UCD Smurfit MBA Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Events’

Thursday, May 2^nd, marked the first inaugural full-time MBA video ad competition.  The idea was for teams of three to make a 3 min video concept with the theme of “the MBA experience”.  There were no other rules and it was a real unknown as to what to expect.

We assembled at the Hibernian Club on St. Stephen’s Green for the premiere of the nine video submissions and were delighted to have Professor Pat Gibbons in attendance to adjudicate on concept and entertainment value.

Inevitably, hilarity ensued and the videos demonstrated a huge amount of creativity that exists within the class.  No two videos were alike and there were some interesting insights and perspectives that might never have been aired if not for the unorthodox format.  It’s reassuring to know that careers in acting, music and voiceovers are now a viable BATNA for many.

David Kelly

Thanks to the MBA office for supporting the event [MBA Office: Thanks David and Deborah for organising it]. The light hearted winning entry can be viewed here: MBA Ad Comp (not available on mobile devices)

Three exams down, four more to go…

-David Kelly, FT MBA 2012/13

Recently, UCD Smurfit’s own Bruce Martin and Dean Ciaran O’hogartaigh participated on the Bizworld workshops set up by the MBA Office in conjunction with BizWorld.  The workshops were held next door in Carysfort National School.  Many thanks to Bruce and Ciaran for giving so generously of their valuable time by participating as VCs.

BizWorld brought two groups of 6^th Class children through a learning workshop over two days called BizMovie which teaches the basics of entrepreneurship, business and finance by showing children how the entrepreneurial cycle operates in a simulated movie production industry. BizMovie teaches basic computer programming skills to develop the movie and students use a school computer lab or individual computers to complete the movie.

The students take on roles based on their strengths and skills across the cultural and economic spectrum to not only understand how business works but also enables them to experience it first-hand.

Needless to say, it was an inspiring day for all involved!

Michael McDonnell

- Michael McDonnell, MBA Programme Manager

Last Friday was one of those days: the sun was shining, people were smiling and wearing shades for the first time in a long time.  Several of us met up at the Dublin Convention Centre to attend a US Embassy event on the topic of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – a proposal to reduce trade barriers between the US and EU.  The breakfast meeting was chaired by Margaret E. Ward of the Irish Times and speakers included Minster Lucinda Creighton; US Ambassador to the EU, William Kennard; head of the US Chamber of Commerce, Thomas J. Donohue; and the inimitable Michael O’Leary of Ryanair.  Having as it does one of the strongest relationships with the US of all EU countries, it was appropriate that this was being worked on during Ireland’s EU presidency.  As the global economic axis takes a distinct turn to the east, it is of huge importance to us in Europe and indeed in Ireland that trade with the US is facilitated and supported at every step.

I left the Convention Centre to join my classmates across the river at Google’s headquarters for a site visit.  The whole area around Barrow St and the docks is testament to the strong relationship we have with corporate America and the mutual benefits that can accrue from this relationship.  Looking around the famous Google canteen (where the food is delicious by the way), I was reminded how important our relationship with the US is and how we need to nurture that relationship and never take it for granted.  The tech hub that is being created in Dublin, mainly by US companies, could offer this country a sustainable competitive advantage for decades to come.  As young Irish people delve into the technology of Google, Twitter, Facebook, Hubspot, Dropbox et al. the potential is there for an incredible upsurge in Irish tech companies who will sustain and grow our ailing economy in the digital world we now inhabit.  If the recent Dubstarts jobs fair is anything to go by, there’s plenty of burgeoning Irish talent with great ideas already out there and ready to take on the world.

Google itself was a fascinating place to visit.  They have all the stuff you hear about, the foosball tables, bean bags etc, but what’s most impressive is the passion in the voices of their staff when they talk about their work.  They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and Google certainly proved this when our site leader, Jane, told us we were going to undertake a project.  Cool, I thought, only in the door and already I’m working for Google.  Each of our six teams was given forty minutes to see how we could help a business drive traffic towards its product using Google’s products and services.  Each team would present its case and a winner would be selected.  There’s nothing like a bit of competition to get an MBA class going and the next forty minutes were hell-for-leather.  Eventually my team was lucky enough to be chosen as the winners and we received some great Google goodies!  I think we won because our team had a great blend of thinkers – some creative, some logical.  By combining these talents we got a great concept and built solid steps around achieving that concept.  It was certainly gratifying to be selected by the Google staff as having offered the best solutions to their business problem from a very talented group of MBA students.

Unfortunately, like all good things, it came to an end, and some of us headed back to Blackrock for Friday afternoon classes, but certainly with an eye to the future and a great degree of optimism.

Morgan Mangan

- Morgan Mangan, FT MBA 2012-13

A fifty strong gang from across all three EMBA YR1 classes elected to drop the books and let the hair down for a social night in the Defence Forces military Barracks on the 23rd of March.

The evening kicked off with a lively drinks reception in the visitors centre were everyone was enlightened on the eventful history of Cathal Brugha Barracks. There were some surprised expressions in the crowd to hear of some of the happenings inside the gates over the years. It was certainly an eye opener for those who would not have been previously familiar with the finer details of Irish history over the past century and a half.

We moved from there to the Officers Mess where we indulged in the military’s finest cuisine! It wasn’t long before the weekend [class] crew had the wine opened and began to set the pace. Spirits were high and the “craic” as one says was mighty.

The meal complete we retired to the bar to enjoy the rest of the evening.  If the event was to be judged on the amount of people who stayed until the end well it would surely be marked as a great success, with many moving to the realms of Lesson Street to perfect their dance moves once the bar closed! In all the event provided an excellent opportunity for all of us to get to know and network with counterparts many of whom we would not have seen since the induction week.

Many thanks to all who attended, no doubt we will all see out the last few academic weeks of year one with success and hopefully we will soon meet again in high spirits.

- Conor Ryan, EMBA MidWeek, 2012-14