September 21, 2008
Second year is great so far
Things are going well so far with the new school year, but as expected it’s a bit busy. I really like the fact that I am taking classes that I am interested in and they are going well. One thing that I noticed that is different about second year is the amount of group work and also the number and frequency of assignments. Unlike first year, we had at least 2 weeks before our first assignment was due, however now assignments are due much earlier. Also, 4 out 5 of my classes are based on group work, which is another demonstration of action-based learning. I think as of now my favorite class is Strategic Market Planning or “Brand Maps”. We get to play a simulation of the car industry and define the marketing plan and watch the results over the course of the semester.
I am planning the UpClose Diversity Weekend, which should be a fantastic event. It will be held November 6th – 8th. If you are interested in attending, I encourage you to apply! I’m also working on many other clubs such as Gourmet Club and Entertainment & Media. They all keep me busy, but I am enjoying the work that I am doing.
I just returned from the National Black MBA conference in DC. It was a great opportunity to meet representatives from many companies and also do a bit of recruiting. Since my recruiting is a bit more focused this year, I only talked to about 4 companies in total. I’ve decided to look into Consumer Insights or Market Research as my full-time career option since I really enjoyed this area during my internship. Two companies that are great in this area are Procter & Gamble and General Mills. I was able to interview with both companies at the conference. I should hear back from General Mills this week on if I have an invitation for second round interviews. I received an offer from Procter & Gamble and I am thrilled about it! I cannot contain my excitement. I still have my offer from Dell, so I really need to evaluate over the next couple of weeks which one I want to take. So at this point, I am pretty much done with recruiting and do not plan to interview anymore since I have the two offers that I want. It feels really good to be at this point.
So that’s it for this week. I will keep you all posted on things.
Posted by alantria at 08:19 AM | Comments (0)
September 01, 2008
The Beginning of the End
Well it’s the beginning of my second year of business school! I cannot explain the amount of excitement that I have for this new school year. I had a chance to catch up with some of my classmates at the game this past weekend; however I look forward to seeing others throughout the upcoming week. Before I go into what’s happening this year, let me first tell you about my summer. I interned at Dell in Consumer Marketing and it was a great experience. My project was to conduct a market research study on the PC market in Brazil and Mexico covering everything from consumers to competitors. I then recommended a marketing strategy for Dell following the 4 P’s approach. Even though I didn’t get to visit either of those countries (it sure would have been cool if I did), I really enjoyed learning about a new market and applying what I learned from school to my internship. Austin is also a really good place as well and very similar to Ann Arbor.
During the second year of school we have more flexibility in terms of our schedule and can pick any electives that we want to take. Because I am concentrating in Marketing, I am taking a couple of Marketing classes and also others classes of interest such as Business Leadership in Changing Times, Valuation, and advanced Corporate Reporting. I also decided to take on leadership roles in several clubs such as chairing UpClose Diversity Recruiting weekend, VP Education for the Gourmet Club, and VP Communications for the Entertainment & Media Club. So as you can see if it going to be a busy year for me, but should be a lot of fun.
I’ve decided to recruit a bit, however it will not be as much as last year. I am only going to look at a couple of companies in CPG marketing and then make my decision about where to go. Apparently this is very common for many MBA2s and I heard that about 2/3 of MBA2s take offers from companies other than their summer internships.
Also, over the summer I had a chance to study abroad to for a 3 week exchange program that Ross offers with WHU in Koblenz, Germany. I had a great time, so great that I decided to study abroad at ESADE for the Winter term. Even though, I will miss my last term here at Ross, the experience alone is a good incentive for me to go.
So as you can see I had many updates to offer in this blog and I will keep you posted in future blogs. GO BLUE!!
Posted by alantria at 01:28 PM | Comments (0)
April 20, 2008
MAP Closeout
Well the first year is coming to a close. I can’t even begin to explain how busy it is trying to wrap up MAP. We finished our faculty presentation on Friday and it went very well. Now my group is working on making changes to the presentation for the sponsor and wrapping up the paper. Overall, I think that MAP was a great experience for me. It was great to learn more about a new area – Human Resources and to see the skills that I bring to a skill. I also learned more about how to properly develop recommendations and I will use the same framework for my summer assignment.
