Tag Archives: Texas BHP

BHP Alumni Accepted Into Top MBA Programs Across The Country

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Choosing to pursue a MBA degree is common for BHP graduates. We don’t always hear from alumni when they have been accepted into graduate school, but this year we received news from several BHP alumni letting us know that they had been accepted into top business schools across the country. In fact, seven alumni let us know that they are attending Harvard Business School, and others wrote to tell us of their acceptance into the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

 

Andrew Schwaitzberg graduated from BHP in 2008 with additional degrees in Finance and Government. Schwaitzberg worked in the energy industry for four years before applying and being accepted into the Harvard Business School. “I wanted to meet new people and find new ideas,” said Schwaitzberg. “I’m finding different ways to be a good leader and rethinking the type of manager I want to be.” Since entering the Harvard MBA program, he has found his experiences in BHP to be extremely relevant. “Whether it’s grad school or any other situation, knowing how to learn with other really talented and smart people to find a common solution is always valued highly,” said Schwaitzberg. “Being in a program where you’re constantly working and being challenged always forces you to better yourself – those are the types of skills valued most, not just whether you can build a financial model or not.”

 

Alpana Kelkar graduated with dual degrees in BHP and Marketing in 2009. She has noticed a lot of parallels between the Honors Program and the MBA program at Chicago Booth. “The curriculum is molded based on our background and interests as students,” said Kelkar. “I was attracted to the good reputation at Booth and the top-notch professors. It reminds me of BHP because everyone is really driven and collaborative.” She also notes that making connections has been an important aspect to both programs. “The teamwork and collaboration required for all BHP classes has been instrumental for me. Relationship-building is really important, especially in grad school. You never know when you’ll want to start a company and need to rely on your peers.” Kelkar describes the Chicago Booth application process as intensive and stresses the importance of telling a clear-cut story for admissions. “You have to really make sure you know what you’re trying to get out of your ultimate experience,” said Kelkar. “Make sure everything you’re portraying is accurate. Link what you’ve done in your past to what you’re going to do after school to tell one story and tie everything together.”

 

Angelique Obiri, who graduated in 2004 with degrees in BHP and Marketing, worked for the same company for eight years and was looking to switch industries and functions. She began applying to grad schools with the help of Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) and took the GMAT three times, which paid off when she was accepted into four of the five schools to which she had applied. Obiri chose the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern because of the people, the curriculum and the opportunity to try new things beyond her comfort zone. She believes her time in BHP had a positive impact on the decision to admit her into the program, “In my interview I explained how I transferred into the program as a sophomore and it helped to tell my story of seeking new challenges,” said Obiri. She also offered advice to current BHP students considering getting a MBA, “Really know why you want to go to business school,” said Obiri. “The time goes by quickly and you don’t have much time for exploration once you’re actually in. Many people that come into school thinking they will figure it out are surprised about how soon you have to start making career decisions.”

 

Current BHP students and alumni of the program who are interested in pursuing an MBA and speaking with a BHP alumnus in a particular MBA program can contact Shelley Nix in the BHP office.

 

BHP Professors Use Innovative Techniques In The Classroom

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BHP Professors Use Innovative Techniques In The Classroom

We often hear from alumni and parents asking about the BHP classroom experience and what new things students are doing in the program. This semester two BHP professors tried something new with their classes. Dr. Leigh McAlister, who teaches BHP Principles of Marketing, paired BHP alumni with students in her class for a day to coach them in their area of interest. And Dr. Ethan Burris, who teaches Organizational Behavior, an upper-division management class, paired his students with MBAs in a challenge to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Dr. McAlister: Connecting BHP students and alumni

Vivek Shah, partner at Consortium Finance and BHP alum, speaking with students interested in investment banking

Vivek Shah, a 2003 graduate of the program and chair of the BHP Advisory Board Mentoring Committee, was happy to help when he heard Dr. McAlister was looking to bring alumni from all career paths in to talk about how marketing relates to what they do. “We on the board are looking to find ways to increase the connection between alumni and students, and to play a larger role in helping students as needed,” said Shah.

