The Graduate Baruchian

This week marks graduation minus 11 weeks to go.

And what a week it has been.  For anyone hiding under a rock here are the biggies for the week: Dean Elliott announced his departure, Greg Smith quit Goldman with a thunderbolt, and TEDxGramercy held their event at BPAC. . . . and your correspondent jumped out of the gate on his checklist.

The GCMC is a great resource if  you haven’t been.   I met with Jo Singel who offered some poignant observations and helpful guidance on my career path.  The best takeaway was an improved introduction that I actually used the very next day at a networking event.  Don’t wait. Get over there no matter the stage of your career.

I even got to ride on some of the escalators before some when out service! Yeah.

Somehow by cosmic connection at the Zicklin networking event par-excellence, the Baruch Grad Gatherings. Three super smart, serious, and go-getter MBAers asked me to join their team for the Aspen Business Case Competition.  I’m not sure what I’m in for, but next weekend will be the challenge.

I also made progress on the legacy program.  Dr. Ron Aaron was kind enough to meet with me about it.  Here’s the pitch for a Communication Award.  You are surely aware of the strong emphasis on improving the communication skills of graduate students.  I would like to explore a student-led effort that reinforces\rewards that push.  Here are some preliminary thoughts:

• Grad Students and/or professors nominate examples of exceptional communication (written or oral) of graduate students to a committee of the GSA once a semester;
• That GSA committee with faculty guidance decides to make award(s) or none;
• Same GSA committee takes recommendations to provide honorariums to have speakers come to campus to lead communication workshops;
• The  GSA votes on award(s) and honorarium;
• GSA president bestows award(s)at graduate Alumni social.

The central element of course is the funding. My aim would be to endow the gift from the stagnate communication funds that once funded the Graduate Voice.  That amount exceeds 120k.  I think an endowed communication award makes the highest, best and appropriate use of the funds that are going unused and importantly are not being replenished.   This effort does not block any future group from being funded as all graduate student fees are being routed through the GSA.

Not a bad week even though I’m exhausted.