechino, Paco Castilla, Alia Tabet
Email address:  Soccer@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon Tennis Club strives to develop friendship and networking opportunities to all members of the Simon Community as well as professional and personal platform among other business schools. Business executives often play tennis as a means of business communication. By gathering for practice sessions and playing with other top business schools, we seek to increase the exposure of Simon students to the business enviornment by forming a bond between alumni and students from different and similar backgrounds.

President:  Omar Balsara
Email address:  SimonTennisClub@simon.rochester.edu

Other Clubs

Simon Ambassadors play a major role in the prospective student's visit to and impression of the Simon School. As a Simon Ambassador, you will spend a morning with an applicant escorting him or her to a class before taking them on a tour of the business school and campus. During their visit, you will introduce the applicant to your fellow classmates and discuss life at Simon from a student's perspective while having lunch with them at the best cafeteria in the University. The time you spend as a Simon Ambassador is valuable for another reason. Your input on the prospective candidate will provide the Admissions Committee with additional information making you an important part of the admissions process.

Email address:  Ambassadors@simon.rochester.edu

Simon Net Impact is an organization of new-generation leaders using business for social impact. It is a network of more than 13,000 new-generation leaders committed to using the power of business to improve the world. It is also one of the most innovative and influential networks of MBAs, graduate students and young professionals in existence today. Our members believe that business can both earn a profit and create positive social change. Through a central office in San Francisco and more than 100 chapters in cities and graduate schools around the globe, Net Impact offers a portfolio of programs that enable members to transform this ideal into measurable results. Net Impact’s mission is to improve the world by growing and strengthening a network of leaders who use the power of business to make a positive net social, environmental, and economic impact.

Presidents:  Kamesh Moola & Ahmet Arslan
Email address:  NetImpact@simon.rochester.edu
 

Simon Toastmasters is certainly one of the most fun clubs at the Simon School. Every week we offer members the opportunity to practice public speaking in a relaxed, casual setting. At each meeting, volunteers give prepared speeches, impromptu speeches, offer constructive evaluations or simply tell a joke. We also present awards every quarter to those who have outstanding participants, and yearly rewards for best speaker and most improved speaker. Trust us; these are not your typical, dry and boring debates in any sense of the imagination! Public speaking is unavoidable at Simon, as well as life after business school. But we take the edge off of it! Simon Toastmasters promises you the opportunity to develop the communication and critical thinking skills you need to be successful in a non-threatening and supportive environment.

President:  Katie Berger
Email address:  TOASTMAST@simon.rochester.edu
 

The goal of Simon Volunteers is to positively represent the Simon School in the greater Rochester community. Simon Volunteers specifically aims to enhance the lives of community members through building character in ourselves. Members of Simon Volunteers realize that there is more to business than simply profitability. More importantly, we understand that we can make a difference in the lives of others through social responsibility and involvement in the community. Examples of projects include The Secret Santa Program, Rochester City School Literacy and Math Program, Monroe Middle School After-School Program, CASH Program, Habitat for Humanity, Clothing and Food Drives.

President:  Nicole Trieste
Email address:  Volunteers@simon.rochester.edu
 

The World According to Simon (WATS) The World According to Simon (WATS) is the Simon School of Business’ student newspaper. It is our mission to provide a voice for the students on school issues and events, as well as to provide a forum of communication and exchange between faculty, staff, alumni, and students.

Editors:  Marita Greenidge & Ruchi Tibrewal
Email address:  WATS@simon.rochester.edu