Think an online MBA can’t help you develop a better network? A quick look at the Silicon Valley Access Weekend.
Opportunities to network abound at the Part-time Online Hybrid MBA Access Weekends.
Six times a year all of the Part-time Online Hybrid (PTOH) MBA students, together with various faculty and administration, gather together somewhere in the continental United States to have face-to-face classes, take exams, and meet with leaders from some of the country’s top organizations. Here’s a quick look at our last Access Weekend in Silicon Valley.
Plug and Play is one of the world’s largest startup accelerators with headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA and 22 locations around the globe. A total innovation platform, Plug and Play Tech Center in Silicon Valley serves as a venture fund, incubator, and innovation consultancy. Here we had a chance to learn more about how P&P connects entrepreneurs with corporate partners and investment.
Also during our time in Silicon Valley, we had the opportunity to get an inside look at the world’s most innovative company: Google. During an information session led by our classmate and a current Google employee, or “Googler,” Jacqueline Elliot, we were able to pick the brains of a panel of Googlers on what it’s like to work at the world’s most admired company. (Neither of the two knuckleheads below work at Google.)
Although there were many company visits that weekend, we still managed to find time to enjoy some locally grown California wines. Allison Braund-Harris, president of the 2020 PTOH MBA class, organized a wonderful Napa Valley wine tasting excursion at the Guglielmo Winery. Located in Santa Clara Valley, the Guglielmo family has been producing a wide range of award winning varietals since 1925.
What kind of trip to California would be complete without some amazing Mexican food? At Agave Mexican Bistro in Mountain View, CA, we had the chance to enjoy some amazing Oaxacan style Mexican cuisine and get to know our new instructors for the upcoming mini semester.
And of course there are always after-hours shenanigans at any Access Weekend, especially when there is a Furry Convention in town.
This past Access Weekend had a lot going on. However, I’m only one person. There are hundreds more photos from other students that didn’t make it into this blog post showcasing the networking opportunities that Access Weekends offer. If you’re still concerned that pursuing the Tepper Part-time Online Hybrid MBA won’t give you the chance to build a stronger network, don’t be. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Stay tuned to the Life at Tepper blog and see for yourself.
I currently own and operate Tytus International, a business development consultancy located in Hong Kong. In addition, I'm a lecturer at the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies School of Business in Guangzhou, China, where I teach Intercultural Communication in the Global Work Place and Entrepreneurial Management.
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