January 17th, 2008

MBA OFFICE NEWS & EVENTS CAREER SERVICES SOM LIBRARY

Headings marked in MAROON represent previously posted information; those marked in BLUE represent new information.

The mission of the Simmons School of Management is to educate women for power and principled leadership. We are committed to the advancement of knowledge and practice in management through excellence in education and research. Our academic programs offer rigorous, applied, management education designed for women. We focus on leadership, and our programs integrate the strategic, functional, and behavioral aspects of management. SOM students gain the knowledge, analytical skills, and confidence that they need to manage successfully in dynamic and global environments. We are invested in our students’ success and support them as they launch, advance, and change their careers.

New Information This Week

Note from Mary D.
Quotes of the Week
Schedule Updates for Week of 1/19 - 1/26
Reminder: MBA Office Weather Hotline
Executive-in-Residence Signature Event
Last Chance To Contribute For Our Student
MBA STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

MBA Office Updates

Note From Mary D.

As the Patriots continue through the playoffs, the corollary to your MBA Program this week is about pressure. As the stakes get higher with papers and exams on the horizon, new material that you haven’t seen before and will need to master, it will be important that you do an internal check of how you deal with pressure and what mechanisms you use or will use to stay calm, and stay focused on what is important to you and that you need to do to be successful. Those mechanisms are different for everyone.

Remember that school is important, but also your family, your relationships, your job, and a host of other things are equally important. When you look at someone like Tom Brady, or any of the other Patriots, they have this uncanny ability to totally focus on the task at hand, stay calm and manage pressure. Part of it is confidence in their own ability, confidence in the people they work with, and making adjustments as they need along the way. For our new students who just started, the month of January is a whole lot of adjustments that you will continue to tweak every semester you are here. Even the students graduating this year make adjustments every semester and it reminds me of one of Indra’s favorite quotes in Foundations about that river that is always changing!!

Quotes of the Week

“The best players in any high-stakes field - business, entertainment, law, surgery, as well as sport - recognize that pressure occurs at the moments when meaningful accomplishment is possible. In fact, that is the reason why performers perform: for the opportunity to tackle challenges head on, to do something significant, to demonstrate what their hard work and talent can produce.” John Eliot

“Executives run organizations. In business, we need executives who have clarity, people who are in touch with themselves. Then, in leadership and management positions, they can be good role models and leaders. The people I know who have really moved their organizations are scrupulous role models. They are so clear about honesty, integrity, openness, mutual self-respect, dignity for the individual, and creativity, that they don't deviate from these principles at all in their behavior. And by doing that they generate the same kind of behavior in their organization. “  Michael Ray

Schedule Updates for Week of 1/19 – 1/26

Martin Luther King Day Monday January 21st, NO DAY CLASSES NIGHT CLASSES WILL RUN

Student Volunteer Meeting Wednesday January 23^rd, 5:15-6p.m. Caseroom 2

International Marketing Class Saturday January 26^th 9am-12pm Caseroom 2

QA Saturday January 26^th 1p.m.-4p.m. Caseroom 2

Reminder: MBA Office Weather Hotline

Please call 617-521-3810 for school closing due to inclement weather. The hotline will be updated at 6a.m. for day classes and at 3p.m. for evening sessions.


Executive-in-Residence Signature Event

The Simmons School of Management (SOM) is honored to announce its first ever joint Entrepreneur and Executive-in-Residence, Radha Basu, a widely recognized entrepreneur and a pioneer in the Indian software business. Radha is truly a role model for the new generation of women. She has twice climbed 18,300 feet to base camp at Mount Everest, challenged Indian traditions by forgoing an arranged marriage for engineering school, left a successful job at HP to lead a pre-IPO firm which she took through initial and secondary public offerings to become a global market leader, and founded an organization dedicated to creating livelihoods for the marginalized people of India. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most highly regarded women in technology and see why she has become an inspiration to women across the globe. Building Global Women Leaders with Powerful Impact

Date: January 28, 2008
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Pre-reception for all guests from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Place: 451 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA
RSVP Online Seating is Limited! RSVP by January 25

About Radha Basu

RADHA BASU is a widely recognized entrepreneur and a pioneer in the Indian software industry. She served 20 years at HP in various leadership roles including General Manager of the Electronic Business Software Organization, which she grew to a $1.5 billion business. Radha went on to serve as CEO of SupportSoft, a high growth technology company, which she led through successful initial and secondary public offerings to become a global market leader. She recently founded the Anudip Foundation, an organization dedicated to creating livelihoods for the marginalized people of India.

