Thursday, November 02, 2006
Reflections after completing 12.5% of my MBA, and Net Impact Conference Wrap-up
A Beautiful Sunday in Downtown Chicago
The week has gone by in a flash, as I begin semester #2 at Yale SOM.
The marks from my exams have been trickling in, and so far I am resoundingly Proficient. Ironically the exam I thought I did the worst on - Economics - was by far my best. In fact, the mark I received on the exam was just shy of what the "Distinction"-calibre students scored, so in that sense I'm actually a little irked. Still, proficients all around are fine by me, as long as I can enjoy the robust "extracurricular" life of the MBA experience.
This past weekend I suppose is yet another example of the MBA experience outside of the classroom that I have come to enjoy. As mentioned in previous posts, (and hinted at in the picture above), I spent the weekend in Chicago at the Net Impact Conference hosted by Kellogg. The Yale crew was well represented with over 40 attendees, though our chapter was "First Runner Up", losing the title of "Chapter of the Year" to Michigan.
As for networking, I wasn't in a particularly "schmoozy" mood so I didn't really capitalize on those kind of opportunities, but I did sit in on plenty of interesting panels covering my recent focus (foci?) on Economic Development and Microfinance.
Both fields really seem to offer a mission that I can be passionate about - helping the poor and helping the growth of business/housing developments in the third world. The conference had some great speakers like the keynote speaker - the CEO of Accion International (a leader in microlending) as well as other well-attended breakout sessions led by prominent organizations like Opportunity International (another microlender).
The guilty pleasure of the conference though, was my skipping out on Sunday's breakout sessions and wandering around downtown Chicago like a Tourist. I think Chicago is definitely a world-class city and it makes me wish Toronto could get its act together and clean up the waterfront and make it more "Chicago-esque".
Anyhow, I have to run to class shortly, so i'll leave with some other pictures from the Net Impact Conference weekend. Enjoy!
At Chicago's Grand Central Station for the Saturday-night keynote speaker
CEO of Accion International delivering Friday's keynote address
Eating at "Bubba Gump Shrimp" in Chicago (Due to my recent allergies, I reluctantly avoided the shrimp and ate Fish and Chips Instead)
Hitting up the Lively Bars in Chicago
Chilling with some fellow SOM Net Impact attendees
The Night Starts Getting Rowdy - Preparing to Down one of many "Jager-Bombs"
Me and a Fishbowl
More Scenes from Downtown Chicago
Me and that gigantic Bean
Beautiful Chicago
Some guy doing some cool puppet stuff on the streets of Chicago
At one of Chicago's touristy fountains
Anti-War / Anti-Bush protest outside of the Chicago Art Institute
Cool little "pick-up" chess tournament downtown
Me at the site of Trump's new building (i.e. Bill Rancic's assignment in Apprentice 1)
¶ 12:28 PM 
A Beautiful Sunday in Downtown Chicago
The week has gone by in a flash, as I begin semester #2 at Yale SOM.
The marks from my exams have been trickling in, and so far I am resoundingly Proficient. Ironically the exam I thought I did the worst on - Economics - was by far my best. In fact, the mark I received on the exam was just shy of what the "Distinction"-calibre students scored, so in that sense I'm actually a little irked. Still, proficients all around are fine by me, as long as I can enjoy the robust "extracurricular" life of the MBA experience.
This past weekend I suppose is yet another example of the MBA experience outside of the classroom that I have come to enjoy. As mentioned in previous posts, (and hinted at in the picture above), I spent the weekend in Chicago at the Net Impact Conference hosted by Kellogg. The Yale crew was well represented with over 40 attendees, though our chapter was "First Runner Up", losing the title of "Chapter of the Year" to Michigan.
As for networking, I wasn't in a particularly "schmoozy" mood so I didn't really capitalize on those kind of opportunities, but I did sit in on plenty of interesting panels covering my recent focus (foci?) on Economic Development and Microfinance.
Both fields really seem to offer a mission that I can be passionate about - helping the poor and helping the growth of business/housing developments in the third world. The conference had some great speakers like the keynote speaker - the CEO of Accion International (a leader in microlending) as well as other well-attended breakout sessions led by prominent organizations like Opportunity International (another microlender).
The guilty pleasure of the conference though, was my skipping out on Sunday's breakout sessions and wandering around downtown Chicago like a Tourist. I think Chicago is definitely a world-class city and it makes me wish Toronto could get its act together and clean up the waterfront and make it more "Chicago-esque".
Anyhow, I have to run to class shortly, so i'll leave with some other pictures from the Net Impact Conference weekend. Enjoy!
At Chicago's Grand Central Station for the Saturday-night keynote speaker
CEO of Accion International delivering Friday's keynote address
Eating at "Bubba Gump Shrimp" in Chicago (Due to my recent allergies, I reluctantly avoided the shrimp and ate Fish and Chips Instead)
Hitting up the Lively Bars in Chicago
Chilling with some fellow SOM Net Impact attendees
The Night Starts Getting Rowdy - Preparing to Down one of many "Jager-Bombs"
Me and a Fishbowl
More Scenes from Downtown Chicago
Me and that gigantic Bean
Beautiful Chicago
Some guy doing some cool puppet stuff on the streets of Chicago
At one of Chicago's touristy fountains
Anti-War / Anti-Bush protest outside of the Chicago Art Institute
Cool little "pick-up" chess tournament downtown
Me at the site of Trump's new building (i.e. Bill Rancic's assignment in Apprentice 1)
¶ 12:28 PM
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1. Yer lookin' good babe...would've looked better with me beside you. ;)
2. You should've posted up the Venice-like shot of Rancic's project, with the bridge and the ferry.
3. I LOVE the idea of the street chess tournament...they should have that in Toronto!
4. When am I going to get to talk to my man now that he's finished his exams AND had his fun in jiziage?
she :)
2. You should've posted up the Venice-like shot of Rancic's project, with the bridge and the ferry.
3. I LOVE the idea of the street chess tournament...they should have that in Toronto!
4. When am I going to get to talk to my man now that he's finished his exams AND had his fun in jiziage?
she :)
feh i miss you a lot but am so happy to see lots of fun adventures and cool pics from you. keep your momentum going, you're gonna do amazing things with ja life
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