Simon School Admissions Blog

Around Rochester: Erie Canal Night Cruise

By: Stefanie

The Erie Canal is a New York State man-made waterway which opened in 1825.  At the time, it was an engineering feat as no machinery was used - only the power of people and horses.  Even though I had frequently used the bike path that runs alongside the canal, I had yet to get a different view of the canal -from the water while on a tour boat cruise.  Well, I finally got the opportunity on a recent Thursday night, when I hopped aboard the Colonial Belle. 

My friends and I selected one of their many themed cruises - the Jimmy Buffet cruise.  This cruise departed at 7:30 PM, so we were able to see the canal both when it was still light out and also by moonlight.  The boat has an enclosed area on the main deck where the food and full-service bar are located and also an open level on top where most people sit to enjoy the view and the live music.  The cruise was about 2 hours and took us through the historical villages of Fairport (where the boat departs) and Pittsford, past parks and waterfront homes, and under many bridges.  In between songs, the captain would narrate the tour and give us canal history.  As evening turned to night, the canal became still and peaceful with only the moon and scarce house or street lamps lighting the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and highly recommend a cruise on the Erie Canal to anyone who enjoys good views and being out on the water.  The Colonial Belle also holds daytime tours and prices vary depending on length of cruise, theme, and whether food is served onboard.  For further details, check their website: www.colonialbelle.com/.

Diversity Weekend 2008

By: Jackie

Next month we will be holding our annual Diversity Weekend event here at the Simon School.  The event will be held on the 16th and 17th of November and will allow prospective Simon students the opportunity to visit our campus, attend a class, complete their admissions interview and to meet with faculty, staff, students, and alumni in a variety of educational and social settings.  This event is especially intended for applicants who have an interest in applying to Simon through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.

Registration is now open at www.simon.rochester.edu/ftevents and will be open until November 7, 2008 or as space permits.  Simon will cover your hotel for Sunday night and will also take care of all meals during the weekend.  Additional assistance with travel is available on a limited basis and for more information you can contact Julie Sadwick in the Office of Admissions at julie.sadwick@simon.rochester.edu .  We hope to see you next month at Diversity Weekend or at another one of our upcoming events! 

Simon Convocation - September 2008

On Friday, September 19th, the Simon School welcomed the M.B.A. classes of 2009 and 2010 and the M.S. class of 2009 during our annual Convocation Ceremony.  This marked the end of the first full week of classes for the fall term. Esteemed University participants included many Simon faculty, Dean Mark Zupan, President Joel Seligman, and University of Rochester Trustee, Roger Friedlander.

Alan Zekelman, M.S. '87, delivered an inspiring and often-times humorous keynote address.  He fondly recalled his Simon School academic experience and the impact it had on the turnaround of his family's business.  Zekelman is a board member of the John Maneely Company, a niche manufacturing firm.  He is also the former president of its subsidiary, Atlas Tube Inc. - a leading Canadian manufacturer of steel construction and industrial tubing.

Following the ceremony, the Simon community gathered for a picnic - an excellent time to meet the new incoming M.B.A. and M.S. classes, and also reconnect with the returning 2nd year M.B.A.s.   

2008-2009 Travel Season

By: Jackie

Greetings from Simon! It's been a busy summer in the admissions office-- we have been welcoming new students who have already started here as well as getting ready for all of those who will start orientation very soon, we have had many visitors and have started reviewing applications for our accelerated MBA program which will start in January of 2009. In addition we have been planning our upcoming travel for this fall and early winter and I'm excited to report that we will be going to a lot of great cities all over the world this year. In the US, we will be covering a lot of territory from the east to west coast visiting over 20 different locations in 17 states. We'll also be visiting Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, China, Turkey, Greece, and India between now and early winter and will be in some of those countries more than once! To see specific dates and times you can visit: Simon off-campus recruitment schedule.

We look forward to seeing you in our travels! 

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.

Curriculum change for 2008-09

By Rebekah:

We are excited to announce that starting in fall 2008, there will be a change in curricular content to the Business Communications course taught at Simon.  This 3-credit course is required for all incoming full-time M.B.A. students, as well as those in the M.S. Accountancy program and taught over three quarters of study. 

