Last Friday MBA students from all four centers dropped their books, pens, pencils, and laptops (but not really the laptops, they’re expensive) in exchange for shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows, as we assisted with some trail maintenance and invasive species removal at Mount Pisgah Arboretum. For most of the day’s participants, the trip to Mount Pisgah brought back memories of September sunshine and Prologue. At that time, we were just getting to know one another, learning how to jell as a unit, and thinking “What does this have to do with business school?!”. The answer to this question is now quite clear, as there is always more to school (and especially the Oregon MBA) than the lessons learned inside the classroom. Giving back to the Eugene-Springfield community is an important part of the Oregon MBA, and I’m glad that I was able to help build the trails at a park where I and so many others first became mesmerized by the southern end of the Willamette Valley and views of the Cascades.
After we had covered the riverside trails with gravel and mulch, we began a walk uphill to help remove some of the invasive species that managed to sneak their way into the “Oak Savannah”. Pulling out strong-rooted weeds is a challenge in itself, but when you add the risk of rubbing up against some poison oak along the way, things really get tricky. Fortunately, it appears that everyone escaped unscathed, except for the plants that didn’t belong on the path.
When the physical labor was finished, we were able to enjoy the fruits of others’ work. Associate Director of MBA Student Experience, Emily Williams, and Office Manager of Graduate Programs, Becky Girvan, are both recent additions to the Graduate Programs team, and were responsible for planning the entire event. I’m glad that they’re on board, because treated us to some delicious barbecue from Hole in the Wall, a local favorite. While the food was obviously my favorite part of the event, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that Emily and Becky did a fantastic job of coordinating the entire event. I would also like to thank Assistant Dean of the MBA Program, Rebecca Monro and MBA Career Services Adviser, Sally Bell, for donating their time and energy, and an extra special thank you goes out to Sabrina Black, Communications and Recruiting Coordinator in Career Services, for taking all of the wonderful pictures featured here and on our Facebook page.
