SVMP Alumni

Darren Smith
	SVMP Class: 2006 College/degree: Baruch College, Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration Major: Finance & Investments Summer Internship: Colgate-Palmolive, Corporate Finance Department Interests: Cooking, running, sports, capital markets, social entrepreneurship, and movies

The Summer Venture in Management Program has been one of the biggest highlights of my life thus far. In the summer of 2006, I was given the privilege of attending the program and representing Baruch College. As the first person in my family to receive a college education, this blessed opportunity to study at the Harvard Business School was an honor to my family and me. I feel that in just one week the SVMP experience transformed my way of thinking, and internally made me more confident that I can not only complete but excel in a top business school.

For one week, I lived as a Harvard Business School student. In the mornings I participated in my assigned study group, which helped me fully understand and prepare for the business cases of the day. Each case centered on a different topic or industry, and always pushed me to think of innovative ways to remedy the problems of the protagonist. In contrast to my undergraduate experience, the daily classes were exciting and full of dialogue. In every class the students passionately deliberated on the different solutions, ethical topics, or critical decisions that revolved around the cases. A student always needed to be ready to engage in a certain topic and add value to the conversation. The classes were high octane, adrenaline pumping experiences that grabbed the students’ attention and always made us stay on our toes. Each high-caliber professor had his/her own unique flair or charismatic approach to teaching, which made every class completely different. The faculty constantly forced us to elevate our creative problem solving abilities, and their enthusiasm for the case radiated in the classroom.

Overall, the best aspect of SVMP was the eclectic students in the program. I have made long lasting friendships with brilliant, ambitious students from all walks of life. Throughout the program we ate, laughed, worked out, and endured many sleepless nights of studying for business cases together. These relationships are the main ingredients that make the SVMP experience so special.

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