Summery Philly Sips

OK, I have to admit it… I really like Philadelphia! And I am very pleased with the location of both my place and my office in Center City. I know it might not the same for everyone, but for me, having an internship in a city is a big plus! When thinking about my personal experience in managing social life as an intern, it is something that surely makes a difference.

The first one in a bunch of events that I have enjoyed, just walking distance from my current area, was the Ross Alumni Reunion. It was refreshing to get together with fellow Rossers and talk about our summer experience so far. It was also good to receive advice from recent (and not so recent) graduates in Philly as well. Afterwards, I discovered that a group of people from my office organized outings every other week to a happy hour, taking advantage of http://centercityphila.org/life/SipsPartic.php. I joined, sharing the mission of the gathering, since I’m also into socializing and strengthening ties with co-workers in different functions and divisions of the company.

And there is also the World Cup! I was very surprised to see that some of the matches were watched in the office or in nearby sport bars and pubs. I didn’t expect to find such a strong enthusiasm with soccer, and yet I found a huge T.V. on a completely blocked street. The fans were outside, watching the game and making noise. It felt a little bit like home. Continuing with the sporting events but not in my neighborhood, I went to see a baseball game. The Phillies made a nice and eventful game that night, with just the perfect summer weather!

The city has great food offering and I’ve been able to go to nice restaurants. I have also gone to the Historic places and the Old City, which was very interesting. I used the Memorial Day long weekend to visit a friend in Boston and I hope to be in NYC for the Independence weekend. And yes, I know that it all happened here, but I miss some of the people I’ll be seeing in New York! I have yet to go to some of the museums Philly has to offer… I’m looking forward to it!!

A peek into the real-world

It’s bitter-sweet seeing the second year MBAs graduating and leaving in order to re-enter the real world. It is hard to believe that a year from now, we will be in the same position. I am a Colombian first year MBA student (or at least I was until yesterday), coming straight from my home country to the US in order to begin my studies. I have an Industrial Engineering degree and a background of over 7 years in Operations, involved in Customer Service and Supply Planning roles. I have loved the experience of becoming a student again and Ross has proved to be all that I’ve expected and more.

One of my objectives was to get a taste of corporate America, so I was excited to accept the position as MBA Business Planner Intern for the FMC BioPolymer business at FMC Corporation. During my past experience, one of the things I enjoyed the most was the interaction with people from different parts of the world, both customers and affiliates. I have really liked my time in the chemical industry and now I am looking forward for challenging opportunities at a global leader in the market. I am also thrilled to have an opportunity in a more General Manager role, outside of my Operations comfort zone.

At Philly, the city in which I will be for the summer, I will be far from the safety of the classrooms and the place that has become my new home. Ann Arbor has now a familiar feel that I am afraid to lose once I start my internship. I hope to keep in touch with fellow classmates but it will be harder to see the friends that are so close now, once they disperse all over the world. On the other hand, I am eager to meet new people as well. At FMC I sense the same environment that first drew me to Ross: Smart, friendly and collaborative people. The kind of people that will help me challenged and energized so I can strive to contribute in this temporary peek into the real-world.