GBR was last weekend and it was a great turnout and I believe that we had record attendance. The events were fantastic and really gave the admits a view into what the Ross experience is like. I know that many of you are still making your decisions and hopefully GBR helped in making your decision. Please reach out to the students that you met during GBR to ask as many questions as possible. I can say that hearing from other student was very helpful to make my decision.
Posted by alantria at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)
April 05, 2008
MAP and GBR
MAP is still going pretty good and there is a ton of work to do. We went to NY two weeks ago to visit the client for a mid-point presentation. Our final presentation will be in NY on April 24th so there are only a couple of weeks left. After working on this project I can definitely say that I’ve increased my understanding of how to properly conduct research, conduct surveys, and apply the results to recommendations. I’m also using some of the tools from the core classes such as regression from statistics and performance management from managerial accounting. So overall, MAP has been a great learning experience for me. The one thing that I can confirm after MAP is my desire to not enter consulting as a field.
I’ve also recently found out more about my summer internship. I will be working in the Consumer Operations & Long-Term Planning Group. This group works to define market characteristics and opportunities for growth for Dell. I like this group a lot because it looks at opportunities across the globe, which will give me a chance to work from an international perspective. I don’t know the actual project that I will be working on yet and that will be determined one I get there, however I am extremely excited about the summer! I am looking forward to Dell, but also to warmer weather!
GBR is coming up this week and there is a lot of preparation going on in order to make this event successful. I can remember attending GBR last year and how impressed I was with the event. Even though I had already made my decision to attend Ross before GBR, I was very happy with my decision during the entire event. I hope that many of you are deciding to attend GBR. I look forward to seeing you this weekend. Go Blue!
Posted by alantria at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2008
MAP and more!
MAP is going well. My team is great and we have great processes in place in order to do a good job with the project. I have learned a lot so far on the project about HR strategy and I feel thankful for the experience. The client is also very easy to work and has provided a lot of information to help the project go smoothly. We head back to NY next week to meet with the client and also to conduct more field work. I can say that its going by quickly. We are already in the 3rd week and MAP and there is a lot of work to do still.
One of the joys of having a domestic MAP is the flexibility with my schedule. My team has decided not to work as a team on the weekends and to leave that time for individual time. I will be leaving Ann Arbor for a couple of days to spend time with my family in Atlanta for Easter. I am excited to see them since I haven’t seen my family since Winter Break. Also next weekend, I will be participating in another case competition. This will be with Sony Marketing in Dallas. i am excited about the competition since I really like Sony products.
Before I leave I wanted to say - Congrats to the Round Two applicants. Please be sure to attend GBR, it is a wonderful experience. Go Blue!
Posted by alantria at 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
March 05, 2008
Winter B Kick-Off
Well Spring break is over and I enter the last term of my MBA1 experience. For spring break, a couple of my classmates and I headed down to Ft. Lauderdale for a little sunshine and relaxation. I must say that it was an incredibly relaxing time to unwind from the busy term.
This term feels a bit different since I do not have any official classes other than MAP. I’ve spent most of this week in meetings with my team trying to get ramped up and ready for our client visit. We will travel to Equinox, which is in New York this Thursday and will stay for about 5 days. My team is very excited about working on the project and I think that it is going to be a truly rewarding experience and learning opportunity. The school has been helpful in getting the teams ready for MAP and ensuring that we are successful throughout the project. We were assigned many people to work with us such as a communication coach, faculty advisor, and team coach. The resources available are just all a testament to how Ross really focuses on the students getting the best academic experience possible. I will keep you guys posted on how things are going with MAP.
MAP is pretty much wrapping up the first year of my program and I am amazed at how quickly the first year went. One of the joys of being a second year is that I get to select my classes for next year. There are a ton of electives available to take and we start a process to select classes today. I have a couple of electives that I am interested in taking in Marketing, Strategy, and Management/Organizations. I will find out the results of my bidding in the next couple of weeks. I’ve also decided to study abroad for three weeks before I start my internship in Germany. Ross has a partnership with WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, which offers a class on The Changing Environment for International Business in Europe. About 25 MBA1s will attend the program. I must also say that Ross offers a lot of opportunities for students to gain international experience either through Study Abroad or course assignments. I am really looking forward to the opportunity.
