ALL POSTS BY: Brock Hardisty
Interview with Owen professor Tim Vogus
Tim Vogus recently sat down with OwenBloggers to discuss his teaching approach, Owen community, and his burgeoning rap career:
Learning from the Oracle: Owen visits with Warren Buffett
Business school is bursting with unique forums in which students have access to some of the greatest and brightest minds in modern industry. These standout moments can be pivotal points in shaping the next generation of business creativity and innovation. Prior to Spring Break, 20 Owen students were treated to just such an opportunity—the rare chance to sit down for a Q&A with one of the world’s greatest investors, philanthropists, and public figures, Mr. Warren Buffett. The lucky group traveled to Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, arriving in tact despite a major snowstorm that threatened the event (and precluded other chosen schools from making the journey).
The trip was a brainchild of Owen finance professor Philip Woodlief, who had reached out to Buffett through a personal connection to convey Vanderbilt’s interest in visiting the investor. With the meeting arranged, preparations began months in advance, with students doing their research by reading up on Buffett’s philosophies on investing, politics, and life. The group convened on multiple occasions to formulate a list of poignant questions to pose to the “Oracle of Omaha”, trying to focus on themes that had not been addressed in the litany of Buffett materials already available.
Happy Halloween!
All Hallow’s Eve is a spirited event around Owen, with activities ranging from a scary movie showing in Averbuch Auditorium, to an all-school Halloween party (which featured two Fred Flintstones, the case of Sesame Street, and Wilson from Home Improvement, among many others). Over the past week, though, a contest has been sponsored by 100% Owen, the school’s community service organization. Students were given the opportunity to ‘vote’, by donating money to charity, for an Owen professor to wear a Halloween costume to class on October 31. The people spoke, and the majority vote-getter was Managerial Econ professor Luke Froeb. Professor Froeb made economics even scarier than usual as his alter-ego, Freddy Krueger:
Business school has its serious moments, but sometimes it’s the goofy moments that make for a memorable class, and raise some money for a good cause to boot.
Interview with OSGA President Steven Smith
Steven Smith is a Texas native and the current Owen student body president. He recently sat down with OwenBloggers to discuss what sets Owen apart, and what the school can expect in the coming years.
LinkedIn Tip of the Week: Following Thought Leaders
I know I got all excited last week about endorsements, but here’s another great new feature that was being worked on over the summer.
You can now follow some of the top thought leaders in industry and the world!
Look for this box on your home page or LinkedIn Today
Personally, I’m following Jeff Weiner, Richard Branson, Dan Shapero, Barack Obama, Arianna Huffington, Deepak Chopra MD, Marcus Samuelsson, Reid Hoffman and many others. There are over 50 individuals from professors to CEOs to other influencers from around the world that you can follow based on your personal interests and desires. Each person is now developing original content for LinkedIn as a way to continue to make the site your go-to place for business information that will help you do your job better and more efficiently. Some of their recent postings have included ‘Dream. Fit. Passion’ by Jeff Wiener (CEO of LinkedIn), ‘Five top tips to starting a successful business’ by Richard Branson, ‘Why Healthcare Loves the iPad’ by Mary Pat Whaley, and ‘The “euro crisis” and US construction’ by Ken Simonson to name a few.
I hope that you will find these articles helpful and interesting!!