The main reason I chose the Mason School for an MBA experience was the caliber of alumni, professors and students I met during the search and application process. The networking events outside of class the MBA Program Office and Alumni Relations Staff put on have been one of the most enjoyable and beneficial aspects of the program to date. The MBA Careers Program Day in Arlington, Virginia was a perfect example.
Bright and early on the morning of November 9, the entire first-year MBA class loaded on to three motorcoaches and hit the road for a networking event co-sponsored by the Washington Area Alumni Business Alliance at Clarendon Ballroom. The ride on my bus, and I would assume the other two, was rather quiet and relaxing following three rounds of final exams over the previous few days. As we approached the Washington area, I enjoyed seeing the reactions of several of our international classmates who saw the Washington Monument and other national landmarks for the first time.
The event itself featured a moderated panel discussion with distinguished William & Mary alumni in the morning, followed by a “speed networking” lunch with almost 20 alumni and an interactive question and answer session with several recent Mason School alumni in the afternoon. The alumni that participated in the event represented such companies as Booze Allen Hamilton, Barclays Capital, Hilton Worldwide, KPMG LLP, IBM, Iron Mountain, BAE Systems and Hewlett Packard among others.
I was impressed by the contingent of alumni that participated and took note of several themes and pieces of advice the panels shared, including:
- Always observe those around you and how situations are handled; mentors can be anyone who influences you
- Seek opportunities to be global
- Master the fundamentals of communication, charisma and likeability
- Play up to your strengths and don’t be shy about it
- Reconnect with classmates and colleagues when you can
- Always be prepared for networking opportunities and interviews before you ask for them
