mytwotalents

In relation to my previous post on Itunes U, you can get the story of Dr. Yunus and the Grameen Bank that he founded in Bangladesh over at amazon.  The link to his organization is here.

I think once in a while I’ll post some relevant text plus links regarding specifics of the Kellogg program I am joining. I think I’ll call it “Inside Kellogg.” Today we look at academics:

These core classes account for nine of the 24.5 minimum courses required for graduation:

* Accounting for Decision Making
* Business Strategy
* Finance I
* Marketing Management
* Mathematical Methods For Management Decisions
* Microeconomic Analysis
* Operations Management
* Statistical Methods for Management Decisions
* Strategies for Leading & Managing Organizations

During Pre-Term in our 2nd year, we complete a half-credit course, Values & Crisis Decision Making (broad class that looks at what we learned first year).
I have some ideas already as to some of the classes I want to take, but there will probably be changes as I try to figure out the whole bidding system for classes and professors. Cross-Cultural Negotiation and Managing Turnarounds are a few that already stick out to me. One other interesting one to me is the Human Element in Private Equity Investment. Well these are all prelim ideas for now, but I’m still looking through the countless options we have.

For the full Kellogg academics page go here.

Well I was exploring Itunes U. the other day and found quite a bit of interesting stuff. The specific group of podcasts that I downloaded were from the Stanford Center for Social Innovation. I am currently listening to the Muhammad Yunus talk on “Creating a Poverty-Free World.” I’ll report on what I learn, but this has encouraged me to keep developing an idea I have for a non-profit (which was going to be part of my Chicago GSB sliderama). Anyways, check that U category out on Itunes - it’s much better that listening to stranger’s conversations on the train or one more stupid Britney update on CNN.

I didn’t see anything from Kellogg on there yet, but I’m sure they are either working on it. If they are not, I’ll be sure to bring it up once I’m on campus. It is a great distribution channel for any school, plus great speeches should be shared beyond the confines of the 300-500 people that are sitting in an auditorium. I hope that our site: www.kellogg.northwestern.edu will also improve in the future. I watched several convocations online, but come on: bandwith is cheap!

Well 2008 is here and next time this year I will have lived through KWEST, CIM, and my first fall at Kellogg.  I know some of you are ready to turn in 2nd round applications (don’t forget to make sure your recommender’s have handed in their part!) - so to all of you may the next two weeks seem like a time freeze so you can finish editing and re-reading and adjusting your essays.  I think that the Chicago GSB power point slides will be interesting to look at once some sneak out online…

Well I will be taking a quant class here in the spring, and apart from that I am still busy trying to clean up the basement ahead of moving down to Evanston. I’m going to try to put together the FAFSA as soon as possible, but getting tax forms is always a struggle.  I am also looking at some summer opportunities that might even have a community service aspect.  Oh and yes I have been checking out some class requirements, but for the most part things won;t really start rolling till after DAK.

Last thing - I was watching the Iconoclasts show on Sundance the other day and it was very interesting to see how Norman Lear (I admit I did not grow up with his tv shows) and Howard Schultz (sbux whiz) became friends and in disparate arenas managed to influence life beyond the narrow roles we would normally give them.  Norman bought the U.S. Constitution and took it on tour to encourage voting.  Howard was a pioneer in health care for part-time employees, as well as ownership stakes.  Anyways, not totally related to mba  - except that meeting people from different arenas and learning from them IS really one of the top expectations and hopes that I have for my 2008-2010 journey.