Posted by alantria at 09:04 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2008
Well the end is here in terms of Winter A. Again, yet another fast term, however a good one. Finals are a bit lighter this term in that I only really have two. I had a group project my Marketing class that was due a couple of days ago. I take my last final on Friday and then its off to Florida for Spring Break! I am really looking forward to a relaxing break. Its also very cold here and I need a climate change.
I’ve finally decided where I am going for the summer. I will be at Dell in their Consumer Marketing group. I am really excited about my internship opportunity and look forward to learning a lot more about Marketing. Also, I can’t wait to get to Austin! I should be a great place to be for the summer.
One of the other things going on around the school is the election for next year’s club board members. Many of the students have stepped up and taken on leadership positions. This is great because it really exhibits Ross leadership. Next year, I will serve as the Chair of the UpClose Weekend, which is a preview weekend for students interested in increasing the presence of minorities in business. Since I attended this weekend as a prospective student and this event was one of the major factors in my decision to attend Ross, I am extremely excited to serve in this role. I am also thinking about leadership positions in other clubs as well, so I will see how that works out.
GBR is right around the corner so I hope that you are planning to attend. GBR was a fantastic event for my last year. I was able to learn more about Ross’ action based learning style through a project and class visit, meet other classmates, and figure out important things such as housing. About 70% of your incoming class will be at GBR so it is a great time to meet your classmates and start forming those friendships. So I hope to see you at GBR!
Posted by alantria at 09:50 AM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2008
The end is near...
It's hard to believe that we are reaching the end of Winter A. Things are going good so far. I have two offers right now from both Dell and Cisco and I am in the process of scheduling a second round interview with Microsoft. The recruiting process actually went by fairly quickly, however there was a lot of work, stress, and anxiety getting ready for interviews. I do not plan to interviews with any other companies other than my second round interview. This weekend I am attending a sell day at Dell in Austin. I am excited about the day so that I can learn a bit more about Dell and Austin. I am pleased with my results so far and I will let you all know what the final decision is for me.
My MAP will be with Equinox, a luxury fitness center in New York. Our project is to determine how to place Equinox on the top employees to work for list. It is a good project because I get to incorporate HR strategies along with some strategy and marketing knowledge as well. I meet with my MAP team last week and everyone is extremely excited about the project and we should work well together. I am really looking forward to the project and getting a chance to work on a real business project before my internship.
Things are also starting to ramp up with my Board Fellowship project. I will work on developing a Marketing plan for Girls on the Run. This will help them to reach a greater amount of young females interested in the program and also increase the name and visibility of the organization. I am eager to work on this project since I am totally passionate about the cause of the organization and also marketing. There should be some good results from my work.
Well, that’s all that I have today folks. Things are still busy, but good. I will catch you all in two weeks once I get ready for finals!
Posted by alantria at 08:34 PM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2008
Recruiting!
Recruiting season is here! It’s so funny to actually live in the moment that I heard so much about prior to starting business school. Interviews started last week for many students, so for the past week I’ve seen many ‘suits’ around campus. In a moment we will probably start looking the same. So far, I’ve had two interviews. The first was really tough and the one today was actually a lot better. The interview was basically a conversation. We talked a lot about my interests, long-term goals, etc. I seem to answer those type of questions so much easier than the “Tell me about a time” questions.
In total this week I have three interviews and it is the same next week. Recruiting has kept me incredibly busy with all of the company research and mock interviews. I think I’ve been on about 10 mock interviews so far with help from MBA2s and my peers. I also spend close to 10 hours researching each company. However, I can definitely say that it’s worth it. There is no better feeling than to sit in an interview and know what you are talking about when asked what you can do to improve a product. I have actually enjoyed researching the companies as well. Overall, many of the students, self included are stressed about the internship recruitment process. We all want to do extremely well and I know that we will it’s just that we have to deal with this moment of uncertainty right now.
