Highlights: Orientation

The Wake Forest University Schools of Business knows how to kick start graduate school!

In recent years, orientation has become a major highlight of the various programs. A major change took place in 2009 – it was the first time that the university assembled all of its business school programs for orientation. Roughly 400 students from the evening and full-time MBA, MA and MSA programs met at the Forsyth Country Club before splitting off into smaller groups the next day.

The speakers have been fantastic. In 2009, Donovan Campbell, a veteran who served in Iraq then authored the New York Time’s best seller “Joker One” drove home the belief that responsibility and service are critical to success. “Humans are adaptable,” he said. Failure is inevitable. How you respond matters. You must default to responsibility.”

A year later, author and psychologist Tim Irwin discussed what he believed the incoming classes should learn in business school (watch the video below). He focused on the career “derailments” of several high profile leaders, including former BP CEO Tony Hayward, journalist Helen Thomas and professional golfer Tiger Woods.

Irwin said that most leaders have fine business educations, but arrogance, a lack of self-awareness, a sense of entitlement and missed warning signals lead to catastrophic failure. “Character is about being authentic, it’s about being humble, it’s about being self-managed and it’s about being courageous,” he said.

The rest of orientation is beneficial because you meet your classmates, bond with your MBA team (including a series of fun team-building exercises). It truly gives you an opportunity to set expectations early and get your business school experience off on the right foot.

What Should I Learn in Business School by Keynote Speaker Tim Irwin, Ph.D. from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.

Character and Courage: Interactive Discussion with Incoming WFUSB Graduate Students from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.