the Gamers Bay

Hey pals,

first week at Ubisoft San Francisco went great. I found a great apartment in the new district of SOMA, with an unbelievable view of the ocean. I am two minutes away from the Ferry Market Building, and I enjoy spending saturday mornings at the market.
It takes me about ten minutes to walk from my apartment to the Ubisoft HQ. Weather has been nice, not much rain, not too warm. The vibe in this area of town is amazing, you can feel the excitement and the winds of change in the air. Everybody around here seems to be working in Hi tech or design, and it feels very entrepreneurial.
My dress code is extremely formal: t-shirt and jeans.I am working in the Operations department, and at the moment my project is being supervised by the VP of digital marketing. I will have several small projects throughout the twelve weeks, and my first one is almost over. I have been researching the competitive landscape of a specific genre of games and providing ideas and suggestions to implement in game. I am using many of the tools and lessons I learned at Ross, but there are no numbers and data and therefore the process is very qualitative.. and I love it.
I cant spare much info since everything happening in the industry is super secret, but I will give you more information soon.
Thanks!
Nicola

Chicago, week one

Hi all,

Last week I started my internship at Sears Holdings which is located at Hoffman Estates, a suburb north west of Chicago. I must say that most of the time I am embittered why Sears is not located anymore at Sears Tower in Chicago. I can't imagine a nicer place to work than the tallest building in America, however that's life and in 1992 the company moved to the suburbs due to amazing tax break they received from Illinois. Therefore right now I live in Extended Stay America in Schaumburg which is next to Hoffman Estates, and I am waiting that my downtown apartment will be ready in two weeks. Hence I don't have any Chicago's experiences to share other than realization that the suburbs of Chicago is a never ending "Desperate Housewives" neighborhood. At least my morning commute is short...

During the first three days of the internship we had a really nice orientation. We learned about the company and learned about each other which is what I enjoyed the most. The power of the Senior Leadership Program is the communication among its participates and the mutual help. In order to achieve it we must be friends with each other and the program director tried really hard to make it happen, and very successfully I should say. I became to know fellow MBAs from all the top 10 programs and I must say that after hearing about their experiences in school, both academically and socially, I became a much bigger advocate of Ross. The combination of the experiences we are getting in Ann Arbor and how much we are enjoying it all is unparalleled to any other top program. In the end of the day we are all working together, getting the same compensation, therefore I can't find any reason not to attend Ross. I'm sure next year I'll be a much better Student Ambassador...

As for the internship, well, it just started this week and after the great time we had in the orientation I worked only one day at my department so I will be much more knowledgable to speak about what I really do in my next post of the blog...

Have a successful Memorial Day shopping,

Yoav.

Marie Claire: Week One

Last Monday at 8:45 AM, I hurry down 57th street and right as I hit 8th Ave, I look up and see the most unique building right on the corner. And it's my office building, Hearst Tower. Work begins....Now!

Where do I even start? Well, the first thing that comes to mind about my internship at Marie Claire is that I dont think I've ever done this much walking in a day. I walk into the fashion closet at 9 AM, and I get out at 9 PM. And anytime between then, there's a good chance I'm running around the streets of Manhattan, picking up couture dresses from PR Consulting or dropping off Manolo Blahniks back to the Manolo Blahnik in-house corporate offices. The first week has been ridiculously overwhelming. I can and will say that the fashion industry is definitely nowhere close to easy and glamorous for a starting intern.

However, one thing for sure is that I am learning. A lot. So far, there has not yet been a day where I haven't learned something new. One of the main things I've learned is that everything in the closet has a picture filed in inventory. And anything that leaves the closet must be documented. A daily task that I am responsible for is to check in packages that come in by request from our editors, and for returns that are made back to the in-houses and fashion PR firms.

Within only a week, I have realized just how crucial it is to pay attention to detail. Little details make a huge difference, and it really can't be emphasized enough to be organized and detailed at everything you do. My first week was quite an experience (I cried after my second day), and it has undoubtedly gotten better each and every day. My internship is definitely an adjustment to my otherwise regular (and quite boring) lifestyle, but it's a positive one because it is incredibly eye-opening.

