On April 27 - 30, 2006 the Center for Brand and Product Management sponsored the 1st Annual Consortium OP Training Bootcamp in preparation for The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management's annual orientation program.

The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is the country’s preeminent organization for promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. Through an annual competition, The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to America’s best and brightest diverse candidates. In conjunction with its member schools, sponsoring companies, and elite group of MBA students and alumni, The Consortium has built a forty year legacy of fostering inclusion and changing the ethnic and cultural face of American business.

"The mission of The Consortium, is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management. The Consortium will achieve this mission by recruiting for graduate business education qualified U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents from these underrepresented groups, as well as other persons irregardless of race, who can demonstrate a commitment to the Consortium’s mission and can best assist the Consortium in pursuing this
mission."

During the Center's Bootcamp, we provided the following incoming Consortim Fellows with resume, interviewing, networking, and brand management training workshops:

1. Solymar Berrios
2. Marjani Coffey
3. Adeola Emdin
4. Ato Micah
5. Terry Thomas
6. Carlos Valdivia

The weekend ended with our partners from Kraft/Oscar-Mayer performing mock interviews for each of the candidates and giving constructive feedback to better prepare them for the OP's career fair. The brand management overview was presented by alumna Carrie (Stern) Rathod, Assistant Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble. The Analyzing Brands and Marketing workshop was delivered by UW School of Business Senior Lecturer Deborah Mitchell, PhD. All other workshops were delivered by current CBPM 1st and 2nd year students. Below are some pictures from the training sessions.

Carlos and Charles Rawls (MBA '07) socializing during breakfast with Dean Knetter.

Marjani and Charles Rawls (MBA '07) discussing interviewing techniques for career switchers.

Adeola and Kirsten Leppert (MBA '07) going over resume tips.

Ato and Will Wait (MBA '07) practicing behavioral interviewing questions.

Assistant Center Director Sarah Tueting (MBA '05) and Terry going over elevator speeches.

Solymar and Andy Freedman (MBA '06) discussing S.T.A.R. stories.

Of course, it wouldn't be a UW weekend without balancing the hard work with hard play! Thursday night as the incoming students arrived in Madison, they were treated to TAPS, our weekly social gathering at a local bar. Friday night included a dinner with current CBPM students and staff followed by martinis at the Velvet Lounge then a live Reggae concert at the Memorial Union Terrace with the current Consortium students. Finally, Saturday night ended the weekend festivities with a wonderful dinner at The Ocean Grill followed by drinks at the best microbrewery in Madison - The Great Dane. Needing to put the incoming student through their final rite of passage for entering the Center, we took them to Madison's downstairs dance club to end the night shaking our stuff! As far as the rite of passage... All of the incoming students passed with flying colors!

For all other potential candidates to the Center, we encourage you to visit The Consortium's website and evaluate your qualifications to potentially be awarded a fellowship to attend our program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact The Consortium, the UW MBA Admissions Office, or The Center for Brand and Product Managemnt directly.