JOHN McCLAIN

JOB

Well I guess in my last few posts I failed to mention one of the most important events that has occurred recently.  I accepted a full-time offer from Nationwide Financial Services in Columbus Ohio.  My interview process was pretty straightforward this year, as I have mentioned before I was lucky enough to have an amazing internship with a company and mentor that I hold in high regard so I wasn’t really going to extend myself during the full-time job search. I ended up applying to only 3 companies and pulled out of one.  Nationwide was a company on my radar since my internship search the previous year.  They have a dynamic, extremely positive leader of the program that I will be entering and after listening to her speak on campus I was intrigued. 

After learning about the rotational opportunities and meeting members of the program I was sold.  Lots of people get great jobs after B-school, I was lucky enough to land what I consider to be an ideal job.  I wanted to stay in the Midwest and will also have the opportunity to move throughout the company for 18 months learning the ins and outs of the Insurance industry and Nationwide.  Just like CMU, the people at Nationwide were the biggest selling point, in fact a 2006 CMU alum at Nationwide provided a lot of guidance.  I guess the only downside is I can’t enjoy those Gieco commercials anymore.

Now that I finished my job search, I can fully devote my time to learning (improving on my weaknesses) and enjoying the final few months of the best two years of my life.  Classes like Managing Intellectual Capital have taken me out of my comfort zone of Wall St. related topics and have really broadened my horizons.  I can say that for all of you who find yourself in my position in two years, enjoy this time.  For me, I am seeing new parts of the world.  I went to China and Thailand and will now go visit the Dominican Republic.  After that, I am off to Singapore and Malaysia and will finish this whirl wind adventure by enjoying some summer sun in the Greek Islands

and who knows where else. 

   

A few people have mentioned that I should include some of the photo’s from the events that I have mentioned over the past few months on the website, it’s definitely difficult picking the best ones.  These photos illustrate what Tepper really is.  This month the website is geared towards the “character of a B-school”, for me I didn’t have to think a minute as to exactly what Tepper’s character is.  Everyone com es here for different reasons but we all have similar goals, to leave the program a better person than when we entered.  It’s simple but it encompasses both academics and personal experiences.  While I’ve been at Tepper I certainly have busted myself in the classroom to take advantage of the plethora of knowledge around me from my fellow classmates and professors.  More importantly to me, I have seen and done so many things that I most likely would have never thought possible at the time.  I have learned so much about so many different cultures and have been able to share these experiences with many close friends.  I don’t toss that last word around lightly, it’s amazing how many lifelong friends you can make in the program because of the “character of our business school”.  To me Tepper is all about challenging yourself in every aspect of life.  These photos serve as just a brief look at what I have been able to experience while here. 

The first picture shows the class of 2008 standing guard over a fence they painted in the middle of campus during QSRP.  The next was taken for the Poker Club, we have 1 event per semester with the goal of helping local charities.  This time we raised money for the Animal Rescue League.  The next shows Tepper students using our “quantitative” skills at Casino Night, an annual social event in the fall.  The next is from Thailand where, 5 other classmates and I road a water buffalo.  The next is the group from China at Beijing University, followed by the Summer Palace in Beijing, followed by the Great Wall (relaxing after a long hike).  We then go to Shanghai and the Stock Exchange, followed by my “hotel” in Phuket, Thailand (really roughing it here).  Then Brian Cole, a second year student, feeding the elephant that carried him around for awhile in Phuket.  Followed by Tepper students and partners at our Dean’s house for a Wine Club event.  Where else do you have a Dean who openly invites students into his house?  The next may be a personal favorite, this followed our inaugural Poker Charity Event that benefited a local women’s shelter.  You can’t live in Pittsburgh without routing for the Steelers.  Here’s a Superbowl celebration, hopefully you are lucky enough to be here when they win number 6.  Finally, we have Groundhog Day part 2.  This was the second time up there and this year Phil said spring is coming soon, although it’s hard to tell right now.

Groundhog Day

14 Tepper students made a pilgrimage over the weekend to visit the prognosticator of prognosticators Punxsutawney Phil for the 101st Groundhog Day. For those of you unfamiliar with the tradition here’s a refresher. A bunch of 50 year old men, the inner circle, dress in suits and top hats, wake up early on the morning of February 2nd and pull a groundhog out of a fake tree stump atop Gobbler’s Knob.

This event is absolutely amazing because thousands of people stand in the freezing cold through the night eagerly anticipating Phil’s prediction. We were treated to a fireworks show, dancing, and of course some snow. When it was all said and done, Phil said Spring was soon to come and I was ready to head back to the RV, as I had lost feeling in my appendages several hours prior. Groundhog Day serves as another opportunity for us to step back from the serious and frantic world of business and really enjoy a unique event with classmates and friends.