The MBA Student Voice

Memories from last year

This same day last year I was submitting my UCLA Anderson application. I remember being anxious until last minute, reading and re-reading essays and checking my cv and transcripts. I even had to prepare an audio clip, so I became an expert in home recording.

 So what changed in this year? What am I doing now?

I had my interview, was admitted to Anderson and I am a student again. Besides this major difference all seem to be the same.

Today I am reading and re-reading cover letters for job applications and checking my cv once again. I am not the only one who is doing so. Anderson is on fire. Students are attending company presentations, practicing hypothetical questions and getting ready for the next quarter. The collaborative culture is seen everywhere since if you take a look in classes, library pods or even the courtyard, students are practicing together for their interviews. Same tone on Parker Career Management Center that we all visit very often.

The break (real or not) is over. Let the Winter quarter begin!

 

Study Abroad - Travels throughout Brazil

After classes were finished and finals were done it was time to travel around Brazil before returning to the US.  My boyfriend, Seth, and I decided to travel around Brazil and see as much as our time, and budget, would allow.  We spent some time researching locations and planned our trip for destinations primarily in the South of Brazil including Rio de Janiero, Iguassu Falls, the Pantanal, and finally Bonito.  If you are anything like me before I visited Brazil, you probably haven't heard of many of these places except for Rio, but as I pleasantly discovered, Brazil has an abundance of natural and cultural destinations to explore.

 

Rio de Janeiro - We started our trip with a bus ride from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro.  We were fortunate to have an amazing location in Copacabana where we could easily go out to the beach, grab a Caipirinha, and relax by the beach, or take a subway to other parts of the city.  While in Rio, we went to a botanical gardens, rode bikes around a lake in a hail storm, visited the Christ the Redeemer statue, and explored the downtown and historic parts of the city. 

 

Foz do Iguacu - Our next destination was to Foz do Iguacu, or Iguassu Falls, one of the new 7 natural wonders of the world.  Iguassu Falls is a sight that can barely be captured in pictures, and the best way that I can describe it is like the Grand Canyon of water falls.  In one particular location, the Devil's Throat (check YouTube video below), millions of gallons of water converge and then fall hundreds of feet and the power of the crashing water can be felt from the platforms above.  It was truly impressive to see the water crashing down the falls. 

 

 

Cascavel - An unexpected stop 

On our final day at Iguassu Falls I started to feel a bit quesy.  I disregarded it at first, but by the time we got strarted on our 17hour bus ride to Campo Grande I started to feel really bad.  Since I previously had abdominal surgery we decided to stop at the nearest town and head for a hospital.  Not feeling well, I tried my hardest to communicate my ailment in portuguese to the doctor who spoke no english and was treated for dehydration and given an iv.  We ended up staying in Cascavel for a day and a half at the advice of the doctor, and while it was probably best, it did cut some of our other planned activities short.

Campo Grande - Pantanal

After our time in Cascavel we travelled to the Pantanal via Campo Grande, which felt like the Serengeti of Africa.  While we were there we swam in piranha infested waters, fished for piranha, ate piranha, and went on treks through parts of the wilderness to see the wildlife and outdoors.  It was extraordinarily hot and dry, but a fun place, nonetheless.

 

 

Bonito - Rio da Prata

Our final visit before returning to Sao Paulo was to Bonito, which, as the name suggests, was gorgeous, and my favorite location that we visited.  Unfortunately, because of my illness our time here was cut short, but we did have an amazing time in the Rio da Prata, swimming in the fresh water with schools of fish.

(I didn't shoot this picture, but this is what it looked like)

New Years - We rang in the new years in typical Brazil fashion wearing white and ventured out to Paulista Avenue.  It was a very wet new year and we had to haggle for some ponchos as the police wouldn't let us bring umbrellas onto Paulista.  While it wasn't Rio, which I hear is amazing, there were still hundreds of people on Paulista avenue, and we followed up New Years with some drinks and dancing until the morning.  It was a great start to a new year and I want to wish everyone out there a great 2012 as well.

 

Guest post - Being ‘Out’ @ Anderson

Hello readers, I hope your 2012 is off to a great start!  Today I have a guest post from Joel Rosenzweig, a first year student who helped coordinate our first open house geared towards LGBT prospective students.  Please read on for highlights on the event as well as Joel's perspective on UCLA Anderson's LGBT community.  He also shares some helpful application tips for you at the end!

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On November 16th, the UCLA Anderson MBA Office of Admissions, in conjunction with Anderson’s LGBT student group Out@Anderson held our first Preview Day geared specifically to prospective LGBT students.  The turnout was impressive, with prospective students attending from around the country and world.  Candidates spent the day on campus, learning about the Anderson program, community and student life, with representation from Admissions, Financial Aid and the Parker Career Management Center.  After class visits and a campus tour guided by members of Out@Anderson, an informal reception was hosted so that candidates could mingle with staff, current students and LGBT alumni.  Dean Judy Olian even showed up to speak with prospective students, which was a treat for us all!

I am continually amazed by the passion that the administration, faculty and members of the Anderson community show towards embracing diversity.  Anderson proves to be not only a world-class institution, but also one that is welcoming to people and perspectives of all backgrounds.   Feedback from the event has been universally positive from those who attended.  We anticipate that this is the first of many such events in the future intended to build a stronger bridge between prospective LGBT candidates and the Anderson community.

One question that came up repeatedly throughout the day that I would like to personally address was most predictably regarding the admissions process.  Many candidates asked how ‘out’ they should be on their application.  Now I have to admit that at this point in my life I could not come across as “in” if I tried!  But, in all seriousness, why not embrace who you are?  After all, that is the entire point of the application- to highlight your accomplishments and shine a spotlight onto yourself.  As far as your achievements in life can be credited to your orientation, I believe it can only make a stronger case for yourself.  I, for example, am extremely passionate about serving the LGBT community and felt it was both necessary and relevant to elaborate upon this in my application.  I knew that whichever MBA program I would choose to attend I would continue to serve in this capacity.  My passion for service is a strong fit with the socially minded entrepreneurial culture that thrives at Anderson.  I am certain this is one of many elements that gained my admission to the Class of 2013.

I encourage all prospective students to spend the time learning about the school, its student body and their interaction with the surrounding community.  Is it an island onto itself or is it fully integrated into the neighborhood?  I desired the latter.  Los Angeles has historically been one of the most inclusive and progressive destinations in the world for LGBT individuals.  As the entertainment capital of the world, LGBT’s for many years have flocked to Los Angeles for jobs opportunities, a fresh start and general acceptance.  As such, I feel comfortable and welcomed being ‘out’ both on campus as well as outside of it.

Please reach out to me or other members of Out@Anderson if you have any questions about the application process, our decision to come to Anderson, or the “good life” in Los Angeles.  To me, UCLA Anderson represents a place where I can truly be my true, unabashed self. 

Cheers,

Joel Rosenzweig

[email protected]