BHP alumna and CTO at Tiff’s Treats Cookie Delivery in Austin, Jocelyn Coe Seever, speaking with students interested in consulting

The class was broken down into smaller groups and matched with an alumnus who is currently working in the student’s chosen field. Each group was asked to come up with a new product idea to meet the needs of some customer segment in their business. The second task was to write a positioning statement for that new product. Groups fragmented throughout the classroom and into the Atrium. Idea generation began and students listened closely.

Shah hopes to see interactions like this continue. “As for the future, I think we could see more professors finding interest with bringing students into the classroom,” he said. “We could also have guest speaker sessions where an alum gives a relevant lecture about a topic being taught in class but bringing a real world and real time vantage point. Hopefully we have just scratched the surface here.”

Dr. Burris: Pairing BHP students with MBAs

In Dr. Burris’ management class, students competed in a Donald Trump-esque ‘Apprentice’ like challenge. Each group, consisting of BHP students and MBA students from his Power and Politics elective, was tasked with raising enough money to fund one wish for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, about $5,000, in ten days.

Dr. Burris replicated a technique used by Wharton professor, Adam Grant, author of New York Times bestseller, Give and Take. Students were able to apply influence techniques to “real-life” situations when soliciting donations for Make-A-Wish. Pairing undergraduate students with MBA students added another element to the process, “It was a two-fold debrief,” said Burris. “On the one hand influence played a part in tactics and strategies of getting donations. Secondly, group members also had to influence each other, bringing high power and low power dynamics to the surface.”

After the ten-day challenge, the final outcome of all groups combined was $136,065 in donations for Make-A-Wish Foundation. Students used various approaches ranging from low cost options such as email and Facebook to high effort options like reaching out to family and previous employers. Some groups took a “divide and conquer” approach while others worked together as a cohesive team. “The winning group had one member who interned for Google connect Make-A-Wish with Google Grants,” said Burris. “They applied and will most assuredly secure the grant, which is worth $10K per month in ad words. They prorated it for the year.”

We are always excited to see this kind of innovation happening in the classroom, and appreciate that our professors are always finding ways to challenge the students more and expose them the all of the resources available to them while they are here at McCombs. Thank you to Dr. Burris and Dr. McAlister, and to all of the alumni who gave up a full day to be with our students. Those alumni involved were Vivek Shah, Betsy Greytok, Jocelyn Coe Seever, Allison Steinberg, Craig Wielansky and Maneesh Verma.

 

Yum! Brands’ Liz Williams Talks Tacos with BHP Students

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Written by Amy Yu, BHP sophomore

Liz Williams, Chief Financial Officer of Taco Bell USA at Yum! Brands and a BHP alumna, visited BHP sophomores in their weekly Honors Lyceum course last Wednesday. Williams shared her wisdom and even brought free Doritos Locos Tacos coupons for everyone. With an undergraduate degree and MBA in marketing, Williams admits that her path to a CFO position at Taco Bell was not typical but says the marketing background has enriched her career.

Williams grew up in Iowa but fell in love with the University of Texas at Austin while on a college visit. While working towards a Business Honors and Marketing degree, she also found time to serve as president of the Texas Panhellenic Council and as a member of Student Government. She also interned at Dell when the company was still a “smaller start-up” with only a few employees and interns. After graduating in 1998, Williams stayed in Austin to work in brand management with Dell. She found that while she enjoyed her work, she wasn’t passionate about the high tech field and left to pursue an MBA at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

After Northwestern, Williams went on to work for Boston Consulting Group. While working on different cases and projects there, she discovered a passion for consumer, retail and packaged goods. As a result, she left BCG for Yum! Brands in Dallas, where she led corporate strategy before choosing to specialize in the finance track within the company. She joined Taco Bell in 2011.

