Graduate Student Blog

#BUOverboard

6th Annual Questrom Graduate Boat Cruise

One of the biggest event of the year where hundreds of Questrom Grad Students come out for a classy maritime party. This BU Questrom tradition is a chance to catch up with old friends after the summer and welcome some new ones aboard! #BUOverboard #QuestromLife

Photo Credit: Vanessa Costanzo

ReLAUNCH into the new school year!

ReLAUNCH was a week of sports and social-themed events to build our community in a fun, friendly, engaging environment to relax after the end of a long two weeks of orientation (or "LAUNCH"). Events Included: Sunset Yoga, Kayaking on the Charles, "Appy Hour", Duck Tour, Harpoon Brewery Tours, Blazing Paddles at Game On.

ReLAUNCH was hosted by the BU MBA Sports Social Club and open to all Questrom Graduates.

Teams who think alike…drink alike!

The Last Day of Classes is Deserving of Thai Dish!

Today the Mathematical Finance, MS program celebrated the last day of classes for the semester. Of course, the best way to commemorate the end of the semester is with lunch at Thai Dish!

Thai Dish is a favorite among MSMF students. Hopefully will help fuel the upcoming C++ and Fixed Income exams! Best of luck, students! You are over halfway through the program!

BU Places 2 Teams in Top 5 of CME Trading Competition

Three teams from SMG's own Mathematical Finance, MS program participated in CME Group's Trading Challenge placing 3rd, 5th and 43rd in a field of over 350 teams. Student-led teams used live data in a simulated environment with guidance from faculty advisers. To learn more about this annual competition, visit the CME Group's 2015 Trading Challenge webpage.

Congrats to these MSMF teams! Great work!

Math Finance goes bowling!

While many of our classmates traveled abroad for Spring Break, the local MSMF students opted to celebrate Spring Break with bowling! Suhas Anjaria and John Cooper led the pack by bowling great games, breaking the 150 point mark. Meanwhile, I think several of us could have benefited from using the children's bumpers!

2nd Year Thank You Dinner at State Room

The theme of the night was “Pioneers” and paid tribute to the outgoing Class of 2015, the first to complete the newly developed module system. Last Friday, second year students, professors and staff took off their snowshoes and glitzed up for a beautiful reception at State Room. Attendees were greeted with a one-of-a-kind view, signature cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. After an hour of mingling and selfies, we sat down to a delicious meal of roast chicken, mashed potatoes and chocolate torts. Our very own Dean Freeman, Associate Dean JP Matychak and Professor Alison Kirby Jones delivered heartwarming speeches, thanking 2015 for their efforts in developing stronger curriculum here at the Graduate School of Management. But the party didn’t stop there! In true MBA fashion, students went down the street to Clarke’s to continue socializing and show off their dance moves. It was a truly special night, one that will not be forgotten.

The Class of 2015

A group of students take a picture with Dean Freeman

The ladies of the Public & Nonprofit MBA program

The amazing view of Boston's Quincy Market & Logan Airport

Photos courtesy of the Graduate Programs Office

Indian Field Seminar, Winter 2015

In mid-January, 19 students and 2 program advisors completed the Indian Field Seminar, one of the many international experiences which provide students with additional engagement outside of the classroom. After completing preliminary work during the first semester in Boston, the group spent two weeks in India. Travels started in New Delhi, continued to Mumbai, and finished in Bangalore. Some of the stops included the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Max Healthcare (private hospital system), Cipla (generic pharmaceutical manufacturer), Dabawala (complex meal delivery system), and AmeriCares (mobile medical clinics). Cultural visits included Qutab Minar, the Taj Mahal, and the Elephanta Caves. Beyond providing an up-close look at health care delivery in an emerging market, the field seminar exposed students to the different practices and innovations that companies, both established and start-ups, are creating in India. Two students shared their thoughts following the trip:

Liz Nerad, 2015, MBA/MPH: “As a dual degree MBA/MPH studying Global Health Management, I was drawn to the field seminar because it seemed like a practical application of both of my degrees and interests. Before graduate school I lived abroad for a few years, so I have really come to believe the best way of learning is through experience. Though I have traveled and worked in health care internationally, I had never been to India before, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to see the country with a unique lens.

“The seminar took our classroom learning to the next level by giving us first hand exposure to the issues faced in the health sector in India. During an HSM class we read a case about Narayana Health, a hospital specializing in low-cost and highly efficient heart surgeries. During the field seminar we actually visited the hospital, where we went beyond traditional case-based learning and were given a first-hand look at the issues discussed in the case and the practical solutions that were really applied. The field seminar also took us on a diverse range of site visits, which also really gave us a holistic perspective about the health sector in India. For example, one day were in a rural village learning about community health workers and then the next we were in a super-specialty world class cancer hospital.”

Liza Bruno, 2015, MBA: “The field seminar was one of the highlights of my BU SMG experience. Our professor, Ned Rimer, put together a fantastic itinerary that kept us moving non-stop for two weeks. Not only did I learn a great deal about the health sector in India, I also had a blast traveling with fellow classmates. Everyone brought something unique to the group, and we are already looking forward to our first reunion.”

Nutrition discussion with AmeriCares

Entrance to Narayana Superspeciality Eye Hospital

Elephanta Caves

Mumbai’s largest outdoor laundry facility, en route to Cipla

Dabbawalas preparing for delivery

Meeting with senior medical residents and health care management faculty at AIIMS

Visiting Qutab Minar

Photos courtesy of BU’s Health Sector Management Program.

Entrepreneurship and Skis (and Snow)

Last week, following the city’s first (but not last) snowstorm of the year, a mix of first- and second-year MBA students made the trip out to East Boston to visit Parlor. One of New England’s only custom ski manufacturers, Parlor was founded by three former college classmates and ski team members (one of whom is a BU graduate). For the past six years they have been turning out custom designs, unique to each skier’s preferences and terrain. Students had the chance to enjoy a few beers in the compact setup while learning about the challenges of starting a business from scratch, refining the manufacturing and design process, finding the proper marketing for their skis, and earning a profit and expanding their business.

Photos Submitted by Cortney Tunis, 2015, PNP

Celebrating the Super Bowl with MSMF!

Students from the Mathematical Finance, MS program took a break from homework to watch the finale to a great season of American football: the Super Bowl! The hometown team, the New England Patriots, was victorious over the Seattle Seahawks. There will be a parade this week celebrating the win at City Hall downtown. Luckily, the parade is scheduled between classes so MSMF students can attend this historic event!