The Graduate Baruchian

Originally post on Oct 20, 2010

You’re busy, I get it. I think we can all agree that grad students are busy people. We’ve got jobs, families, friends, classes, and social lives. We play sports, watch movies, take trips, play music, cook, exercise, go on dates, get drunk, have fun, and work hard. There is nothing you can’t find to do in New York City, and many of us are trying to find and do it all.

So, why would I try to convince you to find time to get more involved at Baruch? Simply because it is good for you, for me, and for the rest of us, and will benefit us all for years to come. And to make it easier for you, here are the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How for getting more involved at Baruch:

Who: You, me, and everyone else at the school. With over 3,000 grad students and dozens and dozens of faculty and staff. Together, we can build a better Baruch (I promise I’m not getting paid to use that slogan!). There are about 20 graduate clubs with hundreds of students involved – we need you to join us!

What: I’m talking about lending your time, energy, and particular skills and interests to events, activities, and/or work with Baruch College (that includes the Zicklin, SPA, and Weissman Schools) to make it a better place for education, professional development, and community building.

When: Whenever is most convenient for you! Sure, there are some things to get involved with that have set dates and times that might not work for your schedule, but don’t let that stop you! There are ways to get involved at any day or time – see the “how” section below.

Where: Anywhere! Right now most of the involvement at Baruch takes place at the Vertical Campus, but your involvement can happened anywhere. For example, you can walk with fellow Baruch students and staff in the Breast Cancer Walk, or you can write a blog post for the GradBaruchian from home!!

Why: Probably the most important part – why should you take the time and energy from your busy life to give one more minute to your grad school? Believe it or not, there are so many reasons! Here are just a few:

• Your resume – So, you have your MBA or MPA. Big deal, so do hundreds of thousands of other job applicants. How will you set yourself apart? By showing you have applied your skills and knowledge outside of the classroom.
• Networking – Take advantage of those 3,000 students and all the faculty/staff and all of their contacts. Getting involved outside of the classroom creates deeper connections with people who can get you a job, make you money, give you new connections, and enhance your world view. That helps you in classes and in your professional life, now and in the future.
• Enriching the Baruch Reputation – The more that happens at Baruch and with the Baruch name attached to it enhances Baruch’s ratings and reputation. This benefits current students, but probably even more so alumni, as the value of your degree increases.
• Fun and New Friends – Believe it or not, involvement at Baruch can be really fun (think of our social events) and you can connect with people that may become your new best friends.

How: There are innumerable ways to expand your involvement at Baruch beyond just taking classes. If you have an idea of what you’d like to do, get in touch with the GSA (gsa.club@baruch.cuny.edu). Here are just a few suggestions:

• Come to GSA meetings – They happen every other Tuesday (next meeting is Nov 9^th) at 9pm in room 3-270. A chance to hear what your student government is working on and if anything interests you to work on with us or on your own.
• Join a club – We have around 20 graduate clubs that put on fantastic events and give students great opportunities to network. Or, start your own club!!
• Plan a charity event – What cause pulls at your heartstrings? The Office of Student Life and the GSA are happy to help you do an event at the college to raise awareness and/or money for the charity of your choice.
• Serve on a committee – Want to know what is going on in the governance of the college? Find out AND get a vote on it by joining a college committee (contact me at emily.rotella@baruchmail.cuny.edu).
• Enter a competition – Case and business plan competitions are amazing learning experiences and can win you two things that are really important to business: prestige and money. Check out this website (http://zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/zk/competitions/) or contact Alan Rosenbloom at alan.rosenbloom@baruch.cuny.edu for more information.
• Be a Zicklin Ambassador – represent the graduate school at info sessions for prospective students.
• Read the Carl Aylman and GSA emails – I know they are long, but at least check out the table of contents of these two emails. You’ll learn about events that could change your life and boost your grad school experience.
• Talk to student leaders – Find out what other students are doing to see if you can combine forces in getting involved.

So there you go – I hope you spend some time thinking about how you can contribute to making our school even better. Contact me at any time to brainstorm new ideas or find out more about getting involved: emily.rotella@baruchmail.cuny.edu.

Peace,

Emily