Yale Alums’ Startup Fights Coral Reef Die-Off

News from Yale School of Management 

“The vision that two alumni shared as graduate students for a startup to meaningfully address declining global coral reef health is taking shape on the island of Grand Bahama. The cofounders of Coral Vita, Sam Teicher ’12 B.A., ’15 M.E.M, and Gator Halpern ’15 M.E.M., are opening the world’s first commercial land-based coral farm in the Bahamas. There, they will grow coral up to 50 times faster than in nature by utilizing research from leading coral scientists working with their mission-driven for-profit. Through what is known as ‘assisted evolution,’ they will also enhance the resiliency of corals to help them adapt more quickly to warming and acidifying oceans that threaten coral health.

“To launch their pilot farm, Coral Vita has partnered with the Grand Bahama Development Corporation and Grand Bahama Port Authority. They also are receiving significant support from local tourism operators, real estate developers, and the Bahamas’ government, which is eager to find solutions to the widespread loss of the island’s reefs. More than 80% of local reefs have died. These thriving underwater worlds rich in biodiversity are vital to the country’s economy and ecosystem, powering eco-tourism, sustaining critical fisheries, and sheltering coastlines from storm surge. If they are successful in the Bahamas, the cofounders hope to replicate these farms in other coral hotspots around the world.”

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Some RC members of the LGBT Student Association on National Coming Out Day. HBS photo

Finding Your LGBT Family At HBS

News from Harvard Business School

“Let’s be real, I had many concerns coming to Harvard Business School.  I am in my 30s; would I feel old? I am a veteran; would I feel lost? I am a language major; would I pass finance? I am married and we’re long distance; would I feel lonely?

“In the first weeks of school, the HBS MBA Administration and ECs (second year MBA students) encourage you to invest in developing your social circle. For most RCs (first year MBA students), this is the section – the school designs it to be such. Each MBA class is evenly divided into ten sections, A through J, that you take your classes with, study with, socialize with, and recruit with. Naturally, friendships are easily formed within the section, and, for most, your section becomes your circle.”

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How HBS Financial Aid Can Help You Meet The Cost Of Your MBA

News from HBS

“As a first-generation college student, I understand firsthand what it’s like to have to figure out how to pay for school. Education is an investment, and I’m here to tell you that it IS possible to afford an HBS MBA. With generous support from our alumni, we are able to offer need-based financial aid that considerably reduces the price of our program. Some fund(d) facts:

  • Fellowships are free gifts or scholarships that do not need to be paid back
  • 50% of our students qualify for a need-based fellowship, on average it’s worth $80,000 over 2 years
  • Students can apply to get complementary fellowship funds on top of an HBS fellowship
  • Students can get up to $30,000 in outside scholarships on top of an HBS fellowship.”

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Research shows workers in younger societies gain business skills more quickly, which increases their entrepreneurial abilities. GSB photo

Rethinking The Relationship Between Age, Business Acumen, And Entrepreneurship

News from Stanford Graduate School of Business

“There’s no question the domestic workforce is aging. According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median age of the U.S. labor force was 42 years in 2016, up from 38 in 1996, and it’s projected to keep climbing.

“But new research suggests that this trend could hamper business innovation on a long-term basis.

“Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Edward Lazear, with coauthors James Liang and Hui Wang from Peking University, find that having too many older workers in a society can hurt entrepreneurship. Their research appeared in the October 2018 issue of the Journal of Political Economy.”

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What Surprised Me Most About Booth

News from University of Chicago Booth School of Business

“As an Admissions Fellow, I am often asked about my experience at Booth. A common question I get is, ‘What’s surprised you most?’ So, I wanted to share my biggest pleasant surprises and, hopefully in the process, shed some light on what attending this school has meant to me.

“The emphasis on personal growth: I expected to come to business school and learn the fundamentals, build a network, and learn the necessary tools to land my desired internship/job. I did not expect the extent to which Booth would promote personal growth by encouraging some serious introspection. That path toward personal growth began with LEAD, which tested my self-awareness and got me to consider how my strengths and weaknesses translate into my abilities as a leader and teammate.”

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