Mannheim Full-time MBA Students Get Involved Outside the Classroom

The participants of the fifth graduating class of the Mannheim MBA lend a helping hand at a summer party for children with special needs and also put together a 'Week of Cultures'.

Taking part in an MBA program means a whole lot of work and stress, and this is particularly the case at Mannheim Business School (MBS), as it is at other well-known institutions for management education. And yet the students are not only dedicated to their careers, business plans and marketing strategies. They look beyond these inspirations and use their motivation and initiative outside the classroom to get other projects off the ground. An example of this is the fifth class of the Mannheim MBA, which will graduate from their one-year program in a few weeks, with two initiatives: helping the organizers of the summer party of Mannheim's Eugen Neter School for children with special needs and the Week of Cultures.

Summer Party of the Eugen-Neter School

Till Schneider, one of the 22 participants of the current MBA class, explains that his and his fellow students' decision to support the Eugen-Neter School with their summer party was because they wanted "to take up a task with which we are not faced every day and to offer help where it is needed." The future managers got into contact with the school in Mannheim's north via the city's volunteer office. At present, the school is looking after the academic and other needs of 208 developmentally challenged children and youths. The summer party is traditionally the graduation and the highlight of the school year, to which parents and relatives are invited. The MBS team was involved the whole day in helping with the organization of the event, which included all sorts of activities and surprises for the students. There were pony rides, a waterslide, a climbing wall, and beer crate stacking, among other things. "It was an exciting and instructive day," says Mr. Schneider.

Week of Cultures

During their third study term, the European MBA participants, who represent ten different nationalities from four continents, had to take the Cross-Cultural Management course. This provided a welcome framework for a new idea: the "Week of Cultures". "After nine months of studying together, we have come to know each other very well, however, the countries from which many of us originate are still quite unknown," says Juan Pablo Zea, one of the project's pioneers. The event offered each participant the chance to present his or her country before lunch or after class. The virtual trip around the globe took the attendees to Mexico, Greece, Lebanon, and the Philippines, and also to Cologne, Baden and Southern Germany. The international language of food added to the experience: The Week of Cultures was rounded off with an international barbecue and proved that Columbian potato soup, Russian caviar and a German platter of cold meats go great together.