Author Archives: Erin Whalen

MBA Memories

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I have had a great time being an MBA Student Blogger for the past two years. With graduation here, I wanted to share some of my favorite MBA memories. There are a lot, but in reality this is only a small sample. In no particular order:

1. First Ever Margaritas at Trudy’s. During orientation, some of the local students took some international students for their first margaritas. For me, it was a preview to sharing cultures and experiences with people from around the world.

2. Cohort One Thanksgiving. During our first year, Cohort One gathered at my house for a thanksgiving celebration. It was so fun to meet everyone’s families and socialize before finals started.

3. The GE Eco-Magination Case Competition. Angie Adams, Praveen Kata, and I represented Marketing Fellows and presented an idea for electric vehicles to Beth Comstock, GE’s CMO. The opportunity to present to someone at that level was incredible… and the icing on the cake was taking first place! Continue reading →

Hola from ESADE, Barcelona!

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Hola mis amigos! Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but it has been a very different semester of me.  Along with Josh, James, and Jen, I am doing my semester abroad at ESADE Business School in lovely Barcelona, Spain.  Don’t fear, we are taking breaks between sightseeing, tapas bars, the beach, and weekend trips in order to enjoy being students overseas.

Jen And James On Train

From the start, I knew this semester would be quite different than McCombs.  First, I have an hour commute to school in which I walk 1/2 mile to the city center, take the 30 minute train to Sant Cugat, then walk another mile to campus. I have to admit it’s weird not to take a car to school, but I love the transportation here.  Plus there is usually good company on the train.

My classes are pretty different as well.  My first class – In Search of a Life Philosophy – merges business issues with art, literature, and deep class discussion.  While not a typical business course, I think this is one of the most important classes of my MBA career.  Josh, Jen, James, and I are all taking it, and therefore representing Texas to be a very philosophical school! My second class – Branding – is a much more typical business class.  So far we have had speakers from Desigual, Moritz Beer, Lenovo, Chupa Chups, and we are able to get a more global perspective on marketing.  My third class – Geopolitics – is helping me learn how different countries and organizations interact, and is the perfect class to take with a ton of international students. My fourth class is an Independent Study, and my deliverable is an overview and analysis of Spain’s current economy.  I have been impressed with both the quality/prestige of the professors and the caliber of students.  Many of my classmates at ESADE are also on exchange, but there is still a very global feel to the student body.

In our free time, we have been making new friends and enjoying all that this amazing city has to offer.  Below is a picture taken outside Quimet y Quimet, which is arguably the city’s best tapas bar.  Our friends from Australia and Belgium joined us.


And here is Josh, James, James’ wife Kristin, and me at the Monastery of Pedralbes. We are doing our best to mix culture and fun!

In all seriousness, I can’t say enough great things about this experience. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to live in a different part of the world and further develop a global perspective. With over thirty Longhorns abroad this semester, McCombs is definitely delivering a global experience to its students. It’s great to be a part of it!

BA 181 Career Management Class

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Second years Stuart, Marian, Praveen, Daniel, and Maris share their internship experiences with the BA 181 Cohort 4 class on December 3.

As I mentioned earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to be one of 4 TAs for a BA 181 Career Management class.  I enjoyed this experience for a number of reasons, most significantly for the fact that I got to know a ton of first years. In addition to going to their class once per week, answering emails, giving mock interviews, and having individual meetings,  I spent one weekend reviewing 59 resumes.  Let me tell you – this exercise will help you get to know people really quickly!!

Our last session was Monday the 3rd, and I was responsible for getting a panel of second years together to talk about their internship experience. I remember this panel when I was a first year – being pretty jealous of people who already had their internships in the works, wondering if I was ever going to get hired, and trying to figure out how I could best utilize my winter break to make sure I landed a job.  This year was obviously completely different, and rather than feel the nerves of the internship process, I enjoyed hearing my classmates share their experience. Their biggest pieces of advice? Don’t settle. Don’t be afraid to go after what you want. It’s okay to say no if something doesn’t feel right. Use the McCombs network and resources. Have fun with the experience!

