A Diamond in the Rough

I remember my first year at the GSB in 2002. Business Week was coming out with their rankings. We had the countdown broadcast live in the basement of Stuart Hall across from the Gargoyle Cafe. Everyone watched intently on the big screen and others were streaming it on their laptops. We were screaming just knowing we made it into the top 10, then down to the top 5. I was jumping up and down. People were whooping it up. Top 4, top 3. We couldn’t believe it. We were screaming and yelling, “#1 BABY!!! We’re gonna be #1.”

We got the #2 spot, but there wasn’t a hint of disapointment. Instantly, a keg rolled in. Deans Snyder and Ann McGill popped open champagne. I felt like I celebrated every day of my two years of business school. Even back then, in a dingy basement, what a joy. And how exciting to come back to the brand new school. Now #1. I’m just so proud.

We are working on the 5-year GSB (now rebranded to Chicago Booth) reunion set for November 5-8. I’m not much use when it comes to deciding on venues for happy hour, brunch, dinner since I’m so disconnected from the Chicago scene. But I think I’ll come in handy when it’s time to rally the troops. I expect all 550 of you to show up! So mark your calendars.

I think about my business school experience and how I lucked out. I thought I’d be holed up in a library every weekend. I passed Physics with a C–the one eye sore to my undergrad transcript. Graduate school must be harder than Physics, right? I was going to a quant school with the background of a liberal arts education. Excuse me, all these equations are making me dizzy. Can we go back to iambic pentameter, please?

Instead, grad school consisted of late night burritos, waking up hungover, and meeting for bloodies at brunch…in the middle of the week! We went on a cruise, Jazz Fest, Mexico, South America. It’s not what I expected.

Just like no one expected my small Catholic high school to find basketball glory a la Hoosiers.

Or my regional company to go national.

Start small, dream big.

Looking forward to that very windy city in the bitter cold of winter on glittery Navy Pier.