Last Chance To Contribute For Our Student And Alum Who Lost Everything In The South Boston Fire

Please give any final donations to Katharine, Alison, or the MBA office by next Friday, January 25.

MBA STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED… For the 2008 SOM LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Dialogue & Discovery

Please attend our informational session on Wednesday, January 23^rd at 5:15–6:00 pm in 2
in Mockler.
We will provide an overview of the conference and answer your questions. This informational session is
designed to help you decide if you would like to volunteer. Following the meeting, you will have the
opportunity to sign up. Volunteers are essential to our success.
In exchange for your contribution, you will be permitted to attend the Conference FREE.
(Conference fees are $580.00 for SOM students)

• Volunteers may attend Glenn Close closing keynote address.
• Volunteers will receive a complimentary conference bag.
• Volunteers have the opportunity to network with corporate sponsors and interact with nearly 3000 attendees from the nation’s major corporations.
• Volunteering for the Leadership Conference is an active, ‘hands-on’ way to show your support for the SOM.

Volunteering for the Conference requires the following minimum commitment:

• Attendance at the Wednesday, January 23rd meeting
• One additional pre-Conference instructional meeting and tour in April (2 options will be offered) at the Seaport World Trade Center
• Half-day (approximately six hours) of work at the Leadership Conference.
• Review of conference packet prepared for volunteers of session rooms, speakers and volunteer schedule.

SOM Leadership Conference Date: Saturday, May 3, 2008

We need and genuinely appreciate your support. Your time and effort directly supports the SOM.

All proceeds raised by the Leadership Conference fund SOM MBA scholarships.

Questions welcome:

Judy Benjamin

Associate Director

SOM Leadership Conference

judith.benjamin@simmons.edu

Ali Corvino
Volunteer Coordinator
SOM Leadership Conference
ahcorvino@comcast.net

For complete information on the 2008 SOM Leadership Conference, visit our website at http://www.simmons.edu/leadership.


Summer Registration Updates

Consulting will not be offered this summer but will be offered in Fall 08
Analytical Decision Making will not be offered this summer
Financial Statement Analysis will be offered this summer.

Applying for Financial Aid

January 1st was the first day to re-apply for financial aid for the

2008-09 year. Summer is the first term of the new year. Students must re-apply for aid each year to be eligible. To re-apply for aid, you must complete the 2008-09 FAFSA and submit the 2008-09 Supplemental Information Form for Graduate Students. Applications should be completed and submitted by February 1st. Please do not wait to file taxes before applying for financial aid.

The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Supplemental Information form can be downloaded from http://my.simmons.edu/services/sfs/apply/graduate.shtml.

Please contact your assigned financial aid officer with questions. Aid officers are assigned by the first letter of the student's last name.

A-E Mehrdad Kermani

F-L Sharon Lightfoot

M-R Leslie Czwakiel

S-Z Heather Patenaude


SOM Alumnae Association Board Seeking Day Program Student Candidates

Job Description Student Representative Position Last Updated: December 2007

Purpose: This position serves as a bridge between the alumnae association and the current class of students. Establishing a relationship between alumnae and students before graduation provides visibility into the network of professional women and is intended to encourage students to stay connected to the SOM and SOMAA after graduation. In addition, the student representative plays an important role in ensuring that the SOMAA Board is aware of the priorities and concerns of future constituents.

Role: This is a liaison position that ensures communication of SOMAA activities to the student community and shares student expectations, insights, and suggestions to the SOMAA Board. While student reps advise the Board on their outreach to students, it is important that the actual outreach is made directly by the Association members to students. This is a non-voting position.

Term of Office: January – January

Please view attached SOMAA Board Document for applications instructions.

Spring Teaching Assistantship Available in SOM Financial Literacy Project

Description:

Patricia Clarke, SOM Assistant Professor, is seeking an MBA student for the Spring semester to assist with her ongoing financial literacy service-learning project. Each semester, Mgmt 260: Principles of Finance students develop materials for a Personal Finance Information Workshop for English as a Second Language (ESL) adult learners. The ESL students are taking classes at the International Learning Center, which is located at the central YMCA on Huntington Avenue. Topics for the workshop include uses of both short- and long-term borrowing, such as credit cards and higher education, as well as short- and long-term savings, including retirement. The teaching assistantship will support this project; the primary responsibility is working with the ESL students. Assessment of student learning outcomes may also be included.