Williams said that though she has worked in several different and unrelated industries, the key to smooth transitions is to “let things pull you.” She noted that Yum! Brands pulled her into an industry she was already passionate about and she was excited to part of the team that introduced Doritos Locos Tacos and will soon be introducing Taco Bell breakfast to the public. She advised students to explore different industries and fields to discover what they love and attributed her much of her success to mentors that guided her and encouraged her to develop her potential when she was unsure of her own abilities.

The lyceum course stresses leadership and ethics, which Williams said she has had to address during her time in corporate America. She stressed the importance of “doing the right thing,”even when the correct choice may be difficult to make in the short-run. She also addressed the 2011 lawsuit against Taco Bell that claimed the chain did not use real meat in its products, saying that while the allegations were damaging and false, as a leader she treated the lawsuit and other obstacles as learning experiences.

BHP seniors honored by Texas Parents as 2013 Outstanding Student Finalists

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Michelle Moon (left) and Holland Finley (right)

Congratulations to BHP seniors Holland Finley and Michelle Moon for being honored by Texas Parents as two of the four Outstanding Student Finalists selected from the UT student body. Each year, since 1951, Texas Parents proudly selects two award recipients (one male, one female) and recognizes four award finalists who demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship, character and service. Holland and Michelle were presented at the November 1, 2013 Celebration of Leadership Dinner among family members and close friends and were recognized at a field presentation held during the November 2 home football game.

“It was an incredible experience, and it was so humbling to be surrounded by extraordinary achievers and givers to this University. It was a nice reminder of how much this school has given to me, and how rewarding my experience has been because of the community I have been able to find on this campus.” – Holland Finley, nominated by Randall Ford of Rec Sports and fellow student, Taylor Pousson

“Everyone was so nice and appreciative. It wasn’t so much a congratulations as a thank you. I do this because I love it. So being thanked for something I do everyday was such a rewarding experience. Unbelievable really. The fact that it was Texas parents recognizing graduating seniors created an amazing sense of family. I’m so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had at UT. It’s given me and environment where I can thrive. I feel like I should be thanking them instead of them thanking me.” – Michelle Moon, nominated by Paul Pritchett of BHP

Michelle Moon shown on the Jumbotron at the November 2 home football game

BHP senior, Helen Tau, joins Texas Women’s Basketball as a walk-on

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BHP senior, Helen Tau, joins Texas Women’s Basketball as a walk-on

It is a rare occurrence to experience a dream come true, which is exactly how BHP senior Helen Tau describes becoming part of the Texas Women’s Basketball roster as a walk-on this year. Helen played basketball in high school and hoped to continue the sport into her college career. She tried out for the team as a freshman, but did not make the cut. Determined to keep basketball in her life, she applied to be a basketball manager for the women’s team every year until she filled the position last year as a junior. Helen was also the only female on the men’s practice squad, a team of players that did not make the team, but still come together to enjoy the sport and scrimmage against the university teams for practice.

It was during a scrimmage that Helen’s abilities were noticed. “The first thing that we noticed right off the bat was Helen’s commitment to our program,” said Karen Aston, head coach of the women’s basketball team “When she said she was going to do something, she followed through with it. Last year she served on a volunteer basis. Her commitment level was phenomenal based on the fact that she wasn’t receiving any benefits from the volunteer work.” (as quoted on texassports.com).

Helen could not be more thrilled to have the opportunity, “It’s completely a dream come true, and I never would have expected this to happen.” To some it may seem that making a drastic change during senior year may throw a student off kilter, but Helen is happy to adjust, “I plan my day around eating and sleeping at the right time so that I’m ready for practice. This is a once in a lifetime chance for me so I want to make the most of it. The physical exhaustion after practice makes doing homework challenging, it’s been a complete lifestyle change, but I’m learning how to find that balance.”

As a senior BHP and Finance major, Helen is grateful for the timing of this opportunity, “I think it’s a good thing it didn’t happen earlier because it would have conflicted with recruiting. It probably would have taken over my college career and I’m happy that I had time to do other things like my internships.”

Helen will suit up for the Texas Women’s Basketball team’s first game against UTSA this Sunday, November 10 at 2pm.