Marie Claire is expecting a total of 36 fashion interns throughout the summer, and already, old interns have left last Friday and a rush of new interns are expected tomorrow morning. I look forward to meeting all of the new interns and to learning things that have yet to be taught.

Until next time!

Lisa

Frist Two Weeks

Hi All,

My first day in the office was May 9th, which will be two weeks ago tomorrow. I spent a lot of time trying to mentally prepare, and day one actually went a lot more smoothly than I expected. Things got off to a bit of a slow start, with the majority of the morning spent making introductions, setting me up with an email/phone/desk, and getting to know the ins and outs of the office. I had expected to still be a little nervous but I got accustomed to my surroundings pretty quickly and was ready to get to work on my first project that afternoon.

Wealth Management is a business where the relationship is key, so it's important to have up to date information on all clients and prospects. My first task was to go through the prospects in Outlook and verify that we have their correct contact information on file. It took a few phone calls but I was able to track down just about everyone whose information was incomplete and make sure we are up to date. A few days later I was given a similar task (in that it required a few hundred phone calls) to get in touch with wholesalers (of mutual funds, annuities, fixed income funds, etc) to request that they send over some "golf swag" for a charity outing my boss is helping to organize.

As I expected, there's going to be a good amount of grunt work required of me throughout this internship, but I'm happy to do that because I'll also have the opportunity to take on some more interesting projects and get some perspective on the industry. For instance, I was given one task to research another financial advisor in the area to come up with a client list and estimate his assets under management. In addition to that I've been trusted to assist one of the investment strategy associates with some portfolio analysis that will (hopefully) help persuade some clients to trust more of their assets to UBS. I haven't gotten started on that, but I'm looking forward to it when I get around to it. On top of that, I'm sitting in on a lot of the internal meetings as well as meetings between FAs and wholesalers or representatives who come in from hedge funds, essentially offering the same service. These meetings have really been a highlight of the experience so far. I'm still new to the game so some of it goes over my head, but it's exciting for me to be in a place where everyone shares the same passion for this stuff as I do.

In all, I'd say these first two weeks have been sort of like an orientation for me. I haven't had a chance to work on anything major just yet, but I've been able to deepen my understanding of their business and the economy/markets it relies on. As this isn't a formal or structured internship, they didn't have too much for me to do when I stepped in the door on day one. But the team sat down toward the end of last week (while I was out) to brainstorm ideas and come up with projects for me to work on. So we'll see what tomorrow has in store for me.

Bay to Breakers (ie. B2B): my welcome to San Francisco

What a best way to land in San Francisco but to attend The Zazzle Bay to Breakers. This has been a tradition for nearly 100 years; a 12k footrace held every third Sunday in May with serious runners and costumed participants. San Francisco at Full. The race, that Begun on January 1, 1912 with just over one hundred local runners, now attracts tens of thousands of runners and walkers from all over the U.S. and the world.

Bay to breakers was one of those events aimed at helping rebuild the city after the 1906 earthquake. While It was intended as a precursor to the athletic events planned for the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition, it is now a pure expression of what san Francisco is, its culture, it people, its vibe…

At approximately 7 in the morning San Francisco streets are filled out with an amazing crowd dressed (or undressed) with a wide array of costumes and group themes. Imagine anything and you’ll find it. Cowboys, drag queens, soccer players, packmans, twisters, and unnecessary nudity. But most people are not running they’re walking, and drinking. So the streets are full of joy, craziness and love. What else can you ask for?

My friends and I were a thanksgiving dinner: a turkey, pilgrims, and Indians walking on the streets until we found a spot in a park where we could watch and meet semi naked Greek warriors, a group of people wearing t-shirts with Charlie sheen quotes, Teletubbies, a guy offering free breast exams, a naked married couple, a couple laying and getting very touchy and several police officers trying to evacuate the crowd. At one point you could not know if the policemen were part of the race.

Bottom line, the best cultural immersion to what the city of San Francisco offers…… (more info on: http://zazzlebaytobreakers.com/)

First and last days of vacation

Hi

My name is Yoav, right now I am in the transsion from being a first year MBA to become a second year MBA at Ross. Meanwhile in two weeks from now I will be a Senior Leadership Program Intern at Sears Holdings Corpporation, or as I will refer to it from now- SLP at SHC.

