A Great Start of NTU GMBA Program Begins with a Successful Orientation

On September 8, the Class of 2020 had their first meeting as classmates in the NTU College of Management. This day was one of the most important for GMBA students, as it marked not only a new chapter in many of their lives, but also an opportunity to begin forming relationships that may last well beyond the GMBA Program.

After the GMBA staff and volunteer students made their final preparations, the Class of 2020, bright-eyed and anxious, arrived in their shining purple polo shirts. This year, a diverse group of students from over 20 different countries were split into 8 groups. After a warm welcome from the second-year GMBA student and event host, Scott Schwartz, GMBA alumna Neesha Wolf was introduced to lead the new students in a team-building session.

Neesha led the session by giving each group the same tasks but looking for teams that can solve problems. Each group received an envelope with small pieces of paper inside; some pieces contained questions, some were the clues. Students were instructed not to share the details with one another, except by discussing with one another. After approximately 40 minutes of teamwork, the first group had finished the task, immediately followed by three other groups. To close the session, Neesha emphasized the importance of the strategies each group used and the importance of utilizing them within the GMBA Program.

Following the team-building session, the new GMBAers took their very first and formal group photos in front of the Building 1 of the College of Management. After shooting several group photos, the whole GMBA family, including alumni, had lunch together getting to know their fellow classmates.

In the afternoon session, GMBA Director, Prof. Chia-Lin Chen (陳家麟), presented the history of the GMBA Program, as well as his love of Taiwan. In addition, Director Chen shared photos and stories from GMBA’s past activities and events, including the unforgettable dragon boat race victory of 2018. Following Prof. Chen, Associate Director Celia Yang (楊嘉嫻) shared her experiences of living aboard and her role in the GMBA Office in assisting students. Lastly, Tina Lai (賴筱婷), the current President of GMBA Student Council, shared a brief story of her life before joining GMBA, the reason that why she chose NTU GMBA as her next step in life.

After a short coffee break, all students proceeded to attend the final session, the Strength Finder Workshop led by Assistant Prof. Miriam Garvi. Students shared their strengths with one another and discussed how their strengths can complement their teammates. After a long, productive orientation session, at around 5:15 PM, the students were dismissed to brave the heavy rain outside and have dinner together.

Chinese / GMBA Office
English / Yvonne Chen (GMBA Office), Chananard Wiwattarangkul, and Scott Schwartz (second-year students of NTU GMBA Program)