The Rhythm of the Seasons
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Eccl. 3:1
With each new spring I am reminded of the distinctive rhythm of the seasons at Owen.
A time to plant. Our Admissions teams have been working hard for the past nine months to recruit high-quality students for all of Owen’s programs—MBA, Executive MBA, MS Finance and our new Master of Accountancy. Last weekend, over 140 outstanding admitted students were with us for the largest Welcome Weekend in the history of our school. And while a few may have left undecided, the vast majority fell in love with this place—as we knew they would—and committed to joining us in the fall.
A time to reap. Each April brings the preparation, excitement and celebration of graduation. Students nearing that big moment are busily wrapping up final presentations, studying for exams and eagerly thinking about their new careers. Soon, we will send them off to all corners of the earth and hope that they will stay in touch and remain active members of the Owen community.
A time to build. We will soon announce the addition of six stellar faculty members who are joining Owen in the fall. When added to the four who joined us last year, this represents a significant investment in the size and caliber of our faculty. Simultaneously, we are transforming the MBA curriculum to ensure that our program delivers the relevant knowledge, practical experience and coaching required to graduate leaders who compete with the best.
A time to dance. Last weekend also saw the return of Owen alumni and friends to mix and mingle with each other, faculty and current students. For one evening, the new Student Life building was transformed into an elegant ballroom for the 300 individuals who came to celebrate “The Magic of Business”—a festive black-tie dinner to thank alumni who generously give to the school through The Owen Circle.
Owen is an organic, living community in which prospective students, current students and alumni come and go, learn and lead, succeed and prosper. These cycles repeat but never remain static. With each new season, we seek to improve our programs, our faculty, the caliber of our students, our connections with our alumni and our institution as a whole. And, every now and then the outside world takes note, as happened recently with a tremendous lift in Owen’s ranking in U.S. News and World Report.
As I ponder the changing of the seasons here at Owen, my job becomes exceptionally clear: to find and nurture the special people—students, faculty and staff—who want to change the world, improve the lives of others and make Owen the best small graduate business school in the world. For I have never doubted that it is our people—not buildings or anything else—that make this school like no other.
It is impossible to convey with mere numbers and benchmarks what makes Owen a place that nurtures those of us who are fortunate enough to be part of it. It is unquantifiable because it is a quality — the collective personality of hundreds of diverse individuals.
Together, somehow, they make Owen a balance that works. I can’t fully explain how. But I can tell you that the world has begun to notice.
Best,
Jim Bradford
