Jenny Kwan, MBA '09

Core Reflections

One semester over, three more to go...  So how was this first semester of 'core' classes? Inside the classroom I really enjoyed the discussions and learning.  Some of our professors were incredible at making potentially dry topics both relevant and interesting.  I definitely learnt a lot from them and from the extensive experience of my classmates.

Outside the classroom some things I did well, some things not so well.  One thing is for sure I did a lot!  I got involved with a lot of projects and a lot of clubs.  I'm sure you've heard the analogy that being at MIT is like drinking from a fire hydrant - there was far too much I was interested in and, especially at first, it was hard to focus.  A second year said to me the other day "Wow, you've done more in one semester than others do in their whole two years here!".  Perhaps a bit extreme and maybe I would make different choices next time... however life only moves forward so here are some thoughts for the coming semester :-)

Resolutions for Spring
- Find a manageable balance between focus and exploration
- Do more projects inside classes
- Build deeper relationships with my classmates
- Sleep more! (or just remember to keep some time to rejuvenate)

Other things that have been on my mind a lot lately:
* Finals
Yes, more exams.  Tough at the end of a long semester and snowy weather!  This brief mention is about all they warrant :-)

* IAP
Hurrah!  Off to China on a research project about energy entrepreneurship in China that a classmate and I made up because we were interested in the topic.  That's what I love about this place - whatever you want you can make happen!  We've talked to in excess of thirty people here including faculty, students, VCs, other investors and have at least a dozen interviews set up for when we're in China.  Many thanks also to the Legatum Centre and the MIT Public Service Centre for supporting us with travel grants.

* Energy
Just before heading off to China, I'll be spending the first week of January in Silicon Valley on an E&I trip visiting startups.  There are a group of us specifically interested in the energy sector and it's been really great meeting up with them and working together to put together an Energy Track for us while we are there.  We're visiting exciting companies such as LS9 and Amyris - I'm really looking forward to it as well as the chance to get to know some of my classmates better!

* Courses
The great thing about the core is that you only have one choice between Finance and Marketing.  The next three semesters you have free rein on what courses you choose to take.  Operations or Finance?  S-Lab or i-Teams?  How does the schedule fit together?  What's available in Fall?  Endless questions and worrying, not in the least because we have a bidding system here (you have 1000 points to bid on courses, there are several rounds including a waitlist and swap round).  It seems to be turning out so far - watch this space.

* Friends
In amongst all the busyness, there has been time to celebrate with classmates occasions such as  birthdays and Thanksgiving as well as just random get togethers, dinners, chilling out, dim sum, movies, Wii, playing in the snow and more.  The people here just make it so much more fun!

Privileged to make a difference

Sometimes I just have to take a step back and look in wonder at the opportunities that are presented to us here to make a real difference. 

On Monday I went to a talk by Dr. William R. Rodriguez, the Chief Medical Officer of the Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative on Challenges to the Global Delivery of HIV Care - just one of a number of really great speakers we've had recently.  There was an extremely frank and open discussion about the challenges they are currently facing with the conclusion that in fact most of their problems are around operations, information flow and diagnostics.  Many of them fell within the expertise present at MIT Sloan and there are definite opportunities to do for-credit projects within a course structure to help solve these very real problems.

Today, Charles Kane, the CFO from OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) came to speak about their business and mission.  After the presentation to a packed, standing-room only room, I asked him why, if they were so resource constrained, did they not allocate a little people-power to bringing more people onboard - for example no-cost teams of MIT Sloan students all keen to help out.  That, he said, was why he came to present here.

A couple of weeks ago the Development track of the MIT $100K business plan competition kicked off.  I was lucky to be sitting over drinks in the pub afterwards with the speaker, the winner from the previous year, Illac Diaz - a serial social entrepreneur who won business plan competition prizes for no less than four separate ideas last year and has gone and implemented them all in the past year.

It is a real privilege to be able to meet all these people and more to be reminded that it really does just take one person to make a very real difference, and that here at MIT Sloan, what I'm writing about is just the tip of the iceberg and there is an abundance of opportunities as well as the resources and support to make it happen.