I am very excited about the internship, which is a general managment rotetional program at the headquaters of SHC that are located in the suburbs of Chicago. I find this program to be a good fit with someone like me who haven't decided what he wants to do in his life. In the program I'll be able to rotate among different Bussines Units of SHC (there are approximatly 34) and the different functions which may be anything - from Business Development to Finance, from Marketing to Operations. I hope that by the end of the summer I'll be able to better focus myself towards the future. Of course that if I land a job offer that I would like to recieve,I will mainly focus during my second MBA year on the night life that a great student town like Ann Arbor has to offer...

Wish me luck,

Yoav.

Go to Beijing! Exploring old and new!

Hi Everyone,

My name is Wendy, a will-be second year MBA student from Taiwan. This summer I will be interning in John Deere Beijing as a project manager. As far as I know, this job is based in Beijing but there will be also local travels requirements project by project. I will be visiting different parts of China and interviewing not only the dealers but also our end customers, the local farmers! The objective of this position is to collect the voice of customers and analyze the data gathered. Hopefully the analysis can help John Deere, a foreign company become more localized to provide the products meeting local needs.
I am so excited about working in China, especially in Beijing: the city of old and new! I would like to visit the hutongs to experience folk's everyday life and the "Bird's nest" that shows the most fashionable architecture. However, I also concerned about how to have myself adjusted into the Chinese working environment. The terms used at work, the joke we laugh at and the chat contents may all differ from I was used to when working in Taiwan though we speak the same language and share the same culture.
Anyway, this summer would definately be a colorful and adventurous journey!

Wandering Through A Concrete Jungle

...the summer will be filled with long hours, sleepless nights, the occasional night club, and reading subway maps. My name is Alex and I will be moving to the grid of New York City in 23 days. While I am not in my three person dorm room not much bigger than my own current room, I will either be busy with my newly found summer internship at Bank of America - Merrill Lynch or wandering around being sure to avoid dark alleys and homeless men with long beards on the streets.

So a little more about me...I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA into a family of six. I made my way through school in Atlanta with no problems, but my real passion laid in the game of golf. After receiving a scholarship to the University of Michigan (and following the girl of my dreams - although I don't like to admit it), I ended up in the Ross School of Business. Sounds great right? What most people do not know about me is that my interests lie outside of business. I am passionate about making things, creating things, and using my hands. As of now, I plan on going to graduate school with the hope of receiving a masters degree in architecture (I know I picked a great time, the summer after my junior year, to figure out what I'm interested in). No problem though. I know now that college isn't about what you major in or how much you learn, but more about growing and maturing as a person. Every day I feel as though I learn something new about myself, that's what makes college great!

To be honest, I have my doubts about my job this summer; however, I intend to make the best of it. Besides, it gives me a solid argument to convince my mom to pay for me to live in the city (it's not expensive or anything...!). But thanks for listening to my story about my somewhat average life, but then again, what in the world is the definition of average these days??

See you guys in the concrete jungle!!

-alex

New York, New York!!!

Hi,
I am Shila Arias, first year MBA from Peru. I am going to be in NY for the summer working in Citibank in the Consumer Banking Program. This is a 12 weeks program developed for MBAs interested in Consumer Banking, thus they have projects in different divisions such as Retail Bank, Citi Cards, Commercial Banking, Consumer Marketing and Internet Office and Small Business.

We are a group of 15 interns and the program is divided in two parts: an individual project and a group project. I will spend the first 8 weeks working in my project, which I don’t know yet as Citi has just sent the list of projects to be ranked and we are going to be assigned to one of our top choices. I hope I got the one I want!!! Then, we will be assigned to groups of 4 or 5 to work the remaining 4 weeks on different projects, makes me remember MAP!!!

