MBAM

Author: Amber George

Last Wednesday at noon, the MGBS officers held a town hall meeting in the auditorium that was open to all students and closed to all faculty and staff. The purpose of the meeting was to promote transparency and open the lines of communication between MGBS and their fellow students.

The promise of free pizza was a likely contributor to the number of students that showed up. This number was obviously underestimated by the MGBS team as the pizza ran out before all attendees arrived. The majority of attending students were first-years, which did not surprise me. However, they also seemed to be the most vocal, which did surprise me. I figured that those who had been at Pepperdine the longest would have the most to say. President JC Garrett led (dominated) the discussion on the MGBS side, with a couple other officers speaking up once or twice.

Some questions, such as “how do you get a professor fired?” were outside the scope of MGBS. However, suggestions such as incorporating the incoming five-year MBAs into orientation were well received. A few students voiced their concerns with getting pertinent information from administration in regard to internships, career counseling, and scholarship opportunities. One student mentioned how it has been clearly and continually stated that Pepperdine is alcohol free, however, who to talk to about internships has not been made clear at all.

One current hot-button topic brought up by a second-year was the issue of too many 6pm-10pm classes offered this term. Some second-year students are taking three to four of these evening classes despite the fact that this is a full-time program. MGBS reassured the group that the administration was aware of the issue, however, rumor has it that the same problem is occurring in spring term. Maybe they’ll fix it by next fall?

One student asked each officer to discuss what they feel they have done well and what they feel they could improve upon and to state any goals they had. This would be one way for the officers to be held accountable to the students and inform us of progress at the next town hall meeting.  One MGBS officer attempted to answer (without actually answering any of the questions posed) and then the subject was quickly changed. I personally thought this was one of the best questions asked at the meeting, though it never was answered. Shame.

After the meeting officially ended, a few second-year students discussed the fact that it was mostly first-year students speaking up. One student said that it was probably better to let the less-jaded first-years express themselves. Another said they felt that it might be too late at this point to change anything that they are upset about.

Another town hall meeting should be taking place in the next couple of weeks. I encourage everyone to attend, as it is a great opportunity to get your voice heard. Maybe this time everyone will get pizza.

Some tips on getting through your first set of classes.

Author: Maria Harutyunyan

Over the last few weeks, I keep finding myself with more work than I have the time to do, and virtually no social life outside of lunch breaks and Taco Tuesdays.  I’ve also noticed that I’m not the only one without free time. So I decided to ask the second years how they managed to get through their first year with their sanity in tact.

My main question of the week was how they were able to prioritize between their classes without feeling as though they were abandoning work.  The consensus seems to be that one should prioritize based on deadlines, importance, and work that needs to be completed first.  However, working first on the subjects in which you have the least experience is helpful as well since doing so will allow you more time to seek help if needed.

JC Garrett suggests that “you need to identify what your strengths are and which areas of improvement you want to address while you’re in the program” as a successful means of prioritizing when on time constraints.  He also mentioned that while you’re in the program you should find classes that will allow you “to develop those skills and align them with your long-term goals,” ensuring that you will be well prepared for your career after school.  So don’t waste your time and energy trying to get an A in a class that is not in an area of improvement for you, or will not help you with your goals in the long run.  Instead, be clear on what your set goals are, and focus on what is the most “relevant and necessary to achieve” them.

As we are all finding out, it’s a matter of balancing the subjects you need to improve upon and what will ultimately help you in your career.  Figure in more time for the classes that are your weaknesses and seek out a tutor.  Form study groups and call your professor if you’re really stuck on a subject.  Ask for feedback if you feel you could have done better on a project so that you improve the next time.

The same goes for the classes in your field.  Make sure you are as prepared as you can be and network with your professors when possible.  Also, as Frankie Warren suggested, “make absolutely sure you’ve doing the reading for the week” in your concentration classes.  Seeking out help here is essential, especially if you’re switching careers and do not have a background in the area.

If you haven’t decided on a concentration yet, or do not plan to have one, it seems that focusing on your weakest subjects is the most important. The classes you are taking now are just the basics and future classes will just be building on from here.

Author: Amber George

As my December graduation approaches, I can’t help but think about how my experience at Pepperdine could have been a little better had I known last September what I know now. So, here are a few juicy tidbits that should help you with your first year.

1. Your reputation is solidified early. Be careful of what you do and how you present yourself. Bad group member? “That girl” or “that guy” at mixers? Dominate the conversation in your classes? It will get around fast and stick with you until graduation.
   

   Tip: Try to wait a couple of months before making a fool out of yourself at South or V Lounge. This advice may be too late.

2. Ask second-years for advice on professors and classes. Each professor has their own style of teaching and way of running their classes. By asking second-years about their experiences with certain classes and professors, you will be more likely to find classes that are a good fit for you.
3. Make a scheduling wish list. There are too many of us for everyone to get all the classes they want (or need) when they want them. If you are a 20-month student, you are at the bottom of the scheduling barrel. Go on Wavenet and upload the classes you want to your wish list. If scheduling opens at 7:30am, be sitting at your computer ready to upload your wish list at 7:25. First come, first serve!
4. Take full advantage of your breaks. Travel. Road trip to Vegas. Do a weeklong study abroad. Visit friends and family. And yes, look for jobs and internships too. Once you are out of school and paying back student loans, it will probably be a while until you have an opportunity like this again.
5. Gear up for spring semester! You think it’s tough now? Wait until spring. With one term under your belt, you’ll think you have the hang of things. Not so much. Trust me. It only gets worse.
6. Make friends with the cafeteria workers. We are a captive audience. So the food can be mediocre and expensive and we will buy it anyway. Being friendly won’t speed up the slow service, but it will definitely help when you have special menu requests.
7. You’re probably going to gain some weight. I know I did. When you have to choose between studying, sleeping and working out, working out will almost always lose. Coupled with the fact that you have little to no time to grocery shop or cook means that take-out and cafeteria food will be your staples. Oh yeah, don’t forget those stress-reducing happy hours and mixers.
8. Exploit your student status. Use that student ID card to get discounts whenever you can! The One Stop office down at Seaver offers discounted movie passes, theme park passes and more. And don’t forget that Seaver events are often open to us too. Check their calendar for things like the Malibu Yogurt free yogurt “study break.”
9. Buy books from 2nd years. We don’t usually want to keep our books. Save some money and help us get rid of clutter.
10. 12-month and 15-month students get left out. Everyone is always talking about internships; campus is desolate in the summer; we are excluded from a lot of leadership positions. Sometimes, I felt like the redheaded stepchild. Granted, there are some perks. For example, you can focus on the fact that when grad school senioritis kicks in, we are done 5 months before everyone else!