The following is an article about Section OB spending Last years spring break giving back on an outreach project.
While most first year sections chose to spend spring break in warmer climates enjoying tropical surroundings, lush vegetation, sandy beaches, and tropical drinks, section B chose to find more fulfilling venues to spend the week away from school. Prominent section B member Brian Boyd summed up the his section-mates’ sentiments over spring break:
“I felt like instead of merely reveling in spring break debauchery, I really wanted to give back something of myself.” Boyd spent the break along with fellow sectionmates Jefferson Pilot, Agnes Depesto, and Walter Mitty providing much needed capital inflows to several producers of Caribbean sugarcane distillate. The four friends were so moved by the experience that they ran into the surf and sang American Pie at 3:00 am the first night of the break.
Some members of the section B community became so involved in their outreach projects that they were not able to return to class until Tuesday. “I was so involved in participating with the schooling rituals of several varieties of Jamaican tropical fish that I neglected to reconfirm my return flight bookings,” remarked noted section B naturalist Lady Jane Grey. Grey, along with close friend and some-time roommate Peter North, spent the break observing the tidal flows of tropical currents and studying the epidermal effects of prolonged exposure of ultraviolet radiation.
Others chose to give financially to various concerns last week. Section B performing arts connoisseur William Tell made overtures to the traditional dancing of several Tampa, Florida natives who were members of the Mons Venus center for the performing arts by supporting their cause financially. “When I observed the talent displayed by the Mons denizens I felt unusually compelled to subsidize their culture…it was like supporting a PBS telethon with one dollar bills.” Bravo William, bravo.
Perhaps the most ambitious project considered by section B members was an intra-section challenge to swim from a Costa Rican resort to a nearby island and donate all the proceeds to charity. Langston Cannondale, the coordinator of the event described his motivations: “To stage an event such as this that has the potential to really influence peoples’ lives is special. The fact that we didn’t actually raise any funds pales in comparison to the statement of solidarity and compassion that we made. This is the kind of thing that I came to HBS for.”
Examples like these readily demonstrate the lengths to which section B members will go to make the world a better place. While spring break was a highly memorable experience, club B-ers are excited and enthusiastic to be back at HBS. There is an appreciable sentiment that the section really needs to finish the semester as strong as it started it.
Section B finance guru Rand McNally summed it up in these terms: “The NPV that individual section members incrementally contribute to the overall bottom line of section learning substantially influences the total intellectual cash flows of the learning cooperative.” Class participation has also experienced a dramatic uptic in the days following spring break.
Section B’s professors have lauded much praise on section B, stating that it is “by far the most agitated” section they have yet taught. With compliments like this, it is easy to see why Section B is so much better than sections L through P.
Originally printed 04/01/02
