Author: Beth

Another question we often get in Admissions is around housing and what’s the best place to live. As with many other questions, the answer is: It depends!

The great thing about Stern’s location is that you can get here from almost any subway, even if you live uptown, downtown, in Brooklyn or New Jersey. Students who already live in NYC tend to remain in their current apartments as NYU is easily accessible from anywhere. If you are moving from another city or country, there are many options.

One great option is to live in the Palladium, which is student housing. The Palladium offers fully furnished studios with your own bathroom. There is also a gym on site and the location, Union Square, is great – about a 10 minute walk to campus. More information on the Palladium can be found here http://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/full-time-mba/students/housing

There are many cute neighborhoods within walking distance of Stern – East and West Village, Chelsea, Lower East Side, Soho, Noho, Flatiron, Union Square and Tribeca, to name a few. You can’t go wrong with any of these areas as they are all close to Stern and have plenty of restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, coffee shops, bars, etc. You can get anything from a quaint studio in a walk-up apartment building to a luxury managed apartment with a doorman and elevator. It depends what kind of amenities you’re looking for.

Many Sternies in the incoming class often choose to live together to make friends and save money. Sometime in the spring before school, someone will start a Google doc on the Facebook group and everyone can post and browse for potential roommates. I can think of at least 10 different groups who found their roommates this way including myself! I lived with two Sternies my first year and it was great! It was nice to automatically have friends in my class.  We ended up using a broker and finding a great 3-bedroom apartment in the Village, a mere 5-minute walk from school! No doorman or elevator but you can’t beat the location and the “commute”!

To simplify the NY real estate game, one of our very own Sternies recently launched Zenly, a start-up aimed at making the NY apartment hunt painless (www.zenly.com started by Isaac Palka, class of 2014). The site lists real apartments with video walkthroughs and no broker’s fee.

But no matter where you end up living and who you’re living with, you can’t go wrong as every neighborhood has something to offer and Stern is very accessible from anywhere!

Now that Graduation is behind me and before I start my full-time job, I’ve had some time to reflect on the past two years and what I enjoyed most about my Stern experience.

I realized that it is the close friendships that I have formed with my fellow classmates over the past two years. It is truly amazing to realize that you can become such good friends with people that you didn’t know a few months or a year ago in such a short amount of time. It’s also refreshing to know that at this stage in life you can still meet new people and have new experiences that will change your life and continue to make life-long friends.

My favorite parts of Stern aren’t the stimulating classes, the exciting guest speakers, the heated case discussions, the respected and accessible professors or the breadth of electives (while those are all great). My favorite moments are potluck picnics in the park with my Block (yeah block 4!), traveling to Japan with 60 Sternies and singing karaoke all night, losing my voice at Beer Blast on Thursday nights, celebrating birthdays almost every single night of the year, attending a wedding in the DR with 20 Sternies, throwing a surprise baby shower for a classmate, and many many boat cruises around Manhattan.

While Stern is incredibly diverse, we also all have something in common. Everyone I met wants to be here at Stern and is very open to making new friends. Even people who already lived in NY and had tons of friends here warned those friends they wouldn’t be seeing much of them for two years. I’ve loved the collaborative community and I love that it doesn’t end when school ends. For instance, classmates who are launching new businesses are receiving tons of support from fellow Sternies on Kickstarter. I just traveled to Croatia for a week with two Sternies and we met up with at least three others at various points because they also happened to be there at the same time. One Block just traveled to the Jersey Shore and made t-shirts for the occasion. School’s out and yet we’re all behaving as if nothing changed and that we’ll be back for another semester.

In a few months or years, I won’t remember how many A’s (or B’s) I got, I may soon forget how to account for depreciation and amortization, and I hope I never have to do another case interview, but I’ll never forget all of the friendships I made and that made it all worth it.

 

This is my first post as an alumna (gasp!) of NYU Stern! I am in major denial right now and I am hanging onto Stern as I continue to serve as a Graduate Ambassador throughout the summer before I start my full-time job in September. I couldn’t bear to leave just yet!

The week leading up to Graduation, Senior Week as we call it, was packed with fun events organized by our great student leaders in SGov (Stern Student Government). We celebrated for a week from Newport, RI to The Frying Pan to the Beach @ the Dream hotel here in NYC. Stern keeps it classy.

Graduation itself was bittersweet. It was really emotional seeing hundreds of students clad in purple robes gather at the esteemed Radio City Music Hall a few Thursdays ago for the ceremony. It was my first time there and it’s a beautiful venue. We all sat with our Blocks, which reminded me of those first days of LAUNCH when we are all just getting to know each other and forming friendships. I know it’s definitely not the last occasion where I will spend time with my block as they are truly friends for life.

