When you select an MBA program, you are not just choosing your learning environment, but are also making a commitment to a community. Each Thursday, we offer a window into life “beyond the MBA classroom” at a top business school.
College football is big in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and University of Michigan Ross School of Business students appear to enjoy the season with real fervor. Tailgates precede nearly every game, and some tailgate parties are even sponsored by corporations and serve as mini recruiting events. At these sponsored tailgates, corporate representatives—who are usually Michigan alumni—network with Ross students. And generally, the more important the game, the more senior the executives representing the sponsor company! We should also mention “The Bus”—a literal school bus painted to look like a Michigan football helmet that is owned by about 50 Ross students and has been passed down from class to class each year since the early 2000s. Originally conceived as a way to centralize tailgating for the Ross community, “The Bus” is present at every home game as well as at least one away game each season, serving as home base for spirited tailgate parties. Even Dean Dolan has been known to visit tailgates at “The Bus.”
For in-depth descriptions of social and community activities at Ross and 13 other top MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
Read the full article: Beyond the MBA Classroom: Tailgating at Ross