GBC 2001
The Johnson School brings leadership into the next century
Susan Welgos '01
Issue date: 4/6/00 Section: Johnson News
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Many of you (at least those who read their spams) know that The Johnson School recently won a bid to host the Graduate Business Conference in 2001. Way to go Johnson... but wait, what is the Graduate Business Conference anyway? The GBC is an annual event that brings together MBA student leaders from around the world to discuss relevant issues affecting top MBA programs and to discuss timely subjects affecting the business community. In other words, over 150 MBAs from 40+ top rated business schools attend a three-day conference to network, share ideas, and have fun. They spend one day listening to some fantastic keynote speakers (like Michael Dell, who headed last year's speaker lineup) and attending related panel discussions, one day trading best practices on issues shared among MBA schools (i.e., building alumni support, career services, student involvement, etc.), and two evenings out at local hotspots "networking".
The Graduate Business Conference originated at Columbia Business School in 1982 as the brainchild of Jim Deveau, the President of Columbia's Graduate Business Association. Jim developed the vision of the GBC after grappling with the issue of a lack of cohesive vision for Columbia's student organizations and challenges in several aspects of student services and administrative support. Assuming that other student leaders might be facing similar difficulties, Jim contacted several schools and proposed the idea of a "leadership summit" in which they could discuss these concerns. He received an overwhelming response and the inaugural GBC, with the theme of "The MBA - A Student Perspective," took place. The conference has endured, with schools such as Wharton, Kellogg, and Michigan serving as hosts.
Each year schools submit bids to host the GBC to the Graduate Business Foundation (GBF), a group whose purpose is to ensure the continuity of the conference and to assist the host school in the planning and execution of the event. The bids must delineate a central theme that will permeate the conference as well as logistical information on how the school plans to arrange transportation and lodging for all of the participants, means of fundraising, etc. The theme that a school chooses must be related to a current hot topic in business, as well as an area in which the school possesses some expertise or special proficiency. For example, this year's conference, The Net Effect, will be hosted at the Anderson School (UCLA), a location well known for its Internet focuses.
The Graduate Business Conference originated at Columbia Business School in 1982 as the brainchild of Jim Deveau, the President of Columbia's Graduate Business Association. Jim developed the vision of the GBC after grappling with the issue of a lack of cohesive vision for Columbia's student organizations and challenges in several aspects of student services and administrative support. Assuming that other student leaders might be facing similar difficulties, Jim contacted several schools and proposed the idea of a "leadership summit" in which they could discuss these concerns. He received an overwhelming response and the inaugural GBC, with the theme of "The MBA - A Student Perspective," took place. The conference has endured, with schools such as Wharton, Kellogg, and Michigan serving as hosts.
Each year schools submit bids to host the GBC to the Graduate Business Foundation (GBF), a group whose purpose is to ensure the continuity of the conference and to assist the host school in the planning and execution of the event. The bids must delineate a central theme that will permeate the conference as well as logistical information on how the school plans to arrange transportation and lodging for all of the participants, means of fundraising, etc. The theme that a school chooses must be related to a current hot topic in business, as well as an area in which the school possesses some expertise or special proficiency. For example, this year's conference, The Net Effect, will be hosted at the Anderson School (UCLA), a location well known for its Internet focuses.