I have been born and raised in Peru, so this is the first time I will work outside my country. I am really excited about this experience as I know I will learn tons of things about consumer banking. Obviously, I am also excited to be in NY for the summer, I think that I will have a lot of things to do, see and shop :)

Summer Internship in New York

Hi All,

My name is Matteo Dominianni, I am an MBA student at the Ross School of Business and I just finished my first year. I am going to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. this summer, I will be joining their M&A group as part of their Investment Banking Summer Associate Program.

My background is Corporate Finance. After graduating in Telecommunications Engineering, I worked for two major telecoms operator, both in Italy and The Netherlands, first in M&A and then in Financial Planning, Reporting and Analysis. I am very excited about my summer internship as in my previous work experience I saw an M&A transaction from the corporate side, and now I will see it from the banking side. I will leverage all the skills learned in my previous financial jobs combined with the ones learned at Ross in order to bring valuable contributions to the team.

Now that all the first year exams are done and MAP is over, my only concern is finding a place in New York City that is close to the office. All the people I talked to told me it's extremely important to find a place to stay that makes commuting easy. I know it's hard to find a nice place to stay, but all my Ross classmates are very helpful and I am sure I will find something nice soon.

Talk soon,

Matteo

Prior to the internship

Hello everyone! I am a BBA junior who will be interning at Deloitte & Touche, LLP in New York. A department that I will be working at Deloitte is assurance (audit). I honestly have not figured out what exactly my project is going to be other than a team I will be working with is focusing on financial industry clients. For some reason, I cannot access to my personal account in Deloitte website which contains details of my internship at this point but I will figure it out and update you on that soon.

Through my internship, I am expecting to get further practical knowledge in accounting field. Since it is critical time of my life in terms of choosing a business sector or a function that I want to work after graduation, I would also like to see my fit for the job as an audit. There are things that I am excited or nervous about the internship. I am thrilled to meet with various professional networks of people and work with them but at the same time, I am afraid making any mistakes or having too many questions and have lack of self-confidence when performing tasks. Thank you so much for reading my post and I am looking forward to sharing my experience with you.

First Post

Hi all, my name is Michael and I just finished my sophomore year as a BBA at Ross. I'll be interning at UBS Peninsula Wealth Management Group in Birmingham, Michigan. It's a short 5 minute drive from my home in nearby Beverly Hills, so not a bad commute at all.

As an intern I'll have a fair amount of responsibility from grunt work (to be expected) to client specific projects, marketing work, and anything in between. It's not a formally structured program so I can't say with certainty what I'll be doing all summer, but I think the flexibility of having no "real" structure may end up being a good thing. I expect the internship to be demanding in terms of the quality of work expected from me, and that's something that will help motivate me to do a good job no matter how large or small the task.

I'm a little nervous about making a good first impression, but I'm hoping to start off strong. I've spoken with my boss a few times over the course of the semester and he seems to be genuinely interested in intern development, so I look forward to working for him. Additionally, I've reached out to past interns to get a sense of how to best prepare and they've had great things to say about the experience.

MBA & Videogames

Hi, my name is Nicola. I am a rising second year MBA from Italy. Videogames have always been one of my greatest passions. I've been an hardcore player since I was able to handle my NES joypad. When I came to Ross, I was wondering about what career path I would have choose. At the time, I considered the Electronic entertainment industry as an unreachable dream, since it is a pretty close circle and companies usually don't hire international students. I decided to network with videogame companies, but to pursue a more typical MBA career path.
However, Ross was able to exceed my ambitions by far. Thanks to a great alumni network and the power of MAP, I will spend the summer at the legendary software house Ubisoft Entertainment, in downtown San Francisco.
My title is "Active Game Manager", apparently the job involves a mix between product management and videogame production, and is therefore very creative. I will work on a major videogame franchise, but at this time it is not clear what I will do on a daily basis. Whatever it is, it's extremely exciting. Ubisoft is at the forefront of game developing, having released hits like Assassins Creed , Just Dance and Splinter Cell. The company is very informal and the offices are extremely cool and well located. I really can't wait to begin on the 23rd of this month.
Will let you know more A.S.A.P.