Outside of recruiting and planning for the BBSA conference I rarely have time for classes. The good thing is that my classes are based on readings, which I can do at anytime. Also, all of my groups for the classes this term are self-selected, which is a change from last term’s mandatory groups. I’m working with a few section-mates who I haven’t worked with before, so it’s refreshing and a good exercise in teamwork.
I participated in the Ross Leadership Crisis Challenge during the first week of school. Our team assignment was to respond to a critical situation facing a company. We were judged based on our decision and the presentation of our decision to a ‘mock’ press team. Even though my team didn’t advance to the final round, it was an enjoyable experience and I learned a lot about how to act under stress. We also received great feedback on our presentation style from a communications coach.
MAP selections come out tomorrow and I am a tad bit anxious. My top 10 choices were all great so I will be happy with whatever I am assigned. Also, I recently found out that I was accepted into a three week program this summer in Germany prior to beginning my summer internship. This should be a neat program and I am excited about it.
Well that’s it for this post. I will be back with more updates on recruiting, MAP, and other stuff in the next couple of weeks.
Posted by alantria at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2008
Winter Semester
Winter Semester
Break is over and its time for the winter semester to begin. I had a very relaxing break and I am excited to enter into this new semester. The fall semester went very well for me and I look forward to achieving the same success this time around. There is a lot that happens in the Winter semester and here are the things that I am looking forward to.
Classes
During Winter A I will be taking Operations, Managerial Accounting, Advanced Excel, and Consumer Behavior. I am really looking forward to the Consumer Behavior class since I love Marketing and since my career focus is to develop new consumer technology products. I am also looking forward to the Excel class so that I can improve my Excel skills before my summer internship.
Recruiting
All of the hard work from the Fall semester will pay off this term once I start interviewing. I still plan to interview with seven companies for roles in High-Tech Marketing and Human Resources. Over the break I spent a lot of time preparing cover letters and applying for positions. The way the interview process works here is kind of complicated. So basically, you apply for a position. Then if a company likes your resume and see a fit, they can select or ‘close list’ you for an interview. If you do not get on the closed list then you can bid for an interview slot, very similar to an auction. If you bid enough points then you will be able to get on the interview schedule. It is my hope that I get closed list on many of my interviews, but we will see.
I am also preparing for the interviews by doing a lot of company research to know the company trends, strategy, and history. Basically I need to know the companies inside and out. Also, I am working on my stories and practicing through mock interviews. The support that I have received from the career services office and my classmates has been phenomenal. Everyone has been so helpful to make sure that I am successful on my interviews. My first interview is on the 16th so I will keep you updated on that in my next blog.
MAP
MAP is during Winter B. The project listing has come out for MAP. There are a lot of cool international and domestic projects. We have to select 10 projects and we will be assigned a project and team. I will find out the project close to the end of January.
Clubs
There are a lot of things going on with my clubs this term. First, the High-Tech Club is having a conference focusing on Digital Technology on January 25th. The BBSA is having a conference as well during the same week. Also, I was selected as a Board Fellow for a non-profit organization. In this role I will serve as a non-voting board member for the Girls on the Run Organization. I will be assigned a project that will help the organization grow over the next year. I am really excited about working with this group. I cannot say how overjoyed I am about the opportunities that I have at Ross for leadership through clubs.
Case Competitions
I am going to enter into a couple of more case competitions this term. It’s a great way to practice and learn how to solve tough issues with my classmates. The first is the Ross Leadership Crisis Challenge. This competition is on January 11th. The details are to come, but it should be a good experience.
So as you can see there is a lot to keep me busy in this semester. But, it should be a good semester. I will keep you updated on things throughout.
Posted by alantria at 08:38 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
My First Semester at Ross
Well I just finished my first semester at b-school. Looking back I am still amazed that I took 8 classes in 14 weeks! However, I must say that I learned a ton in my classes. The completion of the first semester has really made me further realize that I am extremely happy with my decision to come to Ross. This experience has been enriching for me and I have learned so much academically, personally, and professionally. I don’t think that I went wrong with deciding to come here. Finals have come and gone and grades are starting to come out already. Things are looking good for far.
I will be spending my break in Atlanta visiting family and friends. I am going to try to relax as much as I can over the break and also start prepping for my interviews in January. But mostly I will be having fun and chilling out.
