It is only 7:30 a.m., and I’m already three-quarters of the way over the Bay Bridge. By this time, I’ve already managed to drag myself out of my San Francisco home and, with the aid of a strong cup of coffee, have woken up enough to complete the first rough draft of my mental “to-do” list. After savoring the memories of last night’s Bar of the Week event, I quickly realize that once again, my day as a first-year MBA/MPH student is full of engagements.

Before coming to graduate school, I was a medicinal chemist for 5+ years at a biopharmaceutical company just south of San Francisco. I decided to leave my life as a research scientist to pursue an MBA/MPH in order to gain the skills necessary to move therapeutic products beyond the laboratory, into the product pipeline, and to market. To that end, UC Berkeley’s graduate program in health management was an excellent choice for my future career goals -- an esteemed program with a specific focus on the health care industry. The question was, how on earth would a chemist “fit” into an environment laden with business folks? The answer is what made Haas an obvious choice for me… our program boasts a culture of diversity -- a unique blend of students with colorful personalities, diverse backgrounds, and inspirational experiences.

Fridays are a necessary day to catch up on whatever I wasn’t able to finish between my classes, workshops, networking events, club meetings, and social extravaganzas throughout the week.

At 8:00 a.m., the first of my two discussion sections begins. It is for my core corporate finance course, which is promptly followed by a section for accounting. In discussion sections, a graduate student instructor (GSI) reviews the nuances of course material and answers questions ranging from big-picture concepts to the minutiae of recent problem sets. I am more than thankful for my finance section as the GSI clarifies some confusing points and improves my confidence about next week’s midterm exam.

After briefly visiting with classmates following the discussion sections, I hop in my car and drive up to the Oakland Hills where one of my study group members lives. The house is perched high on the hill where every window welcomes you with glorious views of the San Francisco Bay. Our group spends the next four hours putting the finishing touches on our finance project. We successfully develop and execute a strategy to meet the retirement needs of a fictional client. It is 4:30 p.m. by the time we finish, and I am eager to get on the road in an attempt to avoid the infamous Friday rush-hour traffic back to San Francisco. As I sit in light traffic on the bridge, I realize how fortunate I am to have been assigned to work in a team with three of my closest friends -- people who only a couple of months ago were complete strangers.

I make it home with just enough time to join my husband Roland for a jog around Bernal Heights Park, followed by dinner with friends from my previous life. We sit at my favorite neighborhood sushi spot, sipping on hot sake. After dodging banter about being M.I.A. (missing in action), I fill the conversation with tales of my new life at Haas. I talk about my involvement in the Berkeley BioBusiness Association (B3A) and the Women In Leadership (WIL) clubs, and about all of the social and networking events I have been attending. Listening to myself speak, I realize how much my life has already changed by virtue of being a part of the Haas community. I absolutely love it!

After dinner, Roland and I head home to recover from another exhausting week. As I lie in bed, I again start formulating tomorrow’s mental “to-do” list. With my mind racing, I manage to close my eyes and fall asleep, while feeling relieved that tomorrow is Saturday -- a day to sleep in!

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Throughout the week, the alarm clock at my house goes off at 6:30 a.m. My boyfriend Russ works as a web programmer at a nonprofit in San Francisco, so I try to leave the house with him in the morning and get to Haas by 9:00 to start my day.

This morning, I’m going to attend review sessions for accounting and finance led by second-year MBA student instructors. These sessions are a good opportunity to ask follow-up questions and make sure I understand the concepts that have been introduced this past week.

Russ and I have a house in North Oakland, 1.5 miles south of campus. We have lived here since 2000, and after years of growing up in the Midwest and attending school in the East Coast, I can’t imagine living anywhere else in the US. Before coming to Haas, I worked as a fundraiser for UC Berkeley’s art museum and film archive. With a professional background in education and the arts, I have always believed in serving my community. I wanted to obtain my MBA at Haas because the school attracts students who care about the social and environmental impact of doing business and not just the financial bottom-line. I am amazed at how often I find classmates from all walks of life who are interested in volunteering with a local nonprofit through Haas’ Board Fellows Program, or learning about socially responsible business practices through classes taught at the Center for Responsible Business.

By the time my review sessions are over, it is 12:30, so I enjoy lunch in the courtyard with a few classmates, and then head to the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship, where I meet with the center’s director about the upcoming Global Social Venture Business Plan Competition. As co-chair of the 2006 competition, I need to work closely with our faculty sponsors Jerry Engel (Executive Director, Lester Center for Entrepreneurship) and Kellie McElhaney (Executive Director, Center for Responsible Business) to ensure the event’s success. It is thrilling to be part of the leadership team that runs a competition which attracts entrepreneurs from all over the world and gives away $50,000 in prize money each year.

By 2:00 p.m., I’m on my way to meet with the principal at Urban Promise Academy, a small public school in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. As a resident at the school, I am engaged in a consulting project with the academy for the semester and will help school administrators develop a sustainability plan. My project partner and I are conducting a focus group with some teachers today. Next week, I’ll share my experience with other residents, Haas’ nonprofit and public management program director Nora Silver, and second-year MBA Jonathan Klein, who initiated this residency program to bring Berkeley’s MBA and MPP (Master’s in Public Policy) students into the public education system.

This kind of project is exactly what I want to be doing when I graduate. Since orientation week (O-Week), I have been looking for projects to get involved with outside of Haas. Through our excellent alumni network, I have been able to meet inspiring alumni and work on projects for their organizations.

Around 7:00 p.m., Russ meets me at a classmate’s house in the East Bay, where we share dinner with friends from my cohort and their families. I can’t stay out too late tonight because I have hours of homework to do and a resume to revise before the weekend ends!

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