When my professor called and asked me to share some of my thoughts, as an alumnus of Great Lakes, I wondered, what do I write about? Should I write about the serene campus or the one year that went by in a jiffy or about some of the amazing friends I made here. There I was, musing over a hot cup of coffee when suddenly a sense of guilt started conquering me. Sometimes we tend to overlook things that are too obvious, don’t we? One such integral element of my B-School life I inadvertently was missing out from my list was ‘The Gurus’.
Talking about the cause and effect – If I reminisce my little moments of glory, success, pride and happiness, it would all be the “effect”. It would be unfair to forget the “cause” behind all those defining moments of my life. Had it not been for tutelage and mentoring from the faculty at Great Lakes, this whole journey would not have even germinated, let alone be a memorable one. I attribute the “cause” solely to the guidance of the extraordinary faculty of my alma mater.
They are not just friends for life and beyond: I’d rather call them my mentors for life and beyond, for the exemplary stature and honour they possess. At the onset of this beautiful journey, I was unsure about the major I should choose. However, through the very first course of Marketing Management that I took, I realised I wanted to specialise in it going forward.
The timely inputs from my mentors while I participated in various competitions, the depth of learning hidden in their subtle sense of humour really helped me.I urge the current students to read between the lines and search for a mentor who they feel will help them shape the trajectory of their future life and beyond.
Time Management: The faculty at Great Lakes can inspire you with the sheer energy they exude. Being my first teachers of time management, I was taught how to respect time first, before attempting to manage it. I would say this is where my mentors added tremendous value to my life by simply helping me channel my efforts in right direction. Twelve months in and the faculty knew how to keep us occupied every moment and helped us realise the worth of every minute spent on the campus.
Knowledge from all corners of the world: Over the course of the year, we had the honour of being taught by some of the best management scholars of the world – they came from Stanford, Kellogg, Yale or Miami. And they left an indelible impression on us.
Fortune favours the brave: Even today, I don’t miss an opportunity to go back to my professors for advice and guidance. Very often, we need to make lot of presentations and come up with intriguing ideas at work. And many a time, that one big idea which made all the difference to our presentation would be the one suggested by them. What more one could ask for? These are mentors for a life time and it is only a matter of showing promise and reaching out to your gurus.
Stretch yourself, find yourself: Uncle Bala, as we call our beloved Dean, is always so energetic and lively. He is a living example of how far your dreams can drive you to do things you never knew you were capable of. He is a true inspiration to all Great Lakers and has taught us the importance of walking that extra mile.
The curtains never go down: The best part of Great Lakes is that the bond with the alma mater or the faculty remains, even after you graduate.
I had the time of my life at Great Lakes and regard it as an opportunity to rediscover myself with the help of my gurus. It’s a long way before my destination, but Great Lakes is the place where my wheels of transformation began to roll.