We had a few keynote speakers including our classmate David Kuperstein, popular professor Charlie Murphy, and CEO of Mastercard Ajay Banga. Mr. Banga emphasized “doing well while doing good” and reminded us of the symbolic Stern “Torch” that we must carry on. Murphy joked that it was always “better to be rich than poor” and I will miss how he regaled our investment banking class with endless stories from his years in the industry. We capped off graduation later that night with a great party for our entire class

While many of my close friends remain in NYC, some are moving far away to places like Seattle, San Francisco or Colombia. Some have already left NYC for good and last week was filled with goodbye parties.

Fortunately, we MBA 3’s (as alumnae are now called) have started a “Sternies Summer Camp” group for those of us who will remain in NYC and haven’t started working yet so we can continue hanging out with fellow Sternies who are also in denial about graduation.

Preview Weekend, or Admitted Students Weekend, is one of my favorite parts of the Stern education. This past weekend marked my third (and probably last) Preview Weekend. I fondly remember my own Preview two years ago, when I first met my classmates and started forming lifelong bonds that continue to this day. I was super excited for the weekend but also a little nervous since I didn’t know anybody else who was going to Stern. But given the welcoming, collaborative community that I had experienced up until that point, I was confident that everyone would be down-to-earth, friendly, and as enthusiastic about Stern as I was. And of course, I was right!

As a Graduate Ambassador, I had the privilege of experiencing Preview from the other side this year. I spent the week gearing up for the event by signing up to participate in events over the weekend, dusting off my TORCH committee shirt, wrapping bars of chocolate from Madecasse (a Stern start-up), and congratulating recent admits on their acceptance and encouraging them to come to this weekend.

Saturday arrived and over 250 admits descended on Stern’s campus to kick off an unforgettable weekend and first step on their Stern journey. In the morning, they heard from inspirational student speakers, such as Jennifer Wynn, and military veteran Mike Petit. I was fortunate enough to escort a group of about 25 students on a small-group lunch to Nicoletta. This was really the first chance that students had to start to get to know each other in an informal setting, and we bonded over delicious meatballs, arancini, and pizza margherita. While I was there to answer questions, it was great to see the five girls at my table forming connections, exchanging phone numbers, and Facebook-friending each other already. Our table was very diverse, with an MBA/MPA and JD/MBA, as well as a French woman, but everyone was friendly and excited about Stern. I even made a great connection myself as one of the girls is involved with the same volunteer non-profit that I work with (Girls on the Run). What a small world!

The afternoon continued with “Explore your Path” – an opportunity for admits to speak with currents about potential career paths, experiential learning, global opportunities, and clubs. They capped off the evening with a fabulous reception at the swanky Dream Hotel where they could mingle and get to know their future classmates better.

I wish I could be in their shoes and experience Preview as a new admit all over again. I really enjoyed meeting future Sternies and I know that they had a great experience connecting with each other before school begins. I’m just sad that I won’t be here next Fall when they arrive on campus to continue their journey during LAUNCH.

In my last semester at Stern, I want to make sure I take advantage of every possible opportunity to learn as much before I graduate. While I already have a job lined up post-graduation, I am definitely not slacking off – although when I am giving tours at 10 am on Fridays I sometimes wish I were less committed 🙂

I want to become involved with programs that I am interested in, that will allow me to give back to the community, and that will help me develop key skills. Two of my passions are running and women’s health/nutrition. Outside of Stern, I have been volunteering as an Assistant Coach with an amazing program called Girls on the Run (http://gotrnyc.org/). This season I will step up to Head Coach at a new school in Chelsea. Here at Stern, I am VP of Events for the new Stern Health and Fitness Club. I find and plan running events, such as races and half marathon training sessions. I plan to go into consulting after graduation and was looking at various project opportunities with the Luxury Retail Club and Entrepreneurs Exchange Club (EEX) Consulting Corps programs (https://nyustern.campusgroups.com/larc/consulting-corps/ and https://nyustern.campusgroups.com/eex/prospective-student-info/).

My worlds collided recently when I was selected as Project Lead for an EEX Project for the company VROU (http://vrouwomen.com/). Not only is VROU a health brand for women, but it is also a partner with Girls on the Run! I am very excited to be working with VROU founder, Kathryn Moos, and my team here at Stern to develop a complete marketing plan and social media strategy. VROU offers a zero-calorie healthy water for women with tons of multivitamins and nutrients. I wanted to work with VROU because our values and goals are aligned. VROU is committed to positively impacting the lives of young girls – hence the partnership with Girls on the Run. There are many ways to become involved with Girls on the Run: as a head or assistant coach, internships, running buddy for the 5K, or one-off volunteer opportunities at various events. My involvement in the program over the last few years has been incredibly rewarding. It’s amazing to see young girls ages 8-11 embrace the lessons, become more confident, and successfully run 3 miles!