Commitment and Compensation:

Spring Semester: Approximately 25 hours over the course of the semester; some flexibility in days/times; $13.00 per hour

To Apply:

If interested in applying, please submit current resume and cover letter to Patricia Clarke, SOM Assistant Professor, Main College Building (MCB), E208, or patricia.clarke@simmons.edu.

In your cover letter, include responses to the following questions:

1. What interests you about this position?

2. What skills and experience would qualify you for this position?

3. Describe briefly, if applicable, your service learning, community service, and/or non-profit experience(s) and what you have learned from doing this work.

4. What do you hope to learn and/or gain from this assistantship?

For more information on the mission and funding for the Financial Literacy Project, please visit:

http://www.simmons.edu/som/news/archives/2005/12/patricia_clarke.shtml.


Email Forwarding for Simmons eLearning

As many of you may have already noticed, email forwarding to your Simmons email address from the Mail Tool in eLearning has not been automatically set up for you on the new Simmons eLearning platform. To set up email forwarding, please log in to eLearning and click on My Settings in the top right corner of your course listing page. Under My Settings, select the My Tool Options tab. Under Mail, below Mail forwarding, please check the box next to "Forward all mail messages to the e-mail address in my profile," and click "Save" at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions or difficulty, please contact eLearning Support at elearning@simmons.edu


Chair Solicitations

Dear Members of the SOM Class of 2008,

The SOM Office of Development and Alumnae Relations (ODAR) is seeking 2-3 dynamic, engaged students to serve as co-chairs for the Class of 2008 Gift, representing both the full and part-time programs. The class gift co-chairs work with ODAR to recruit class gift committee members, develop a selection of class gift opportunities, and lead fundraising efforts for the class gift to the SOM. Co-chairs are instrumental in forming the class gift committee, and setting the goal for the class's gift. The class gift is presented to Dean Merrill-Sands by the co-chairs and committee members at the Dean's reception on the eve of Graduation (August 7, 2008). The event is highlighted with photos in the fall/winter issue of the Simmons alumnae magazine.

Please nominate yourself or a classmate by February 22, 2008 to serve as a co-chair or committee member. Previous fundraising or sales experience is desirable, though not required. Include a resume and 3- 4 sentences describing your (or your nominee’s) interest and motivation in taking on this role.

We are proud that the SOM carries a strong tradition of generous class gifts. As a non-profit, the SOM relies on the generosity of its alumnae through annual support (and students through the Class Gift campaign) to offer the best program possible to you. We hope your class will take its place among successful recent MBA classes by leading the way with an ambitious and generous gift to the School.

SOM Class Gifts	Designation	Total Raised	Total Participation
Class of 2002	Business Plan Competition	$36,750	72%
Class of 2003	Case Writing	$30,700	77%
Class of 2004	Executive-in-the-Classroom	$44,000	88%
Class of 2005	MBA Electives	$50,985	72%
Class of 2006	Enhancing Career Services	$35,094	82%
Class of 2007	Entrepreneurship Certificate Scholarships	$27,738	87%

If you still have questions about the SOM Class Gift program, please come to the upcoming track meetings to hear more about the opportunity and to meet members of the ODAR office.

Nominations may be sent by email (somalum@simmons.edu) or may be passed into the MBA office.

Ski Trip Proposal for SOM Community

The MBA Program Office has been approached by a member of the SOM faculty about organizing a day-long ski trip for SOM students, staff, and faculty some time toward the middle of the Spring semester. Before deciding on a date for the event, we would like to ask all those who would be interested to email Paola Mateo at paola.mateo@simmons.edu by Friday, January 14th, and then we'll go from there. Please stay tuned!

News & Events

Cross-cultural Values, Style and Context?

Interested in understanding the similarities/differences in values and personal styles across the cultures represented by your classmates? Grab some lunch and join us for an informal discussion on this timely topic -January 18th at 12:30 in the CSO Suite - 409 Comm. Ave.

