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As
one of the country's historic cities, Rochester (population
approximately 1 million) offers an attractive blend of
tradition and innovation. Rochester is the home to many
outstanding museums and attractions, including the George Eastman House,
the Strong Museum, the Genesee Country Village, the Erie Canal, and the many wineries of the Finger
Lakes Region...
Located in
upstate New York, the University of
Rochester houses some of the finest learning programs in the
country. The three most distinguishing programs consist of the Eastman
School of Music, the Strong
Academic Health System, and the William
E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration...
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The
William E. Simon Graduate School of Business (or otherwise known as the
Simon School) is consistently ranked as one of the top 25 business
schools in the country by all of the major business school publication
rankings...
Besides the rankings, there were three other major
reasons for my selection: (1) Simon School is one of the more diversified
schools in terms of student body - approximately 40% of my incoming
class is International, (2) the class
sizes are relatively small and intimate which make faculty fairly
accessible, and (3) the school is located on the East Coast...
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[a
front shot of the university of rochester with the simon school building
- schlegal hall - on the right]
Being raised on the West
Coast for most of my
life, I had become all too comfortable with my lifestyle which made me
realize that I had yet to experience enough of the country, let alone
the world. Although I did not know anyone living in the
Northeastern United States, I knew I had to take advantage of this opportunity...
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So, on September 1,
1999, Jeff Peal (a good friend who
graciously came along on the cross-country road trip), Gossimer (my faithful Labrador
companion), and I packed up my Ford F-150 and the U-Haul rental trailer,
and started our 5-day, 12-state adventure across the United States...
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My
experiences at the University of Rochester have been nothing but
exceptional. Like other MBA programs, the Simon School does have
its downsides. However, overall, I have no regrets and owe a large
part of my professional development to the school. The school has
facilitated a curriculum that has provided me with
extensive knowledge on my three major areas
of interests, in addition to a core foundation of business
management education. To compliment my professional experience, I,
along with most of the student body, reached out to the various Simon
MBA clubs to provide us with industry-related, function-specific
information and etiquette...
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[carol
simon building - simon school faculty building]
My
time here at the University has also provided me with great personal
growth. I have had to deal with "total" dependence in a
very different environment in which I was used to - the city itself is
relatively smaller and less diverse than the large melting pot of Los
Angeles. On the other hand, the school itself is very diversified
which in combination to the small size, has allowed me the opportunity
for substantial, globally enriching interaction with faculty and fellow
students....
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have been fortunate enough to have been able to meet people that I am
able to call true friends...
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