Minneapolis-Bound: OP, 2011

Minneapolis will host the Consortium's 45th Orientation Program in June

The Consortium's annual Orientation Program for new students and alumni will take place in Minneapolis this year, June 26-29. Minneapolis will be the host city for the third time. This is the Consortium's 45th orientation. The program was in Orlando last year and in Charlotte the previous year.

Depending on sponsors and arrangements with at various locations, the Orientation Program has criss-crossed the country. Dallas, New York, St. Louis, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and San Francisco have also hosted the OP in the past.

The Orientation Program celebrates the achievements of new students and introduces them to each other and to business-school deans and officials and corporate sponsors. Activities involving alumni and others are included. The career fair has always been one of the most popular events during the week. New students also like the panel events on industry sectors from consumer products to investment banking.

Alumni, sponsors and corporate representatives interested in more information about this year's program should go directly to the Consortium website: http://www.cgsm.org.

As at the last two OPs, the Consortium Finance Network plans to have a presence during the week and at the career fair (along with other special-interest groups). It will introduce CFN to new students and other alumni, solicit input about programs and events, and welcome others interested in working with the steering committee.

For the past two years, CFN has prepared a detailed, useful guide for first-year MBA students in finance. The guide will be updated and sent to new students in finance again this year in June. The guide offers advice on what students in finance should do in the summer before business school and how to gear up for recruiting once they get to campus.

The guide offers tools and hints on technical topics (from corporate finance to capital markets) and helps students keep up with the rapid changes and updates in finance.

If you plan to attend OP this year (as an alumnus, sponsor or corporate representative) and want to help CFN and other Consortium special-interest groups (at the career fair), let us know (via Linkedin or separate e-mail). If you're interested in a copy of this year's finance-student guide, we can send you a copy when it is ready.

Tracy WilliamsAny source