SOM Class of 2011 Arrives on Campus

As the 223 members of the Yale School of Management Class of 2011 arrive on campus this week to embark on new lives as MBA students, they will find that one of the greatest resources at the school is their classmates. They’ve lived and worked in more than 30 countries, from the United States and England to Uzbekistan and Ecuador. They speak as many languages, including all the Romance languages, four Chinese dialects, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Hindi, Sindhi, and Norwegian. And they’ve worked for some of the world’s best-known companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Goldman Sachs, Boeing, Unilever, Deutsche Bank, and the Boston Consulting Group; for nonprofits and NGOs, such as the Peace Corps, Teach for America, and the Environmental Defense Fund; for the U.S. Army and Marines; and for companies they started, including a green toy manufacturer in Taiwan and a thriving contemporary dance company in Los Angeles.

The Class of 2011 boasts students of many talents and accomplishments. One received the Bronze Star for her heroics in Iraq, while another rode his bicycle from Cairo to Cape Town to raise $200,000 for Tanzanian development. One is a former New Haven alderman, while another holds the single game reception record for Notre Dame football. These new SOM students are experts in the outdoors, fencing champions, started rock bands, and hold the Indian time record for driving the three highest roads in the world on a motorcycle. They serve their communities through a host of activities all around the world. They’re involved in schools, children’s health, microfinance, and disaster relief.

Yale SOM has long been a leader in fostering a diverse student body. The Class of 2011 is 34% female, 28% international, and 28% U.S. minority, with 12% U.S. underrepresented minority. This year’s entering class also features the first group of students selected through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an organization that works to promote diversity and inclusion in American business, that Yale SOM joined last year.

Members of the Class of 2011 hail from five continents and have worked in every sector. The class also boasts an average college GPA of 3.5 and scored an average of 715 on the GMAT.

Bruce DelMonico, director of admissions, said that what’s most impressive about the incoming class is how much they already embrace the school’s mission of educating leaders for business and society. "They come from all sectors and a host of industries, from finance and consulting to non-profit and public management, from energy and the environment to healthcare and marketing, and a range of other areas as well," he said. "They are also intellectually curious and ready to learn not just from the school but from each other, which makes for a rich, robust academic environment."

The school’s ten-day orientation began this week, with a series of events, challenges, and trips designed to introduce new students to the Yale SOM integrated MBA experience. While there’s an ice cream social, clambake, and an introduction to the city’s many culinary choices, students are launched immediately into the rigors of the curriculum. On their second day of orientation, students begin the Audubon Street Project, a competition between various teams to come up with business plans for an empty storefront in New Haven’s Arts District. Students also take part in information sessions on healthcare, the International Experience, and diversity. On the second-to-last day of orientation, students travel to New York for company visits and a reception at the New York Stock Exchange. Core courses for first year students begin August 24, while electives for second year students start on Sept. 2.