I know that second round deadlines are coming close. So I wish you all the best in preparing your applications. Have a great holiday and I will be back in January to start blogging about my second semester.
Posted by alantria at 09:03 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2007
Thanksgiving is over and it’s back to school!
Thanksgiving has come and gone and now it is back to school work. I had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving with my family. I was starting to get a little homesick so seeing my family was extremely nice and comforting. I was also able to take a small break from school for awhile to catch up on some much needed rest though. The days before Thanksgiving were absolutely busy but that’s what I expected being here so no complaints.
Now that we are back from the break there are officially two weeks left of classes. I cannot believe how fast my classes have flown by. In about three more weeks I will be taking finals and then headed back home for the Christmas Break. I have an important Marketing assignment due this week in class so my group has been meeting for a while to work on the project. We are analyzing the current marketing strategy for the Sony BRAVIA HDTVs and determining a new solution for them to increase their market share. Its so amazing how we are able to take real situations and make recommendations – action based learning at its best!
Recruiting is still in full swing. I was assigned a MBA2 mentor through the BBSA who interned at Google this past summer to help me go through the recruiting process. It has been extremely helpful so far and really shows the collaborative nature at Ross. I finally have a listing of 8 companies that I am targeting. OCD suggests 8-10, so I think I am in the middle range. Besides, the more companies that I choose, the more research, interviewing, etc, etc, etc. I will have to do. I can almost compare this situation to when I was applying to business schools and recognizing more applications does not necessarily mean greater returns and that it’s best to focus my energies on a smaller number of companies so that I can increase my chances of success by knowing much more about the companies.
I am now trying to determine the exact division of the companies that I am interested in and also how the Product Management and Marketing role differs at the various companies. Since I am interested in high-tech companies with a consumer focus and products, it will be extremely important and allow me to standout a little if I emphasize this in my cover letter and resume. I will be attending the Marketing Symposium on Thursday and Friday of this week to learn more about Marketing and also the various roles at different companies. It will be a great opportunity to have some face time with the recruiters. I will include the highlights from this in my next blog.
So it just started snowing in Ann Arbor and that totally caught me by surprise yesterday while heading out for a group meeting. Being from Georgia we rarely get snow if at all so this is very exciting yet I am clueless about what to expect from now on!
Well I’m off to finish my Marketing Presentation. Go Blue!
Posted by alantria at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2007
Midterms are here!
Midterms are here although sooner than wanted. We have a ton of assignments due this week and I am working to manage my schedule to complete them. It’s amazing how fast the term has been going. I feel like I just got back from fall break. I am enjoying my classes this term though. My favorite two courses are Marketing Management and World Economy. I am enjoying marketing since it is the area that I plan to enter after school. We are looking at the marketing framework called ‘The Big Picture’, which was developed by Christine Nordheim, a world renowned professor of Marketing at Ross. Its interesting to learn about the choices that must be made when engaging in marketing initiatives and the decisions that many companies face as I will soon be in that place. The other class that I’m really enjoying is World Economy. My professor Linda Lim is fantastic! We are learning about the global economy, its changes, and how we can make a difference.
Outside of classes, recruiting is really starting to ramp up. I attended two presentations today from the Office of Career Development (OCD) on how to best research a company and how to develop my positioning statement. OCD has been a great resource so far. I’ve attended many of the sessions and also participated in resume reviews and mock interviews. I am still pursuing Marketing and Human Resources and strongly considering interning for both. I have started to really narrow down my listing of companies, which is at about 10 right now.
I’ve spent the past couple of days speaking with alumni and 2nd year MBAs who have experience at the companies that I am interested. I am truly grateful for how helpful everyone has been. It’s not unexpected though since the collaborative nature of Ross fosters this. Also, collaboration is going to be extremely useful as interviews come up. I am forming a group with people that are interested in High-Tech Marketing and Human Resources so that we can share resources and information that we receive about companies.
My birthday is on Wednesday and I look forward to celebrating with my new friends at Ross. This weekend is the Ohio State game and is going to be a huge weekend at Michigan. I am sad that I will miss the game since I will be at a recruiting event, however I will look forward to catching it next year.
