With all of the change coming next year, we hope one thing will remain constant, and that’s the theme of discovery. For many, HBS represents the first step of a long journey to find and fulfill their life goals. Our vision for the year is to create a student body culture where everyone can be their full selves. This means celebrating what makes us unique and challenging ourselves to grow the SA to effectively respond to the ever evolving needs of the student body.
To begin we’ve identified six areas of focus:
– Support Curriculum Innovation: work with administration & students to smoothly implement curriculum changes.
– Create a Culture of Service: embed service as part of the HBS experience through dedicated service initiatives.
– Create a Culture of Inclusion: spearhead initiatives that improve the experience of international students, enhance section cohesion, and promote HBS unity.
– Enhance Social Offerings: identify and implement opportunities to be more diverse and appealing.
– Unleash Student Innovation: appoint a Chief Innovation Officer to champion students’ entrepreneurial needs and inspire more entrepreneurship.
– Align the Career Search: work with CPD to “make the networked job search the norm.”
Achieving these goals will require the dedication and support of many students. Most notably, the officers of the SA play a pivotal role in translating student needs into tangible changes on campus. Their blood, sweat and tears make all the difference, which is why we’re so confident that next year will be fantastic. The new SA Executive Team is an incredibly talented, passionate and motivated group, and we’re delighted that they decided to get involved. We hope you enjoy learning about them!
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.
Question and Answer
Kimberly Capp (COO – Events)
Why did you apply for your position?
The two things I love most at HBS are the amazing people and organizing social activities. Planning SA events lets me bring it all together and help the HBS community get to know each other better in a fun environment.
What’s one thing no one knows about you?
Don’t tell Dee Leopold but my real career vision is to be the voice of a Disney character. I’ve also moved 19 times and have attended 11 different schools.
If you weren’t at HBS, you would be…
…a sports agent. Winning!
What are you most excited about for EC year?
Picking my own classes and seats. Goodbye wormdeck, hello skydeck! I won’t say no to the end of 3 case Fridays either…
Christina Royce (COO – Products)
Why did you apply for your position?
I love the impact our products have by reaching nearly all HBS students, whether it is fleeces, business cards, Berlitz classes or binders. My goal is to build awareness of what we offer and the great deals we get for students.
What’s one thing no one knows about you?
One of my HBS interview questions was to sell something, and instead of picking a product which can actually be purchased, I picked cross-country skiing. I haven’t been pulled out yet, but I’ll be ready next time with the top 10 reasons to buy an HBS fleece.
If you weren’t at HBS, you would be…
… climbing wind turbines in Iowa. My last job was as a reliability engineer fixing wind turbines and I learned that, believe it or not, there are colder places than Boston to spend January – like on top of a 30 meter tall tower in South Dakota!
What are you most excited about for EC year?
I’m really looking forward to being part of our class taking an active role in defining the HBS experience, both inside and outside the classroom. We’ll have academic flexibility to choose elective courses intermingled with research projects while we also take on leadership roles across campus that can drive the changes we want to see.
Luke Langford (CFO)
Why did you apply for your position?
I was feeling a bit stagnant honestly. Here I am at HBS learning about how to be a leader, but I felt I had limited opportunities to put things into practice. The SA Executive team (and the CFO position in particular) seemed like it would be a good learning experience for me.
What’s one thing no one knows about you?
The first movie that ever made me cry was Honey I Shrunk the Kids. I was six years old and just couldn’t handle the noble sacrifice made by the valiant ant that comes back to save the (shrunken) kids from the scorpion that was attacking them. Thinking of it still gets to me…
If you weren’t at HBS, you would be…
Living in India, working for Innosight (and a client) to make pacemakers and stents affordable to the bottom of the pyramid through business model innovation.
What are you most excited about for EC year?
The classes, honestly. I’m totally bought in to the HBS case model and have loved the classroom experience so far. I expect it to be even better next year with classes I’ve been able to pick.
Anne Waters (CMO)
Why did you apply for your position?
I applied to be CMO in large part because I was inspired by Jon and Funa’s campaign and the great work done by this past year’s Exec team. I had been looking for a way to give back to the student body on a bigger scale after such a stellar RC year, and J&F’s message of making campus an even more exciting, inclusive and open place resonated with me. The CMO role felt like a great chance to help connect students to what’s going on, to exercise my non-Excel-based skills and to work with a fun, committed team of people.
What’s one thing no one knows about you?
I have a profound, longstanding and somewhat embarrassing obsession with Celine Dion. I’ve memorized most of her songs and I cried at her concert. She is the Michael Jordan of music.
If you weren’t at HBS, you would be…
Trying to fill Meredith Veira’s role on The Today Show… either that or pursuing a career in teaching. And definitely cooking and yoga-cizing a lot more.
What are you most excited about for EC year?
My section-mates will never be replaced but I’m pumped to meet all of the people outside of my section who I’ve not crossed paths with yet. I’m also psyched for more theme parties, to take better advantage of Boston, and to help Section B attain Flag Football domination. Woo!
Rachel Berkey (CDO)
Why did you apply for your position?
I think it’s crucial that the SA provides opportunities and events that are accessible to the entire community—and fundraising makes that possible.
What’s one thing no one knows about you?
I regularly wear a snuggie around my apartment.
If you weren’t at HBS, you would be…
cash-flow positive (maybe)
What are you most excited about for EC year?
The return of the Section D flag football team (and the hope of making the playoffs next season).
