Tip of the Week

I have received some great feedback from the Tips for the Journey Ahead post. As a result, I will be implementing the Tip of Week post - a tip for every week of the semester. I hope the tips will beneficial to your study experiences - or at least prepare you to be successful in all of your academic endeavors. So this week's Tip of the Week is....

*Participate in class discussions. Now, I know for some people, this might more difficult than for others. I understand because I used to be the student who preferred to observe rather than involve myself in discussions. I felt I could do just fine taking notes and watching. However, the summer I studied at Oxford University changed my participation level in the class because half (yes, 50%) of my grade was dependent upon class discussion. I had to learn right away that I better have something to contribute (and that it better be good too...no pressure, it's just Oxford). As a result of my learning to actively participate in class discussions and then implementing that back into my last undergradate year at ORU, I discovered I enjoyed the classes more.

Now in my 6th semester of graduate courses, I find that this is still a very helpful and beneficial tool to learning. You don't have to offer up opinions or thoughts every single class period, but you should be constantly thinking of what you could bring to the class. By staying involved in the class, you will be able to take in more of what is being taught as well as being able to learn better.. If you are normally the person to sit back and "relax" during class discussions, try next time to branch out and say something. You may be surprised at how much you really can contribute.

Welcome Students!

I want to WELCOME the 50 new students into the Graduate School of Business for the Fall 2010 semester, as well as all of the returning students! A special welcome to our international students from Nigeria, Jamaica, India, Peru, Zimbabwe, Taiwan, Kenya, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Ghana, Bahama, Venezuela, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Paraguay!

Part of what makes the MBA program unique is the diversity of the students who attend. Discussions in the classroom blend in the differences of students and their experiences. I have met with students who have traveled many hours to get here, students who have been in workforce many years, students just starting out with big dreams, and students with a passion to pursue excellence. It's something inescapable in our graduate business program.

I am excited to have classes with these students, participate in group projects with them, and find out more about who they are. Welcome!

How My Studies Took Me Halfway Around the World

I love traveling, particularly international travel. Perhaps it's because I took my first international trip when I was 10 to Guatemala, or maybe it's all the new sites, culture, and life not yet experienced that drives my passion for international travel. Whatever it is, I know the opportunity of going to a foreign land is one I don't pass up easily.

When the opportunity was presented to me to go to Indonesia this past summer and present a paper I had written with my group in Management in a Globalized Era (one of the required courses for the MBA program) at an international business conference, I knew I had to go.

My husband (who was in my group for that paper) and I decided to jump at this opportunity and see what we could learn, who we could meet, and what kind of culture we could experience...in Bali, Indonesia.

Never would I have imagined that my MBA studies at ORU would allow me to have such an international experience - while still completing my degree! We met business leaders from all over the world - Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, China, Thailand, and other pacific-rim countries. We heard from CEO's, marketing directors, and managers. The Indonesian Tourism Board hosted a banquet for all of us so we could catch a glimpse of Indonesian culture.

One of ORU's MBA students is from Indonesia and we were able to meet up with him there. The world suddenly felt much smaller. I love the international flair at ORU and the fact that I can fly halfway across the world (nearly 22 hours of flight time) and sit down with an ORU MBA student and one of our professors while sipping some incredibly fresh non-imported coffee - and that it was my MBA studies that took me there. Who knew that writing just one paper could open up the world?

Places to Study in Tulsa

Since it’s the end to the first full week of classes, and homework is probably on the agenda for the weekend, I thought I would share some of locations around town that I have found to be good for studying. While studying at home or in a dorm room can be beneficial, a change of environment can also be equally, if not more helpful, in allowing your mind to be creative while writing papers or focusing on a task at hand.

While it is possible to study just about anywhere if you put your mind to it, there are a few things I feel are necessary for a graduate student to have while studying. A power outlet (have laptop, will work). A chair (I wouldn’t want to stand the whole time). Free wi-fi (these days, this is a must). Coffee (yeah, definitely need this). And a conducive environment to study in (of course, pop in some ear phones and block out the distraction, and you can study with almost anything going on).

I consider studying at my house to be fine, but sometimes I just need that change of scenery. Here are some places that I have been known to wander to and study that have the 5 things I need to study (power outlet, chair/table, wi-fi, coffee, decent study environment)….

*Starbucks. We have quite a few of these around town…at least a dozen. Find your favorite one and get to know the baristas. They have been known to allow free 2nd cups of coffee.
*Kaffe Bona. 2 locations within just a few miles of ORU. And, bonus, they offer ORU students a discount.
*Nordaggios. The classic coffee shop located across the street from ORU, so even if you don’t have a car, a nice jaunt across the street can stimulate your brain for studying with a cup of roasted joe (discounts here too for ORU students).
*Barnes & Noble. This place is usually quite crowded but occasionally there are some free tables…however, power outlets are limited.
*Borders Bookstore. About 2 miles from ORU and similar to Barnes & Noble except more tables and power outlets.
*Cosi. This little café is just a few miles from ORU and not only offers oven-baked bread sandwiches, pizzas, and an assortment of coffee drinks, but it has free wi-fi, s’mores, and an outlet at almost every table (and there are many).
*Camille’s Sidewalk Café. Just about a mile and a half from ORU. It too offers free wi-fi and some decent food. The only downside is the lack of coffee…however, there is a Starbucks right across the street so you can always eat lunch and study and then migrate.
*Library. There are lots of these around town. Besides the one on campus which has multiple locations conducive to studying, the Tulsa public libraries have also been known to be great places to get away and think. Again, no coffee here, but with all the Starbucks in town, there’s probably one less than a mile from whatever library you go to – and some libraries have been known to have little coffee carts.
*Shades of Brown. This is a coffee shop in Brookside with funky décor and some back rooms to avoid the activity at the front of the store. To be honest, I have never studied here, but I would imagine during certain times of the day, those back rooms actually offer a lot of free space, quiet, and lots of strong coffee.
*Coffee Shop on Cherry Street. This place is on 15th Street near Utica Square so it is a bit further than some of the nearby places to ORU. I’ve never studied here either, but I have been there and seen ORU students out with their laptops, ear phones, and espresso.