Posted by alantria at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2007
Fall B
Its hard to believe that I am entering another term. Fall A ended pretty well and some grades have started to come and they look good so far.
During fall break or “professional development week” I attended the West Coast Forum. It was kind of exciting since it was my first time in the Bay Area and because of the interaction with the students and companies. The forum was very helpful and I was able to met with representatives from the companies that I am interested in – Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon.com, etc. I feel a bit better about the differences in Product Management at the various companies and now its time to do the necessary research to determine if the companies are the right fit for me. So much of this term will be spent doing that and also preparing for interviews. I’ve heard so much about how Fall B is a heavy recruiting period and now I see why. Preparing for interviews and doing company research is comparable to taking another course. I just need to come up with a plan and I’m sure that it will all get done.
So Fall B has officially begun and it's busy. This term I am taking 4 classes, which is one in addition to the core schedule. I am currently taking World Economy, Marketing Management, Management & Organizations, and Finance. I am excited about my classes , however I can already see that the workload is going to be intense. I looked at my schedule the other day and this week is extremely busy with meetings and presentations. I am confident that I will make it through this term just as I did Fall A. I just need to come up with my schedule again and I will be just fine.
Posted by alantria at 10:59 PM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2007
Introduction from Alantria
Hello, my name is Alantria Harris and I am a first year MBA at Ross. I am extremely excited about my two year journey at Ross and I eagerly look forward to the enormous amounts of opportunities here. So far, I have met people from different countries such as Siberia, Chile, Peru, Israel, etc. I have also met student from different professional backgrounds as well. Some of my classmates were doctors, lawyers, and professional athletes before coming to Ross. I have been overwhelmed by the diversity of people in my class and I am so honored to be a part of the program.
Before I go on and on about how much I love Ross, I first wanted to go a little into who I am and why I am writing this blog. Prior to Ross, I was a Project Manager at The Weather Channel, yes The Weather Channel, which is located in Atlanta, GA. I worked there for nearly nine years counting internships in college. And even though I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, I wanted to 'change my career' so coming to business school would allow me to do so. I am looking to move into either Product Management or Human Resources in the high-tech industry (I am still figuring this out and more to come on my discovery in future blogs). I am currently involved in the High-Tech Club, Black Business Student Association, Michigan Business Women, Gourmet Club, Southern Club, Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, and the Forte Foundation.
I chose Ross not only because of its academic excellence and action-based learning, but mainly because of the culture of the school. When I first visited Ross during November of 2006 for the UpClose Weekend, I knew that I found my home based in Ross. The thing that struck me most was the passion displayed by the students, which along with the overwhelming generosity made me feel like a part of the Ross family. Every student tht I encountered that weekend was extremely excited about being at Ross and more than willing to answer my questions and show me around the school. Equally as important, throughout the presentations I noticed that this same enthusiasm was displayed in the faculty, admissions officers, and Dean Dolan. Given that this would be my first time outside of Georgia and away from home, I longed for the sense of comfort by those in my class and in the school. The culture of the school was one of the most important aspects in deciding on a business school and seeing that this level of excitement was displayed throughout the school, I knew that Ross was the place for me.
So I am writing a blog as a Ross MBA Ambassador to give a perspective into my experiences at Ross. So how has it been is what you are probably wondering? In two words-exciting and busy. I enjoy the opportunity to learn about new things so being immersed in my new environment at Ross has been great for me. I am not only learning a lot in my classes, I am also learning about my classmates, the school, and career opportunities available. It stays busy not only because of class work, but also because there is so much that I want to be involved in and that has not been a bad thing since i realize that my busyness has been very worthwhile. I have managed to put myself on a good schedule in terms of managing my tasks and sometimes I feel overwhelmed, however it is not too often. This term I am taking Accounting, Statistics, Economics, and Strategy. I love my professors and section mates so it makes class extremely fun. I can't believe that this is the las week of classes and that I will be taking finals next week. The seven weeks went by extremely quickly. Apart from the classes, the social aspects such as football games, section events, and other random activities has made me feel very comfortable with my new home in Ann Arbor. I can't say enough about how excited I am about being at Ross and I am looking forward to learning more over the next two years.
Posted by kkellerz at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)