Belonging in Business

Last week, I was honored to join the MBA14 cohort (pictured above) on their end-of-year celebration cruise. What a great group. You could tell they knew each other well after spending an intense year together. They laughed, they cried, and they talked about their future aspirations. After the planned activities were completed, everyone mingled, and I noticed a few of them standing off by themselves. I wondered if maybe they didn’t have the same connection as others. But a bit later, several of the other students came by, gave them a big hug, and engaged in conversations. It was clear that they were comfortable letting everyone just be themselves. Those who wanted to joke and have a good time could do that, and those who wanted to take in the beauty of the Ravenel Bridge at night could have a few minutes by themselves. It was great to watch.

This week is the start of orientation and meta-majors. The business meta-major is off to a great start, and it’s another opportunity to reinforce belonging in business … and belonging at the College. Parents and students all asked great questions; as usual, the business team welcomed them enthusiastically. We have a great team!

Also, this week, the Student Success team has started converting the Innovation Lab into a Life Design Lab, and before the end of the summer, every team member will have attended life design training. This means students won’t just know what classes they need to take or how to write a resume – those are important. They can learn to make choices that intentionally move them toward their goals. This will be genuinely transformational for many.

We can’t forget about our faculty & staff. I am thankful that we have an environment that works to ensure that we have the opportunity to be ourselves in the School of Business. We need opportunities to grow and surround ourselves with like-minded colleagues who encourage us to be the best version of ourselves. Together, we are better than any one of us as individuals. We will intentionally be creating more opportunities for quality engagement and growth.

Thank you for all you do to foster an environment where we can see each of us belonging in business.

YOU make a difference!

Ponder this with me …