The curriculum change will allow for additional emphasis on topics related to networking and interviewing.  Delivery of these topics will be provided on a "just in time" basis, related to both the hiring cycle and the academic year.  Small group lab sessions will also be incorporated, offering students the opportunity to practice and further develop these interpersonal skills, while also giving appropriate real-time feedback on how to succeed.  The course will continue to be co-taught by Career Management Center administrative staff and the Director of the Center for Leadership Development. 

This change will allow students to effectively enhance both their quantitative and qualitative skill sets during their Simon experience - as each area is very important to success in the classroom and the job search.

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!

Simon School Information Reception - July 29th

By: Rebekah

On Tuesday, July 29th at 5:45 pm, the Simon School will host our summer Information Reception.  This event is well suited for individuals considering graduate study at Simon - including our M.B.A., M.S., or E.M.B.A. program offerings.  Admissions staff, current students, and faculty will be on hand to discuss our programs, answer your questions, and discuss the necessary steps for beginning graduate study.  Participation in this event is especially well-suited for part-time M.B.A. students who wish to begin classes in September 2008, as well as students considering entry to other programs in 2009 or beyond.

The event format is as follows:

5:45 pm - Registration and Check in (Schlegel Hall Lobby)
6:00 pm - Overview of Programs and Student/Alumni Panel Discussion
6:30 pm - Indvidual Question & Answer/Optional Tour of Simon School
7:15 pm - Option to Attend an M.B.A. Class

For more details or to register your intention to attend, please visit: www.simon.rochester.edu/ptevents - we ask that you RSVP at least one week prior to the event.  If you have further questions or cannot attend this event and wish to explore other options to learn more about the Simon School, you may contact the Admissions Office at 585-275-3533 or admissions@simon.rochester.edu.  We look forward to seeing you on campus!   

Where to Live While at Simon: Off-Campus Housing

By: Stefanie

As promised in my last post, I will continue with the housing topic from last month.  If you wish to live off-campus, there are many options close to the university including apartment complexes, apartments within a house, and renting - or perhaps even purchasing - an entire home.

Apartment complexes can be a nice option for those unfamiliar with the Rochester area and who would prefer to live among many people and have amenities like pools and tennis courts, maintenance, cable, Internet, and other such services that may not be available through a private landlord. Typically, this can result in the complexes being slightly more expensive (upwards of $550 for a studio, $650 for a one bedroom, and $750 or more for two bedrooms) than other off-campus housing options. However, they also usually include heat and hot water in the rent - whereas apartments within homes may not.

Apartment complexes within walking, biking, public bus, or driving distance of Simon include: 1600 Elmwood, Elmwood Court, Elmwood Manor, Elmwood Terrace, Clintwood Apartments, French Court, Imperial South, and Rustic Village.

If you would rather live in more of a neighborhood-type environment with tree-lined streets and sidewalks, a few popular neighborhoods where Simon students choose to live are Park Avenue, Corn Hill, and the South Wedge.  These communities have a lot to offer in terms of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, and parks where students can enjoy their time away from school.

Simon School Commencement

By: Jackie

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending the commencement ceremonies which were held at the Eastman Theatre.  At Simon, we value our small and personal community environment greatly with an emphasis on keeping class sizes intentionally small in order to foster communication and add depth to interactions and opportunities both within and outside of the classroom. Briefly, to give you an example of our class size this academic year--we had 631 students enrolled in the full-time and part-time MBA programs, 154 enrolled in the Master of Science program and 28 were enrolled in the Master of Science Accountancy program.

Before the ceremony I helped out "behind the scenes" and that was the highlight of the day for me. Students were so excited to have achieved their degrees and there were so many hugs and pictures and hand shakes... it was so nice to see how well our students get to know one another during their time here and just how close our community is. 

After being in the office for a few years this was the first opportunity that I had to attend the commencement ceremonies and it was well worth the wait! It was especially near and dear to me because the Class of 2008 was the first MBA class that I was able to work with throughout a full admissions cycle-- from the time of their first inquiry or application and throughout the duration of their program. It was a joy to spend the time with them, to see them develop into our future business leaders, and to get to know them as people. I am confident that our MBA graduates as well as all of the other members of the Class of 2008 will make us proud and I look forward to welcoming a new class of MBA and MS students and to seeing our second year students return!