Johnson School, Rankings and the NYC

We just finished Financial Accounting and Microeconomics finals this Tuesday. Today marks the start of the second month of the Cornell AMBA program. It has been a blur and I am still trying to catch my breath after a month jam-packed with course work, career group activities, and other social events. Through all this, we have formed a strong bond among 42 classmates. I am fortunate to know several of them very well, in spite of the fact that we were half a world apart just a month ago. A number of my classmates kindly agreed to be guest bloggers to Saba's and my blogs. So you will get to know them too.

I will offer my impressions of Cornell, the Johnson School, the AMBA program and the town of Ithaca in later blogs. Today I will try to address an issue on a lot of current, former and prospective students' minds: the Johnson School's US News rankings. The Cornell AMBA program was my No. 1 choice all along. The school, the faculty and the alumni network are still the same, if not stronger today than a year ago when Cornell was ranked three spots higher. The sorry economy and tough job market have blown anything negative, real or perceived, out of proportion. Nevertheless, in the casual conversations and formal feedback sessions with the school administrators and faculty, students have brought up this topic rather frequently.

I spoke with Johnson School staff. The response was Cornell certainly will not make any drastic changes just to pander to a news magazine ranking. The School, however, looks into the ranking methodology very closely, and will move to address any issues exposed in these rankings. I completely agree with the Johnson School’s approach. In the meantime, I do feel a sense of urgency among the Johnson School community. This is on the agenda of an internal committee. I have full confidence it will be taken care of very quickly.

There are murmurings that the Johnson School will move part of its executive programs to New York City. I think it’s a step in the right direction. The common knock on Cornell is its location. I love the campus, and I love Ithaca and its surroundings. But for the MBA students who want to get into Banking, Asset Management or other finance jobs (more than half of the class), it is a hassle to make frequent trips to NYC. The driving distance from Ithaca to NYC is the same as from Washington, DC. I spoke with several classmates and batted around a crazy idea (Hey I am a scientist, that’s what I doJ): Cornell should open a mini-campus in New York City. The Investment Banking and Asset Management Immersion Programs have their Week in New York and Trek to New York City. Why not open a more permanent facility that both the MBA and the Executive MBA could use. The Fulltime MBA could have a two or three week session at the new location. A number of finance courses can be taught there. It might also open the door for a part-time MBA program, where the only competition is Langone MBA Program of NYU. In the short term, the Johnson school would announce its strong presence at the center of the financial world; while in the long term, this could build long lasting relationships with more potential employers and sponsors. At the beginning the “mini-campus” can be shared with Weill Cornell in Upper East Side of Manhattan, until a permanent facility could be build with endowment and donations.

It certainly would cost a lot of money. Having faculty members and 200 students living in Manhattan for a few weeks could be a logistical nightmare. This is just one man’s opinion. Dean Thomas and other University leadership have more feasible grand plans for the Johnson School and Sage Hall. In his Strategic Plan, Dean Thomas laid out six initiatives, including facilities in New York City. Cornell and the Johnson School will continue to be a strong Ivy League brand and an innovative program for the students, the faculty and the alumni.

A Hearty Welcome!

I just started the Accelerated MBA program Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management (the Johnson School, or JS). Long before getting the admission phone call back in February, I wanted to start a blog to chronicle my experience. I’ve never blogged before, but I think it is a good means to write down my random thoughts at some random moment. It also helps me improving my written English, which I know is one of my weakest skills. The next few paragraphs are the bio intro I submitted for the official Johnson Student Blog on the Johnson School website. I’ll put in more details in later blogs.

Thanks for dropping by my first blog!

My career as a medicinal chemist started at Texas A & M University, where I carried out research on the mechanisms and treatment of Alzheimer’s diseases. After receiving my Ph.D. degree, I joined a biotech start-up in Houston to develop cancer-diagnosing DNA-chip technology. For the last seven plus years, I have focused on finding new therapies for cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases at Amgen San Francisco. These multidisciplinary projects have provided opportunities for me to learn both the science and the business of drug discovery. Finally, I decided my career had reached a point that I am ready to jump into an entrepreneurial endeavor. A well rounded business education will help me make it a smooth transition. The AMBA program at the Johnson School is a perfect fit.

Two weeks into this program, I have been overwhelmingly impressed by the School as well as my classmates. Although it is a challenge to fit all the activities and course work into a 16 hour-day, we did find time to get to know each other better, and managed to play two soccer matches (losers buy drinks the next Friday)! I look forward to enjoying the great outdoors and golf courses in the Finger Lake area during the summer.

One year is a short time. But there will be plenty of challenges and rewards. I am glad to share my experience with you in this space.