Last week, 610 anxious HBA1 students were sorted into their eight class sections and launched into one of the most diverse orientation weeks in the program’s history.
The annual breakfast Opening Gala, sponsored by KPMG, marked the official starting point of the HBA program for new students in the HBA Class of 2016. The ceremony featured introductions from Dean Bob Kennedy, HBA Program Director Mary Gillett, HBA Association President Michelle Chen and Orientation Week Head Guru Matt Sicoly. JOYUS founder and HBA alumna Sukhinder Singh Cassidy took the stage to give an inspiring keynote speech before the students’ section assignments were flashed on the screen.
And the games begin
Ivey’s Guru Team of nearly 100 HBA2s planned an elaborate schedule of athletic, academic, and artistic programming as well as a number of after-hours social nights for the incoming class.
“Ivey Orientation Week is for HBA1s to enjoy this eventful week and build a sense of confidence in themselves and in their decision to attend the Ivey Business School,” Head Guru Matt Sicoly explained.
After only being together for only 24 hours, the eight sections quickly had to learn to work as eight teams, battling it out on the soccer pitch in a number of high intensity games, such as ‘Duck, duck, goose,’ tug-of-war, dodgeball, and inflatable obstacle courses.
A new tradition
After a competitive afternoon, Sunday’s Ivey Palooza was a more ‘chill’ event, because it was both laid back and also had a fun frozen yogurt station from Chil Frozen Yogurt. Students enjoyed a live performance by the London band Mermaids Exist, as well as several by their peers, as the first ever O-Week ‘Ivey’s Got Talent’ competition was held.
Sicoly considered the Palooza to be a highlight of the week.
“The night was filled with free frozen yogurt, a live band, and some unbelievably talented HBA1s participating in Ivey’s Got Talent,” he said.
We hope that Ivey Palooza will be a tradition for Ivey O-Week, and become a warm welcoming to a beautiful building and a great year.”
The pivotal first case
Like the HBA program itself, orientation week could not be all fun and games. Ivey Bootcamp was an in-class event on Monday, the day before the first regular day of the class, which walked students through solving cases with in-class support from their upper-year peers. Bootcamp provided a comfortable space for students to test the waters in a classroom setting while asking the more experienced Gurus questions about what to expect in their first semester.
HBA Class of 2016 fast facts
- Born in 33 countries
- Speak 33 languages
- Came from 47 different programs before entering HBA1
- Two-thirds of the class had AEO status at Western before entering the program