Introduction

My name is Colm Fay and I'm a second year Erb student at the University of Michigan.  I am pursuing a dual MBA and MS in Natural Resources with a specialization in Environmental Policy and Planning.  This summer I will be interning with Abt Associates in their Delhi office.  Abt Associates is a US based company with offices all over the world with expertise in international development, business research, and social, economic and health policy.  For my internship I will be working with Abt Associates and a local Indian NGO to develop a center of excellence for market based partnerships in health.  This is part of a USAID program to promote health improvement in India through Indian organizations.  I am expecting that this internship will provide the opportunity to shape the future role of an organization that could have a huge impact on market based approaches to healthcare at the base of the pyramid and give me the opportunity to observe some of these projects first hand.  I'm looking forward to piecing together the methodology and goals of the organization based on a combination of direct observations on the ground, cutting edge research from WDI and other research institutes and using the skills and experience from my time at Ross to develop a solution that is innovative and robust and has a lasting impact on the health landscape in India and beyond.

I look forward to sharing my experiences on this blog throughout the summer!

Marie Claire Fashion Internship Summer 2011

Hello everyone! My name is Lisa Wang, and I just finished up my sophomore year as a BBA student. I'm moving exactly one week from now to New York City. This summer, I will be interning at Marie Claire Magazine. I'm a general closet intern in the fashion department, and I'll be working very closely with the Fashion Assistant and with several other fashion interns.

July 2008 Issue

Fashion interns are based in the fashion closet, working primarily with high-end designer samples. I will be responsible for sample trafficking, checking in and returning samples from PR firms and fashion houses, organizing the closet, and creating story boards, setting up for run-throughs, and packing/unpacking for photo shoots.

I chose to intern for Marie Claire Magazine because I am interested in learning more about the editorial side of fashion. I'm very passionate about the fashion industry, and I have already had two years of experience with SHEI Magazine, a fully student-run fashion magazine here at the U of M campus. I want to further my experiences and gain exposure into the fashion industry this summer, and what's better than to start with Marie Claire? Plus, who wouldn't love to wake up to an entire wall of Louboutins and Pierre Hardys??

Shoes Shoes Shoes!! - Marie Claire Fashion Closet

I'm very excited to begin my experiences with the Marie Claire fashion closet in couple of weeks. I'll be back in a few weeks to update you on my adventures in the fashion closet. Until next time...

the heart of NYC!

School just ended, seniors just graduated, and it felt so good to have a break after all the hard work last semester. Being a BBA junior also means that I will have to be interning this summer.I'm so excited about my internship opportunity in Goldman Sachs, Market Risks Management.

I'm not sure the exact divisions yet, maybe fixed income, maybe equity, maybe corporate, but I'm excited for all of them. I'll probably be looking at Bloomberg, excel sheets, and GS's own softwares to track stocks and equities and make analysis out of it. This is my first time working in New York, so I'm very nervous about it. I hope that I can be a contribution to the company, and I really wish to be able to learn and adapt really fast. Working from the 20th floor of the heart of New York city is going to awesome!

~Stacy Lim

(Indonesian)

France~I am coming!

Hi everyone, I am Jinuo Song, a third year BBA student from Shenyang, China. My emphasis in Ross is Finance and Accounting. This is my second year at Ross and I really enjoyed the time spent here. I learned a lot from the professors and also from my friends.

This summer, I will intern at Provisions. llc in Pontlevoy, central France which is co-joint with the Eur- Am Center (The European-American Center For International Education). The Eur-Am Center is charting pathways toward a global future. The Center was created in partnerships with outstanding universities and private-sector allies in the United States and Europe. I will be a Finance/Accounting Analyst this summer. My main responsibility is to document and analyzing all business transactions within the company. I am also responsible to detail assets, liabilities and capital to summarize current and projected company financial outlook, to coordinate the implementation and control of accounting procedures. More importantly, it will be a great way to learn French culture during the internship. I also have the opportunity to take some courses during the internship.

This will be a great opportunity for me because I can apply what I learned from the book to the real world. I learned French during high school and college. I am excited to improve my French level and also learn more about the French culture. At the same time, I am sure I will learn a lot from the fellow interns and have a great time in France this summer.

My first Strat 425 post...

