Mar. 9, 2015
Allison Freedman, MBA 2015 - The Leeds MBA Program allows students to focus their studies in a variety of functional disciplines. Recognizing the importance of connecting students to local and non-local businesses, as well as both internship and post-MBA career opportunities, treks are an important element of the program. There are Leeds-sponsored treks that vary somewhat from year to year, based on student interest and the business climate, and provide an opportunity for students to expand their network and engage with business leaders from small start-ups to large multinational corporations.
For example, this academic year began with a September trek to New York (Finance and Marketing) and Chicago (Finance) with a trek to San Francisco (CESR and Finance) in January.
This February offered various treks on three consecutive Fridays in the Boulder/Denver area (Women in Business, Net Impact, and Entrepreneurship) featuring visits to Boulder Organic!, Bobo’s Oat Bars, Zayo, Renewable Choice Energy, Justin’s,Galvanize, Solid Fire, Craftsy, and Mad Greens.
When asked about about the takeaways from these opportunities, Jeff Wahl shared that "It was most valuable to meet these companies on their turf. We were able to get a great feel for the culture and build relationships with some of the highest employees in the company - Which goes a long ways when applying for a position!"
Tim Weiss shared a new perspective he gained, reflecting that "CSR is a company-wide effort and requires people in all sides of the business to be engaged. Any employee in any position is able to make an impact."
Hidetoshi Abe noted the value of experiencing authentic business environments through these treks. "It can be tough to always make clear connections through the classes alone, but a combination of classroom learning and company visits really enhances our overall understanding," he said.
Many of these treks are organized by student groups and/or the corresponding Centers of Excellence. We are fortunate to be connected to such a generous and supportive business community in Boulder/Denver that make these treks possible.
