Last Saturday, 25 June 2011, saw the annual Smurfit MBA Summer BBQ which has become a much anticipated event marking as it does the period just after semester 2 results, the last modules of the year and the beginning of the summer. The BBQ was held in the school grounds and gave us all a chance to see them at their best in a way we usually don’t have the time to. We were a little worried about how things were going to go on Friday as the rain and the wind made their presence felt but happily by Saturday morning the temperature had risen markedly, the grounds had dried out and not long after the BBQ began the sun put in an appearance. In the end Saturday afternoon turned out to be one of the best of the summer so far (not difficult), some people even reported minor sun burn.
There was a great turn out of over 180 adults and 60 children, representing the MBA full-time class and all three EMBA classes (Year 1 and Year 2) and accompanying partners and children. The event allowed people to relax and enjoy each others company and talk about matters unrelated to Management Accounting or Performance-Driven Marketing, although I did over hear a very interesting discussion concerning the success rates of mergers and acquisitions inspired by an option module the previous week.
The children’s entertainers did a terrific job and kept all the little guests occupied and amused with the bouncy castle, puppet show and related activities, particularly popular was the face painting and when all the children who wanted adornment were catered for some of the MBAs decided to participate in the face-painting experience too.
All in all, it was a great event, plenty to eat and drink, good conversation, catching up with friends, classmates and the occasional academic outside the pressure cooker of the average MBA semester.
Many thanks to Mary O’Dwyer from the MBA Office who was the main organiser of the day.
– Roisin O’Loughlin, MBA Programme Manager
