By Michelle Gallagher, a track representative for the 2014 DC Weekend Cohort and VP of Marketing & Communications for the PTMBAA.
When I applied to business school I expected a competitive environment where earning top grades was paramount and success was achieved alone. I never expected to meet and bond with such a vibrant, talented group of people that use competitive and collaborative tactics to succeed and hold one another accountable.
Traditional networking (a la wine & cheese events, industry panel discussions and career fairs) had always left me cold. Although an introvert by birth I’m a language ‘nut’ by profession, having taught English for years, earned my masters in Madrid and worked as a Spanish interpreter in two school systems. I love meeting new people 1:1 and hearing their life stories – then catching up at subsequent gatherings.
No one tells you this but your first year of an MBA program is the equivalent of business-school boot camp.
You sit through the four-hour-long weekend core classes and take on grueling exams as a unit, and in the process you build your Smith network – and quite a few friendships. In our cohort alone several students have been referred and hired by their classmates for openings at their firms. Group work in class exposes you to different personalities and skill sets, which then improve your own technical and managerial abilities. You become a leader in your areas of expertise. However, you also learn how to contribute to team success, even when you may lack experience in the subject matter.
A greater extension of the cohort is Smith’s Part Time MBA Association (PTMBAA). Elected representatives of the PT student body, board members organize social and professional events, as well as serve as the students’ voice to the school’s faculty and staff.
As a board member I’ve recruited several classmates from my cohort for my committee based on their strengths and career interests – a pattern found in committees throughout the association – and had the chance to work with students from other cohorts and campuses. This year the board has also focused on actively seeking committee members among first-year students – thereby building up new students’ networks and creating a sustainable future for the organization as a whole.
Real networking builds long-term professional relationships. Whether it’s a critical task at work, a group project in class or a social event for a volunteer organization, collaborating with gifted, reliable colleagues trumps the casual acquaintance any day. These colleagues push you to be better while generously sharing their time, expertise and energy. They will likely be instrumental in your future professional success. Good thing you already know their favorite drink.
Michelle Gallagher is a track representative for the 2014 DC Weekend Cohort and VP of Marketing & Communications for the PTMBAA. She earned her BA in International Relations from Tulane University and her Masters in Conference Interpreting (Spanish/English) from the Universidad de Cluny – ISEIT (Madrid). By day she is the Managing Director of Cross-Cultural Communications, an interpreter and cultural competence training organization. By night and weekend she is a PT MBA student. When not working or studying she volunteers for an international student exchange program, exercises and spends time in her beloved vegetable garden.
