Harvard Business School’s newest addition to its roster of clubs, the Leadership in Politics Club is preparing for an exciting inaugural year. Club Presidents Mark Cicirelli, Richard Linder, and John Travers (all OH) have been building on a swell of enthusiasm gathered in the past several months from classmates awaiting the club’s first official activities.
The Leadership in Politics Club was formed because its Co-Founders felt that there was a large gap separating the interest many MBAs have in politics, the large number of us who will dedicate a portion of our careers to politics and government, and the level of support currently available at HBS for this of career choice. Arguably the characteristics of individuals who seek to pursue leadership positions in large private sector organizations are not dissimilar to those who believe they have something to offer in public office. Further, business leadership has been increasingly seen as a great credential for a future in public service, from Vincente Fox and Silvio Berlusconi to the President George W. Bush, HBS ’75, former business leaders are making an impact in Washington. Not to mention those who do not run for elected office but are appointed to various positions within government, or assist with fundraising activities or campaign strategy. Co-President Mark Cicirelli said, “even if you don’t become directly involved in politics, politics will become involved in your business. So all around, I think this club will be helpful to just about everyone on campus.”
The club’s inaugural year objectives are to raise awareness that HBS graduates often pursue careers in politics and to educate members about the various paths to a political career, as well as the business and process of politics. Club Co-President John Travers said the club intends “to facilitate a network for politically interested members while remaining non-partisan and international in its scope. It will also be a creative learning forum for people not only interested in running for elected office, but also purely interested in the world of local and international politics.”
The co-presidents are currently busy working through student feedback, which places former presidential candidates Michael Dukakis and Al Gore, as well as the European Parliament President-elect Pat Cox, high on their target list for a speaker series. In addition, the club hopes to host a trip to Washington to visit one of HBS’s more famous alumni in the New Year.
