Yale SOM Class of 2013 Arrives on Campus

Each year, the incoming class of Yale SOM MBA students poses for a group photo on the steps of Caulkins Courtyard. Taken together, the 230 full-time MBA students in the Class of 2013 form a bright, determined, and energetic whole—as have the classes who have posed for that picture before them. But as they settle into life in New Haven, the students will begin to see each other as individuals with unique sets of skills and accomplishments. Over time, the differences between them, as well as the commonalities they share, will help spark and maintain lifelong relationships.

The members of the Class of 2013 have lived and worked in countries all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Nicaragua, Spain, England, Germany, Bulgaria, Russia, Kuwait, Dubai, Afghanistan, India, Korea, Singapore, Japan, and China. They speak dozens of languages, among them Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi, Swedish, German, Spanish, multiple Chinese dialects, Slovak, Kyrgyz, Portuguese, Serbo-Croatian, and Pashto.

They’ve worked at top financial firms such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and the Blackstone Group; major consulting firms McKinsey and BCG; the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force; the Israeli Defense Forces and Swedish military; Google and Microsoft; and the Environmental Defense Fund, Teach for America, the Peace Corps, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They’ve worked in politics, elementary schools, medicine, the law, and the Yale investments office. Others have launched their own ventures, such as an English-language school in China, a publishing business in the United States, a successful Peruvian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and a specialty cookie company here in New Haven. One student is part of the fifth generation to help run the family furniture manufacturing business.

As members of the new class gets to know each other, they will learn about the many accomplishments, hobbies, and adventures that make them unique. They’ll hear about marathon running, cliff jumping, and shark diving. There’s the all-American gymnast, the Chinese novelist, and the Singaporean woman who led a national all-women team to the top of Mount Everest. They’ll ask what it was like to lead a platoon through Baghdad or work for the U.S. Foreign Service deep in Afghanistan. They’ll learn about how to fight a fire, design a bridge, and sing the national anthem in front of cheering Mets and Knicks fans. They will hear stories about serving communities all over the world.

Yale SOM has long been a leader in recruiting a diverse and talented student body. The Class of 2013 is 35% women, 32% international students, and 25% U.S. minorities. Members of the class hail from five continents, and boast a college GPA of 3.52 with an average score of 719 on the GMAT.

The school's 10-day orientation began on August 10, with a series of events, challenges, and trips designed to introduce new students to Yale SOM's integrated MBA experience. While there's an ice cream social, clambake, and an introduction to the city’s many culinary choices, students are launched immediately into the rigors of the curriculum. On their second day of orientation, students began the Case for Community Project, a case study competition in which teams develop a program through which the Yale Farm can encourage youth to become more involved in growing and consuming healthy and sustainable food. On the last official day of orientation, students travel to New York for company visits and a reception at the New York Stock Exchange. Core courses for first-year students begin August 22, while electives for second-year students start on August 31.

The school also welcomed 18 new members of the MBA for Executives: Leadership in Healthcare program. The two-year degree is geared towards healthcare professionals looking to better position themselves for the increasing complexity of the sector. The Class of 2013 boasts students with impressive careers, including several physicians, two of whom are also professors; senior pharmaceutical executives; and even a former professional musician.

The MBA-e program welcomed its new class to campus for orientation on July 30 and 31. Activities included a welcome reception at Carmen Anthony Steakhouse; group scavenger hunt, team-building exercise, and family picnic; and a panel on diversity in healthcare leadership. Students began classes began on August 1 with two weeks of intensive study; they are now settling into a schedule of two weekends of classes per month.