Exec In Residence Breakfast With MBA Students

On Tuesday, January 29, from 7: 30-9am, there will be a special breakfast with MBA students only with our 2008 Executive in Residence Radha Basu. Traditionally this breakfast is a very popular event with current students because it is an informal opportunity to talk with her about anything-ranging from follow-up questions from her keynote talk on Monday, January 28, asking her specific questions about her career or her perspectives on business, management and leadership. It tends to be an open agenda led by students. Darla will be following up for student volunteers that want to lead the discussion with Radha during breakfast.

Track Meetings

Day Students

Date: Wednesday January 30th

Time: 12pm to 1pm
Location: Caseroom 2

Evening Students

Date: Wednesday January 30th

Time: 5pm to 6pm
Location: Caseroom 2

The Center for Gender in Organizations Winter/ Spring 2008 Distinguished Scholar Speaker Series,

Hosted by Dr. Joyce K. Fletcher, Distinguished Scholar Simmons School of Management

This lecture series highlights new, cutting-edge research that is relevant to CGO’s work. Each lecture will link theory and practice by offering an opportunity to discuss practical implications of the findings and apply them to our own situation.

Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Time: 12 noon – 1:30pm

Place: 409 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA in Green Room

Speaker: YOU!

Topic: Hot Topics for Women in Leadership Today

The world is changing.  The world of work is changing.  Women and men are changing.  How are these issues affecting us and the change agenda we have for making our workplaces less gendered?  Today’s workshop will use a different format to help us identify the “hot topics” in our work lives today and discuss ways to address them.  Come to this session ready to suspend the rhetoric of the last 20 years ago and forge into new territory.  What do YOU see as the biggest issues?  Is it women working for women?  Getting men engaged in issues that used to be seen as “women’s issues” (e.g. work-life) but are now more widely accepted as universal?  Is it the issue of “extreme jobs” and leadership expectations?  Or?? CGO faculty as well as faculty from key area institutions will join in the discussion, bringing current research data and perspectives to enrich the dialogue. 

>>Please RSVP to cgo@simmons.edu by February 8, 2008 for “Hot Topics for Women in Leadership Today”

Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Time: 12 noon – 1:30PM

Place: 409 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA in Green Room

Speaker: Professor Boris Groysberg, Harvard Business School

Topic: Women and Portability: Why is women's star performance more portable than men's?

Professor Groysberg's research focuses on the challenges of managing professional service firms, especially how firms develop, hire, retain, and utilize star knowledge workers. In this presentation he will discuss the issue of portability and the surprising findings from a study of investment banking professionals that women are able to maintain their star rankings more reliably than men after changing employers.  It appears that there are a number of things that occur in the process of becoming stars that make female analysts portable in a way their male colleagues are not.  Professor Groysburg will discuss these factors and lead a discussion about the practical implications of his findings for women, men and the field of knowledge work. 

>>Please RSVP to cgo@simmons.edu by March 21, 2008 for “Women and Portability: Why is women's star performance more portable than men's?”

Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Time: 12 noon- 1:30pm

Place: 409 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA in Green Room

Speaker: Professor Robin Ely, Harvard Business School

Topic: Unmasking Masculinity

For years, CGO has been helping organizations relax gendered norms that are a barrier to equity and effectiveness. This presentation is a case study of offshore oil platforms where the company accomplished this on its own by focusing solely on effectiveness.  Offshore oil rigs may seem an unlikely place to relax the masculine gendering of work norms.  Yet, this is exactly the environment in which researcher Robin Ely and co-investigator Debra Meyerson found men proactively adopting traditionally non-masculine work behaviors such as acknowledging physical limitations, expressing vulnerability and attending to their own and others emotions.

>>Please RSVP to cgo@simmons.edu  by April 11, 2008 for “Unmasking Masculinity”

CAREER SERVICES UPDATES

INTERNSHIP 101 WORKSHOP

Tuesday, 1/22, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Mockler Building, Case Room 1

RSVP to Julie Barenholtz at julie.barenholtz@simmons.edu by Friday, 1/18

Note:  Bring a few copies of your resume.  Also, pizza will be served!

NETWORK PROFILE BOOK – DEADLINE FRIDAY 1/18

LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT NETWORKING PROFILE FORM

We strongly believe you should be networking and building relationships with your fellow students throughout your time at the SOM, we would like to provide you with each of your classmates' backgrounds and contact information. Please see attached networking form and industry/function suggestions for you to complete.

