Reflecting on the first month of our MBA program, what strikes me most is the speed at which impressive strangers turned into genuine friends. Almost from day one, it felt like we had been a group for ages- truly a testament to the care and deliberation with which the program team assembled out class. Despite the fact our group comprises people from five continents and a variety of academic, professional and personal backgrounds, the program began in such a way as to create an instant sense of comradery that normally would be impossible to feel after only a few weeks.

The first week was filled with events carefully designed to create a tight-knit group. That process began as soon as the MBA Director, Amanda Shantz, warmly greeted us to the newly renovated (and beautiful) MBA building in St. Gallen. Highlights over the following days included a series of Hogan Assessment-based, expert-led personality exams, a scavenger hunt through beautiful St. Gallen, and a celebratory dinner on Friday that allowed us to reflect on the whirlwind of an opening week together.

A personal favorite from the early days, however, was our trip to Emmental—a day-long series of group exercises in the beautiful (albeit rainy) Swiss countryside. Divided into three groups, we tackled obstacle courses, team challenges, and a variety of exercises solvable only through efficient teamwork. At the end-of-the-day debrief, it became apparent that for as wet and cold as we all were, we were significantly closer than we had been when we got on the bus that morning.

Since then, I have been filled with a truly enjoyable and insightful first sprint module centered around the economic underpinnings of value creation in business, a class on curating and working with data in a business context, and inspiring on-site company visits that have exposed me to industries like pharma, manufacturing, and consulting.

Above all, however, the individuals I have been fortunate enough to share these experiences with continue to stand out as my favorite aspect of the experience.