An ND MBA glossary, vol. 2

By: Nitesh Srivastava

The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)

I recently put together a glossary of four common terms that people outside the Notre Dame MBA program may not know. Here are a few more words, phrases, and acronyms to round out the list: 

5. MBAA: The Notre Dame MBA Association, or MBAA for short, is the student government of the Notre Dame MBA program. Most students simply spell out the letters when they say this acronym aloud, although rumors exist of a rebranding that would see the term pronounced as a word, similarly to the title lyric in the 1997 Hanson hit MMMBop

6. Dual-degree student: A handful of undergraduates at Notre Dame are simultaneously obtaining their bachelor’s degrees in engineering and MBAs in a combined, five-year program. Obviously, these students are a bit younger than the average MBA student, so they don’t appreciate my 1990s pop culture references. Informal ways to describe these students include “five-year student,” but especially in a professional context, “dual-degree student” is preferred.  Continue reading “An ND MBA glossary, vol. 2”

An ND MBA glossary, vol. 1

By: Nitesh Srivastava

The Mod 1 and Mod 2 class schedules for the Class of 2017, with an interterm in between. (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)
The Mod 1 and Mod 2 class schedules for the Class of 2017, with an interterm in between. (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)

The Notre Dame MBA program has a distinctive culture; as such, students, faculty, and administrators sometimes use jargon that may be unfamiliar to prospective students and others outside the program. We at MBA IRISH ECHOES strive to bridge the gap between our world and yours, so I have put together a brief glossary of Notre Dame MBA-specific terms: 

1. Mod: In the Notre Dame MBA program, each semester is divided into two modules (or mods for short). As a result, rather than say “first semester” and “second semester,” students say “Mod 1,” “Mod 2,” “Mod 3,” and “Mod 4.” Because each mod is only about seven weeks long, classes go by quickly!  Continue reading “An ND MBA glossary, vol. 1”

5 tips from an ND MBA on how to get a job at a career fair

By: Nitesh Srivastava

(Editor’s Note: The Round 2 admissions deadline is coming up! In honor of the occasion, enjoy this bonus post from MBA IRISH ECHOES, and be sure to check back over the next few days for more content.)

The job expo at the 2016 National Black MBA Association Conference in New Orleans. It can be intimidating if you don’t have a game plan. (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)
The job expo at the 2016 National Black MBA Association Conference in New Orleans. It can be intimidating if you don’t have a game plan. (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)

Before I joined the Notre Dame MBA program, the resumes I handed out at career fairs tended to fall into a black hole. Since then, I’ve picked up a lot of tips from our Career Services team and my classmates, which have helped me to turn career fair interactions into bona fide job offers. It’s possible! Here are some of those tips: 

1. If you’re interested in visiting the Company X booth at a career fair, apply for the job you want at Company X before you even show up at the career fair. Your goal when you visit the Company X booth isn’t to learn basic facts. Your goal is to complete your first-round interview at the career fair itself.  Continue reading “5 tips from an ND MBA on how to get a job at a career fair”

Why I’m glad I waited (for B-school)

By: Bill Brunner

(Editor’s Note: The Round 2 admissions deadline is coming up! In honor of the occasion, enjoy this bonus post from MBA IRISH ECHOES, and be sure to check back over the next few days for more content.)

dome_sunrise_website-1
(Photo courtesy University of Notre Dame)

It is funny looking back at my first year out of undergrad, because I had a comically unrealistic expectation about the impact I would make. It was a rude awakening to spend what felt like an eternity (six months) as a glorified proofer. I remember saying to myself multiple times, “Did I really go to school for four years to do this?” I also remember thinking I was going to put in one year in the professional world and then go to business school. My flaw here (among many) was that I thought business school was only going to teach me how to apply theories and to learn from previous case examples, similar to college. I hadn’t thought about invaluable learning tool that is the symbiotic sharing of past work experiences among classmates.  Continue reading “Why I’m glad I waited (for B-school)”

Season’s greetings!

The many Christmas trees of Notre Dame. Clockwise from top left: Notre Dame MBA lounge, Golden Dome, Mendoza atrium, Main Building admissions office, DeBartolo PAC, and LaFortune student union (Photo courtesy Nitesh Srivastava)

On behalf of the entire Notre Dame MBA community, we at MBA IRISH ECHOES wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas!  Continue reading “Season’s greetings!”