How should Blockbuster compete with its online rival Netflix? How should Merrill Lynch create a new security? More than 150 students from 99 colleges and 16 countries gathered this week to discuss such real-world cases with business executives as part of Business Today's 32nd annual conference in New York.
"The goal of Business Today as an organization is to bring students and executives together for debate and dialogue," conference director Maggie Orr '08 said in an email. "[A]ll the attendees have a fantastic time and they all walk away with a new insight into the business world."
For the past three days, students have interacted in small groups with 73 business executives, including Avon CEO Andrea Jung '79, Loews chairman Andrew Tisch and Godiva president Jim Goldman.
The participants, chosen from more than 1,000 applicants, had the chance to "pump [the executives] for knowledge," Business Today vice president Lauren McKenna '07 said.
Aside from the keynote addresses, students spent most of their time in small executive-led seminars on topics ranging from "HBO and the Permanent Campaign" to "Revolutions in Highway Transportation." Students at the conference — titled "From Innovation to Implementation: How to Stay Ahead" — selected the four topics that interested them most.
Allison Leib, a junior at Bates College in Maine and first-time conference attendee, said she "really learned a lot" from the keynote speakers and other activities, "in particular what direction I want to move in."
For the first time this year, the conference also included case studies. Attendees worked in groups to address an issue and then presented their recommendations to the Business Today officers. The best analysis and presentation won a prize.
The conference is entirely run by Princeton students who are Business Today staff members. It took nearly 50 people to staff the event this weekend. In addition, 12 Princetonians spent last summer speaking to over 75 Fortune 500 executives to solicit their time and financial support for the program.
Orr said many of the executives "love hearing directly from students what [the students] feel are the important business issues of the day."
"Others enjoy doing their part to help future leaders learn about business through a unique forum," she added.
Business Today was formed in 1968 by Jonathan Perel '71, Steve Forbes '70 and Michael Mims '71 with the mission to connect college students and business executives. Receiving no funding from the University, it relies on donations to run its programs, which include a biannual magazine, an online journal and a campus seminar series, in addition to the conference.
"I would do this full-time," McKenna said. "It's a great organization."
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