So, I am an MBA who just finished his first year and will be spending the summer in Seattle, interning at Microsoft.

So far, I have limited information on my project, but I know I will be a Product Manager at the Windows Live business unit.

I hope this internship will help understand the High Tech industry and at the same time allow me to work in product development with tech engineers. The internship will give me the chance to work in a different environment with a widely different culture, hopefully giving me a better understanding of people.

I am really excited about spending the summer in Seattle, a city with so many options and things to do during the summer and being a part of one of the biggest Tech companies in the world which was also named one of the best places to work in the US. Working in developing a software product should be a great complement for my CPG experience.

I am a bit concerned about language problems especially keeping up with the speed with which some Americans talk and also getting used to the different way of doing things when working with different cultures.

But, no matter what... I am really looking forward to this opportunity!

Excited for summer!

Hello blog readers! I am Jofresh, a Filipina MBA student. Prior to attending business school, I worked in the finance department of Intel Corporation’s Philippines and Malaysia offices for almost six years. My concentration at Ross is still finance but I am also learning more about strategic consulting.

My first year at Ross has just ended. It has been an amazing year filled with meeting new friends, watching football games (Go Blue!), working on school projects, and (of course) recruiting. I am very excited for my summer internship. I am fortunate to have received a William Davidson Institute (WDI) Global Impact Internship/Fellowship. The WDI is a non-profit research and educational institute at the University of Michigan dedicated to understanding and promoting actionable business and public policies in emerging markets. I want to learn more about International Business and WDI gave me the opportunity to do just that.

I will be working this summer in BHUTAN! J

I will be working for Druk Holding & Investments (DHI), a government agency established through a Royal Charter issued by His Majesty the King of Bhutan. DHI holds and manages the commercial companies of the government, makes new investments, raises funds, and promotes private sector development in Bhutan. I will be analyzing and benchmarking costs then, ultimately, recommending cost strategies to the government-owned commercial companies.

I am very excited to see the beautiful country and learn more Bhutan’s culture. I heard from last year’s WDI fellow that people in Bhutan are very friendly and that the sights are amazing. I am also excited to work on a project that merges finance with consulting. I am thankful for the opportunity to enhance my skills. My internship starts on May 30. Wish me luck! If you have questions about Ross, just leave a comment and I would glad to help.

Cisco, here I come.

Oh, the MBA life. The past year went by so fast. After going through a recruiting frenzy, I am now about to reap the reward. This summer is shaping up to be a great experience.

I will be working at Cisco Systems Inc, under the Human Resources Leadership Program. Cisco does a great job of meeting each intern's learning objectives through a deliberate matching process owned by senior HR leaders. I am excited to be working on a project in a space that I specifically requested for - talent management.

Coming from an HR background, I am looking forward to seeing how my approach has changed after a year in the business school. It will be very interesting to see how my experience will translate into the challenges that I will be facing over the summer. The 12 week internship time frame makes the task of making an impact even more fulfilling. I'm sure that I will learn a lot from fellow interns and colleagues that I will be in close contact with.

It will be great to be in the bay area! There are a good number of Rossers who will be out there with me. So, the happy hours will not stop for sure!

Beginning of summer!

Hi all,

This is an introductory post. I am an MBA and this summer I will be interning at Ecolab in St Paul, Minneapolis! Ecolab is one of the few companies that recruits for business-to-business (B2B) marketing positions at Ross. I am in still in the midst of determining my internship scope, but I am excited to share that options include working for the Global Food and Beverage Division, to the Healthcare, Hospitality and Commercial Division - I am torn between a few really exciting projects but regardless of my final decision, I am certain this summer internship going to be an amazing experience.

Prior to Ross, I worked in the wealth management industry in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as the non-profit industry in India. Coming to business school, one of my main goals was to do a career switch to B2B marketing. With the support of OCD and the Marketing Club, I successfully made the switch. This opportunity at Ecolab will give me the critical first-hand experience I need.

Speaking to friends who have worked or lived in Minneapolis, they all told me that summers in Minneapolis are beautiful. People in the city are very active in the summer and sports play a huge role.

I will be starting my internship in the first week of June, so till then!