Happy 40th Anniversary Belk College

Next week is the Belk College's 40^th anniversary celebration. The Belk College of Business has made notable strides and a name for themselves in the Charlotte business community. The Belk college has more than 2,500 undergraduate, 500 graduate students, 84 full-time faculty and more than 19,500 alumni. The college continues to enhance its business research and education levels in the community as well. The Belk College has created an open and inclusive culture that allows students and the business community to share thoughts, ideas, and network across multiple disciplines.
Next fall, the Belk College will open its Uptown building which is located on 7^th and Brevard. This building is a state of the art contemporary structure which will hold all graduate classes. I've driven by this building several times on my way home and it is striking. I believe the building is a true physical representation of the Belk College. Its features reflect our innovative mindset and desire to be a leader in the Charlotte community.

Come out and celebrate this milestone downtown at the Ritz Carlton Charlotte.  The authors of Freakonomics will be there! It's not too late to RSVP!(http://www.belkcollege.uncc.edu/default.asp?id=254)

 Have a safe Halloween weekend.

Stake Your Claim in 49er Football!

"ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL Well UNC Charlotte is and will be Fall 2013. Today's blog inspiration stems a bit from the prior weekend's games and the Carolina Panthers first win this season.
For me, I am looking forward to UNC Charlotte's inaugural football game. I grew up in an area where Friday nights in the Fall was reserved for high school football. It was just a matter of which one to attend. Of course as a typical teenager, I did not pay that much attention to the game as I did making sure I was sitting as far away from my parents as possible but nevertheless I never missed a game. My high school did not have an award winning record or a star player who headlined the paper every Saturday morning; however football the school and community together. Football games created numerous memories for me. Those memories range from Homecoming to Senior Night! My undergraduate alma mater did not have a football team which at first I did not think was going to be a big deal since I preferred basketball over football…but in the end it was. I guess you can say that I missed the "RUSH" from being in a football stadium. I would hear from my friends at other colleges about how they were excited and preparing for Homecoming. I never had that experience during my 4 years in undergrad. To be honest, every year I would attend my hometown's university homecoming instead. So I am definitely looking forward to the 49ers team. Unfortunately, I will be a graduate by the time 2013 rolls around but I am still thrilled.
Last week, I attended UNC Charlotte's Executive Speaker Series at the Ritz Carlton Charlotte. The speaker for the evening was Judy Rose, Director of Athletics at UNC Charlotte. During her speech, she showed the attendees pictures of the stadium and discussed some of the events that led to the creation of UNC Charlotte's football team. It was interesting to learn the numerous marketing strategies developed and research conducted in order for the University to make this announcement a couple of months ago. I will agree with a comment that Judy did made on Wednesday. "For the next 6-7 years, UNC Charlotte will be everyone's homecoming game." But WHO CARES. WE WILL HAVE FOOTBALL!! It is only natural that the team will be the butt of jokes and sportscaster commentary prior to the inaugural game; but it is a part of being the "new kids on the block."
A Football team would bring a level of an engagement to UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte community. I know I am looking forward to tailgating and wearing Green and Gold. What about you?
Have a nice week.

The Value of a MBA

This week I had an epiphany. I didn't move to Charlotte solely to attend class, participate in groups projects, and study for exams. I moved to Charlotte to network and gain experience in the branding industry. This week, I've blown the dust off of my internship hat and begun scouting various companies in the Charlotte area. (Believe it or not, the summer will be here in heartbeat). I'm working on a roadmap of what exactly I am looking to accomplish over the summer. In addition, I am in the process of networking with those individuals who can guide me throughout this process either from a professional or personal level. I do truly believe that a person's success is not only based on their internal ambition but also their external support system. When one surrounds themselves with positive motivators, not necessarily people "like" them, he/she will see a substantial difference. I think that some people believe that if they surround themselves with people ONLY in top management positions…they've got it made. I beg to differ.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine this week in regards to my program. My friend inquired about how classes were treating me and what I planned to do with my degree upon graduation. I briefly discussed my career plans and how I plan to take advantage of the Charlotte community to network with the "necessary" individuals. In our conversation, we discussed how unfortunately when some people achieve notable professional achievements the individual loses themselves. He/she becomes so involved in their title that they forget their network that was by their side well before he/she was at the pinnacle of his/her career. I think we have all seen this happen countless times. This is something that baffles me. For me, I am appreciative of every interaction that I have made in my years of living whether it was with the VP of a business unit at my prior company to the housekeeping staff at my high school. Each interaction made a difference in my career and the development of who I am. I do not believe in shunning those who are not in my "social status." Now if one has a negative impact in my life that is a different story. However just because an individual's status/position is not where "I approve" it to be doesn't mean the person should be considered beneath me. I think I should just stop here….Something to think about.
Well that is my soapbox this week. It was a little off the norm but one's foundation & network does have an impact on future outcomes & character. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

GMAT or no GMAT?