I couldn’t agree more! While I was in BA 181 last year, I thought the class was valuable but it was not at the top of my priority list. Now that I’ve taken it again, I really appreciate how many resources McCombs provides us in our job search. Career advisors…. peer mentors… databases…interview preps…and of course the massive alumni network. This class will serve me well long after I graduate, and it’s just one more reason I’m glad I came to McCombs!

Of course, good luck to all of the first years as recruiting season heats up!

International Night 2012

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As you probably know by now, McCombs has a very diverse group of students from all over the world.  One of the best ways to showcase all of the cultures and backgrounds that make up McCombs is International Night, an event put on by the MBA+ Program and attended by students, faculty, staff, family, and friends.

The Frank Erwin center is transformed into a mini-Epcot, with food/culture booths from around the world and performances by students representing various countries.  There is a “parade of nations” in which students show off traditional dress and try to get the most cheers from the crowd.  This year Mexico won the best food/booth category – they had some serious enthusiasm!

It’s a can’t-miss event.  To prove it, here is a video of some of our Korean students. Enjoy!

Business Professor of the Year Contest

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McCombs currently has two professors (John Doggett and Keith Brown) competing in the Economist’s “Business Professor of the Year” contest. More than 200 professors from top universities throughout the world have been nominated, and the MBA students at McCombs are working to make sure our professors are recognized. You can vote here until November 23 to help our professors win this thing!

Why am I so passionate about this? There are a few reasons:

1) Before my business partner and I went on Shark Tank, we had some MBA’s who were in Professor Doggett’s class drill us with questions and make sure we were prepared to succeed. They acted like mini-Doggett’s, and it worked! Now, two & a half years later, I get the true experience in class, and it is just as valuable!

2) When it came time to decide where to get my MBA, I thought I would surely benefit from going to a school different than my undergrad. Then I went to Preview Day and sat in a mock-class with Doggett. I remember I had a giant smile on my face for that full hour and realized that the professors at McCombs were worth coming back to. I went home, accepted my McCombs admission, and the rest is history!

3) Doggett led a group of us to India, and that trip was one of the most significant experiences of my life. He, like many professors at McCombs, has a ridiculous amount of experience, knowledge, and insight that you don’t find just anywhere.

I know hundreds of students who have had their own experiences with Professor Doggett, as well as countless other professors at McCombs. I want the Economist to recognize our great professors. So please… take a few seconds to support them. The direct link to Doggett is HERE. Thank you!

Paying It Forward

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Hello again, friends! I’m finally back in my school groove after an intense summer and crazy fist few weeks back on campus. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to reflect on my first year at McCombs and determine how I would use my time during my second year. I knew I still wanted to take classes that would challenge me and also spend more time with my MBA friends. However, what I wanted to do most was to be the same sort of resource that the second years, staff, and faculty had been for me. Pay it forward, so to speak. Since I’m heading off to ESADE next semester, I have a lot to do now!

My first way to pay it forward is being a TA for the Career Management class. Instead of being a Peer Adviser (PA) to a select number of first years, I get to be a resource for an entire cohort.This has meant reviewing 59 resumes in one weekend, having one-on-one meetings, and being a resource to 1/4 of the first year class. Remembering what it was like to be in their shoes, I am so excited about the opportunity to help them navigate the internship/job process.

My next way is building up the Business Communications Club with my ridiculously motivated and energetic friend Jessica. Recognizing the need for a “safe place” for students to work on their speaking and communication skills, Jess and I started the club to provide that place for MBAs. It’s fun to see the club growing and morphing and being a real means to help people.

My third way of paying it forward actually found me. A wonderful undergraduate has asked me to be her mentor as part of the Intellectual Entrepreneurship Consortium. I meet with her twice a month and help her carve out her career path and eventual route to getting her MBA. I’m blown away at how bright and proactive she is, and it is a treat to work with her.

Through these opportunities, I am hoping to make a difference at McCombs and help people in the same manner others helped me. I must say, I am really enjoying this semester. I am just as busy as I was last year, but I’m able to do things with more focus and purpose. I just hope it doesn’t go by too fast!