We believe what makes our community so strong is our powerful network of talented women. With that said, we look forward to helping you get to know more of your fellow students.

The Network Profile Book; available online through eLearning, will be published the last week in January. Please send your completed form to Julie Barenholtz at julie.barenholtz@simmons.edu.

Recent Job Postings – Visit Career Connect

~ Corporate Leadership Development Program - Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA

~ Senior Industry Marketing Manager - Akamai Technologies

~ Director of Marketing Communications - CareerEncore, LLC

~ Research Associate - Aberdeen

~ Senior Organizational Development (OD) Specialist– PTC

Recent Internship Postings – Visit Career Connect

~ Financial Book Keeping Intern – Photographic Resource Center, Boston University

~Website Support and Operations Intern – State Street Global Advisors

~ 2008 Summer Internship Programs in Global Health, Research and Global Health Delivery – Four Pillars (Partners in Health, Brigham and Women’s, Harvard Medical and School of Public Health)

As a reminder, please keep your Career Connect profile up to date. If you forgot your username and password, please contact julie.barenholtz@simmons.edu or 617-521-3857. Please do not re-register yourself as past information about you will be lost. Any questions about Career Connect? Please do not hesitate to contact Julie.

Outside Networking & Career Events

Outside networking and career events will be posted in detail on Career Connect in the Events and Conferences folder located in the Resource Library. Below serves as a brief reminder of upcoming events. You can register for Career Connect at: https://www.myinterfase.com/simmons/student/home.aspx

Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology

The Annual WEST Celebration will provide excellent opportunities for:

• Getting to know the WEST community, including the WEST Board
• Enjoying delicious food while having fun - being entertained and informed
• Finding out about our new outreach plan - the Ambassadors Program
• Seeing the Boston skyline from a great location along the Charles

Thursday, January 17, 2008 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: British Consulate, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge
For more info and to register:  www.westorg.org

Boston Women’s Network

Topic:  Effective Negotiation Skills: Women Don’t Ask.  

Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Registration at 5:30 pm - Networking 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sit down dinner and speaker - 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Location: Holiday Inn, 1200 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA

For more info and to register: www.bostonwomensnetwork.org

Leading Women of Southern New England

Brand of You

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

8:30 am - 11:45 am

Providence Chamber of Commerce

Location: 30 Exchange Terrace, Providence, RI 02903

Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus

2008 Annual Meeting presented with the Simmons Institute for Leadership and Change

"Connecting Simmons to the Community and the Community to Simmons"

Featuring discussions with Massachusetts Republic Party Chair Peter Torkildsen and Democratic Party Chair John Walsh.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Location: Simmons College Linda K. Paresky Conference Center, 300 The Fenway

Downtown Women’s Club - Teleclasses:

"What Does It Really Take to Get Promoted" by Leslie Scida, senior Women's Leadership Coach.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008,  12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

More info and to register: www.downtownwomensclub.com

Monster.com Boston Job Fair

Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Location: Radisson Hotel Boston, 200 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116

Details: http://www.nationalcareerfairs.com/monster/job_fairs/details/MA/Boston/January/23/2008/

TiE, The Global Network of Entrepreneurs

Boston VC Outlook Dinner

Panelists comprise general partners of top-tier venture firms who will provide their informed perspective on the current trends in VC investing and also give their individual outlook for investments in various industry verticals, in 2008. 

This is a sell-out event each year, with more than 230 attendees. Confirmed panelists are Ajay Agarwal, Bain Capital, Hemant Taneja from General Catalyst Partners and Managing General Partner of Highland Capital, Paul Maeder with Scott Kirsner, reporter, Boston Globe as moderator.

Thursday January 31, 2008

Location: Doubletree Suites in Waltham, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

For more info and to register: http://boston.tie.org/chapterHome/events/viewListEventPagePT

European Career Expo - MIT

February 1st - 4th, 2008

Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA

More info and to register: https://www.euro-career.com/

Downtown Women’s Club - Teleclasses:

"15 Second Pitch - So What Do You Do?" with Laura Allen

Thursday, February 7, 2008, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

More info and to register: www.downtownwomensclub.com

Idealist.org NonProfit Career