Sentence correction. Critical reasoning. Data sufficiency. Problem solving. Yes, it is that time of year again! GMAT TESTING! YAY!!!  (sarcastic tone).

Look Familiar anyone?

Standardized testing seems to haunt me every step of the education process. I must say that the test, well any form of standardized testing is an intimidating factor especially on the graduate level. You’ve graduate from secondary school ages ago and now you have to learn the basics. Pythagorean theorem anyone?

So what if the GMAT was eliminated? What if an applicant can receive a “waiver” if he/she has at least 10 years of solid work experience? Some graduate business programs are contemplating this same question or already decided to remove the test from the admission process.  Those schools who removed removed the

 GMAT has indirectly increased their application pool. It is known in the admissions world that there are a percentage potential candidates who choose to withdraw their application because of the GMAT alone. But is the GMAT a means of "weeding" out those individuals who are not that serious? Is it a quick measuring tool for schools to keep their "award winning" statistics? Or is it an adequate test to evaluate one’s future academic performance?

So what is my point of view….I believe that the GMAT test should not be eliminated from the admission process. I will be honest and admit that I had a difficult time with the test. I took the GMAT twice, studied almost every day and enrolled in a preparatory class. Needless to say I invested a substantial amount of time and money into this test. For me personally, I would not apply to programs that did not have a GMAT as a requirement. I do believe that if you have in excess of 8+ industry specific work experience, an applicant should be waived from taking the exam.  However I do want to make it VERY CLEAR that I do not feel that the GMAT is a definitive evaluation of one’s future academic performance or success. 

What do you think? Would you apply to program where you know the GMAT is not a requirement or would release a sigh of relief? Just something to think about....

Have a nice weekend!

My "MINT" break.

Last weekend was the grand opening celebration of the Mint Museum UPTOWN. Sunday, I decided to take a "quick" break from my marketing study schedule to take in the remaining festivities.  The exterior of The Mint Museum UPTOWN reminded me of Chicago. The crisp lines, sharp angles, and contemporary feel of the museum welcomed me as I turned the corner on Tryon Street.

As I walked up the red carpet, leftover from Friday's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, I could not help but marvel at the four story glass atrium. What is really intriguing is the video artwork on the building across the street. The museum consists of a family gallery, conference rooms, two levels of art galleries, and auditorium space.

I do not want to spoil a potential trip to the museum but I do want to share some highlights. I LOVED the fact that there was a cell phone audio tour. Scattered throughout the museum, one can find various pieces with a code to call in. The code may direct you to a voice recording of the artist, Mint staff, or the Executive Director of the Mint Museum. The individual will explain the construction, meaning, and/or history of the assigned artwork. The Mint Museum I feel shows their knowledge of today's technology trends & innovation. Also this is the first time, I have visited a museum and did not have to pay $5 for the 1993 cordless phone *ahem* audio tour. 

Ted Noten "Woman & 400 Daisies"

Ted Noten's "Women & 400 Daisies" caught my eye. This was by far my favorite piece in the entire museum. I will not steal the artwork's "thunder." However the creation of this piece is why I love it so! I literally walked back to this particular artwork twice because I was so intrigued.

The museum has several hands on stations throughout each gallery. I particularly liked the questionnaires in the American Art gallery.  The questionnaires engaged me throughout my tour of Trumbull & Copley's work. (It is ironic that the entire gallery was my Art History class from 2005). 

The two inaugural exhibitions are "New Visions: Contemporary Masterworks from the Bank of America  Collection" and "Contemporary British Studio Ceramics: The Grainer Collection." I appreciated the Grainer's Collection. When I think of ceramics the first country that comes to mind is not Great Britain. Through this collection, you can learn more about the history of ceramics in Great Britain as well as see the artist's influences from Roman culture to every day activities/uses. The BOFA Collection consisted of various contemporary pieces on canvas, lithographs, and sculpture.

Unfortunately, I had to return to studying. however The MINT Museum was a rewarding break instead of me watching another episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Check out the MINT Museum Uptown. The Museum will host First Fridays. music & movies once a month, and numerous events for both members & nonmembers. I know I will be back soon and plan on taking my guests there as well!


Have a nice weekend!