I’m looking forward to strengthening the relationship between VROU and Girls on the Run this semester and helping both organizations be successful!

 *Please note: The opinions expressed here are solely my opinions and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Girls on the Run® International.

I just returned from a month Down Under and was not prepared for the multiple polar vortexes that met me in NYC upon my return. The saving grace is that I am incredibly excited for my classes and professors this semester. In fact, I think I am over-registered for classes but that is a topic for another time.

One of the best things about grad school, and Stern in particular, is the ample amount of vacation time. I’m serious. And I mean this in a business sense. A lot of learning here at Stern takes place beyond the semester and beyond the walls of the classroom. Stern offers many travel programs (such as DBi classes, Commerce & Cannes, Operations in Panama, Operations in Vegas, etc.) to enrich the overall learning experience. Before arriving at Stern, I was convinced I would do multiple DBI’s, one every semester, and travel the globe. I’m in my last semester and while I haven’t managed to take any DBi’s yet, I have been able to take advantage of the vacation time to travel with Sternies, explore new cultures, deepen friendships and form new ones, and visit amazing places.

This past January, I spent a month traveling throughout Australia, Indonesia, and New Zealand, with a varied group of Sternies. Traveling with Sternies is great because everyone is so open and friendly and willing to travel together even if you aren’t best friends before the trip. Did I mention it was summer there and an average of 80+ degrees? The first stop was Sydney, where I learned how to surf in Bondi Beach and drank some of the best coffee ever (flat white). In the Whitsundays, I snorkeled the great barrier reef while a friend got scuba certified. I crashed the DBi in Melbourne, where we took a tour of the Great Ocean Road and spotted koalas, visited their version of Williamsburg (Fitzroy), sampled kangaroo steak (delicious!) and watched Venus Williams at the Australian Open (for class credit for the DBI’ers). In Indonesia, I wandered around terraced rice paddies, fed monkeys in the wild, ate delicious and cheap food, and explored the temples from “Eat, Pray, Love”. New Zealand has the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. We went wine tasting, hiked a volcano, drove through rolling hills (think “The Hobbit”), hung out with sheep, visited gorgeous public beaches, saw dolphins, and drank more delicious coffee. I’m thankful that Stern gives us over a month off of school in order to take the time to pursue things we really love and that will enhance our lives – whether it’s spending time with family, traveling with friends, studying about business in a foreign country or a combination of all three. Alas, vacation is now over but the learning continues in the classroom!

Hello! My name is Beth Lovisa and I’m an MBA 2 (second-year) here at Stern. I am excited to start blogging and sharing my experiences with you. The second year is flying by as the first semester is almost over! This post comes to you from Florida where I am on vacation for Thanksgiving Break. When I return to campus, there are about 2 weeks left of classes before Winter Break. Although I am fortunate enough to have a job lined up post-graduation, I have been incredibly busy this past semester. Not only am I a Graduate Ambassador in Admissions, I also serve on the board of the Management Consulting Association (MCA), I am a Career Coach to MBA 1’s, I am the chair of the Torch Committee Lunch program, I help plan events for the newly-formed Health & Fitness Club, and I still managed to find time to train for the NYC Marathon this past month.
I love being a Career Coach and being able to “pay it forward” like the MBA 2’s helped me last year when I was recruiting for a consulting position. Through this role, I’ve gotten to know some of the MBA 1’s very well. I enjoy helping them with everything from resume reviews to interviewing and casing techniques to cover letters and networking. Consulting is a very popular career path at Stern and I am very involved with the MCA. It is so rewarding to hear about the positive impact I’ve had on the MBA 1’s recruiting process and I know they will be very successful in securing internships.
Another recent fun event for the entire school was Charity Ball. This black tie party is our annual fundraiser. This year it took place at a swanky club in the Lower East Side, Finale, and proceeds were donated to the Lower East Side Girls Club, which is a great cause. The event is for MBA 1’s, 2’s, and Langone so it is a chance for the whole school to come together for a fun night including hors d’oeuvres, drinking, dancing, and a silent auction. Everyone was dressed to the nines in tuxedoes and fancy cocktail dresses.
Stay tuned for more posts in December chronicling the exciting life of an MBA 2 at Stern!