Excitement is mounting for the 2016 MBA Games!

From January 2 to 4, 2016, over 650 students from across the country will come together in Canada’s largest annual gathering of MBAs. They will compete in athletic, academic, and spirit competitions in an attempt to win the coveted Dean’s Cup. Schulich won 1st place at the 2015 Games, earning us the rights to host this year’s event.

We connected with Schulich’s team captain, Craig Hill, and this year’s MBA Games Organizing Committee, JP Del Carmen and Jeremy Zinger to get all of the details on what promises to be a feverish-level of excitement for MBAs to ring in the new year!

How are the MBA games structured? 

Over three days, students compete in athletic (4 sports), academic (4 case competitions), and spirit (team building, networking, and community events) competitions. We also have a big pre-Games Spirit Challenge that has teams creating a video, a social media campaign, and most importantly, fundraising for Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, our charity partner this year.

How can students get involved and/or volunteer for this event?

Students can participate in one of two ways:

a) Compete – spots are available on the team for sports and spirit competitors. Please contact Craig Hill at gbcathletics@schulich.yorku.ca for details

b) Volunteer – we need skilled and spirited volunteers to help us run events smoothly! Accommodations and meals provided for a fee. Note that if you are volunteering, you won’t be able to compete as we’d like to eliminate any conflicts of interest. Please sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/3EtPJGqU5I ;or email Sabrina Sidi, VP of Volunteers, at ssidi15@schulich.yorku.ca

What are you most looking forward to about the games this year? 

We’re most excited about hosting schools from every corner of the country! We have teams coming in from as far west as Victoria, and from as far east as Nova Scotia. We’re also excited to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities again this year as our charity of choice. They do some really great and rewarding work for families across the country and we felt that we could contribute in a meaningful way through the MBA Games.

What’s it like competing with other top business schools? 

Competing against the best business schools in Canada can be intense and nerve-wracking! Picture this: you have 650 of the most competitive and sharp young professionals gathered in one place to compete against each other. How can you not be a little bit worried?! With that said, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience. Apart from the competition, it’s just a fun party! You make friends with so many people and it will definitely be a highlight of my MBA career.

How does participating in the MBA games enhance the student experience at Schulich and/or help you with professional development? 

We stress teamwork and interpersonal skills all the time in the MBA program. Competing at the Games is the pinnacle of using and applying this skill set. You have to bring your A-Game to the table, but it is definitely not an individual event. You have to work together, strategize together, and cheer each other on (literally and emotionally). Furthermore, the Games are really all about exploring a variety of skills and interests, not just academics. Past winning teams have said time and time again that in order to win the Games, you have to do well across all events (not just one or two) – Schulich’s win from last year is a testament to our school’s diversity and interdisciplinary skill.

What’s involved in organizing an event like this? What support could you use from students?

Organizing the event has been a labour of love that started in early April. We have been working hard to organize logistics, promote the event to schools, and build up our sponsorship base. We’re particularly looking for organizations that would like to partner with the MBA community in Canada. We’d love for the Schulich students to participate as volunteers during the event. There’s lots of opportunities to help out during the weekend.

Are there any MBA Games superstitions or traditions?

The competing team’s biggest tradition over the past few years has definitely been our highlighter green hoodies! It’s definitely not the most fashion-forward colour choice, but you can spot us from a mile away and it perfectly represents how energetic and vibrant we are as a team.

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Learn more about the MBA Games at www.mbagames.ca

Follow us at facebook.com/MBAGames2016

Volunteer for the Games (apps due on Nov 2nd): http://goo.gl/forms/3EtPJGqU5I

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