These are just some of the places I have found in Tulsa that have been great places to study. If you are from Tulsa or are currently studying here, feel free to share your favorite study place as well – I’m always looking for additional places to check out!

Chapel at ORU

Today is Wednesday...which means it's a Chapel day. Every Wednesday and Friday ORU's students and faculty come together for a one hour service of incredible worship and inspiring messages to grow deeper in God.


As a student, this is something that I truly appreciate about ORU. The Chapel services are real and relateable. During Chapel you can put everything else aside and focus on hearing from God. You can gain a new sense of your purpose and remember why you're going to push through your homework and get it done.


Along the balcony, the commission of Oral Roberts to build ORU can be read by every student as they leave the service:


Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours, and in this I am well pleased.

This is why we do what we do. This is why we'll push through those long hours of studying and complete our assignments. This is why we aim to finish our studies...to go and do something in the world that will bring healing and light to a lost world that will exceed even the works of our founder...and through that, God will be not just be pleased, but well pleased.

Interested in viewing a Chapel or watching it live? Click here.

Tips for the Journey Ahead

It is the first day of a new school year! This is a day to celebrate - the start of something new!

I have been asked by students over the past few years what advice I would give to them as they begin the journey of graduate studies (or continue in them) so I thought I would pass on some of what I have learned as a graduate student (as well as working full-time and being married) that I believe can assist in helping you become a successful student.

* Always work ahead. If you know you have 10 books to read during the semester, start early (talking to myself here as well). And if you finish one early, begin the next. If you know a test is coming up, don't wait until the night before to begin studying - start preparing for it early. This will give you more time to soak in the knowledge while not being incredibly stressed out the night before a test (you can actually get some decent sleep by doing this).

I'll give an example - last fall I was out of town every weekend from the first week of class until the end of October. That translates into about 10 weekends in a row that I was unable to do homework on weekends - which is a huge time for graduate students to get stuff done. In order to open up the weekends for me so I didn't have to find a corner to punch out accounting figures or read a book at my brother's wedding, work events or family activities, I would do homework at night during the week after classes. Now some people might not find this very appealing, but I believe having weekends open to do more than just homework is much more appealing than going home after class and vegging into front of the TV watching So You Think You Can Dance.

* Set early deadlines. This kind of applies to working ahead - when you know the deadline for submitting a paper, set an early deadline for yourself to finish it...like maybe a week early. This will give you time to review it several times, make all those nice grammatical corrections, and make your paper spectacular.

* Engage in the classroom. Don't just sit there. Be a sponge. Ask questions. Apply what you learn in the classroom to your life.

* Enjoy the process of learning. Don't wish away the class or count down the weeks until it's over. All that will do will leave you anxious. Instead, take in all you can and live in the now. It will do you no good to look so far ahead that you can't see what's directly in front of you. Enjoy the journey.

* Give yourself a night off. It does no good to burn yourself out from studying. I always try to schedule Friday nights as my night off from studying (unless of course it's finals week or something major is coming up the next week). Again, this kind of coincides with working ahead so you can have the night off, but do it. It will refresh your mind and allow you to be more focused later on.

* Get to know people in the program. Don't be an island. The people in your classes all have busy lives too, but they can be an immense encouragement to you during stressful times. Some people come from far away places, some have years of experience, others have families or careers or both. Get to know them - especially since you will have group projects in nearly every class. Making connections now with your classmates can lead to a lifetime of friendships and connections around the world.

* Pray. Perhaps being in a graduate program already lends itself to giving you great opportunities for increasing prayer in your life, but this is definitely a time in your life that you don't want to forget to pray. Pray for your classmates, your professors, your families and friends, yourself...cast your cares to the Lord and trust in Him (but apply yourself too). He's got everything under control - even in the most stressful of times.

I know this is going to be a fantastic year, full of amazing discoveries, and memories along the way. And when you don't feel like doing that homework, just remember this is only a season and it'll be worth it in the end! (I know I will probably need to be reminded of this myself somewhere during the semester.)

Whether we're ready or not, it's time to welcome in the 2010-2011 academic year!

Introduction

Welcome to ORU's Graduate School of Business blog!

Since this is the first post on this site, I felt it would be proper to introduce myself. My name is Rebecca Gunn and while I am a graduate business student, I am also the Graduate Business Representative/Recruiter. I work with all prospective and incoming graduate business students. Any questions about the programs, classes, or admissions process? I'm here for you!

A little about myself...

I am working on my MBA with a concentration in Management. I've been on a part-time track and will finish this spring! When I'm not working or studying, I'm usually traveling to some far off land with my camera in hand...or frequenting the local coffee shops with my husband (who is also a graduate business student).

Some of my favorite things about being an ORU graduate business student...

* the students in my classes with incredible drive and dreams
* the professors who teach from passion and practice
* the overall feeling of walking the campus grounds knowing this is a place of destiny

Purpose of this blog...

My goal is that you will be able to enjoy glimpsing into my life as an ORU graduate business student as I work towards completing my degree...and if you happen to be considering ORU, that you will see what kind of amazing experiences you too could have at this extraordinary university.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you!