PitchBook: “Stanford’s incoming class of graduate business students has returned from the annual Stanford-Harvard MBA yacht week in Croatia, trading sunburns and hangovers for class prep.

“The Mediterranean escapades of America’s future business leaders don’t help the MBA’s reputation as a program heavy on networking and light on studying.

“Nevertheless, hundreds of MBA grads from the top 30 schools cinch coveted jobs in venture firms every year. Around 50 of Harvard’s 2024 MBA class of 1,004 landed a role in VC, with a median starting salary of $177,500, according to the university’s data. And around 30 of Stanford’s graduating MBA class, which is typically less than half the size of Harvard’s, entered the industry, the school said.

“Business school graduates have long been a feature of Sand Hill Road’s ranks. After the 2008 financial crisis, scores of MBA graduates—who previously would have plowed into investment banks—went out west instead. More than 10,000 graduates of Harvard, Stanford and Wharton MBA programs now hold senior positions at US VC firms, according to PitchBook data.”

One business school has 5,002 MBA alumni in senior roles at VC firms – nearly three times the number of MIT Sloan grads. To see how many MBA alumni your target school has placed in venture capital firms, click here.

DON’T MISS: PITCHBOOK’S 2025 TOP UNIVERSITIES, RANKED BY NUMBER OF MBA STARTUP FOUNDERS

---

Northwestern Kellogg Welcomes the Class of 2027

Kellogg School of Management: “Autumn’s changing leaves marks more than a seasonal shift in Evanston — they signal the start of a new school year. At Kellogg, that brings fresh ideas and energy to campus, along with the arrival of the Class of 2027. From diverse backgrounds and industries, these students bring curiosity, ambition and a shared excitement for what’s ahead.

Hear from some members of the newest class as they share thoughts on everything from what brings them to Kellogg and pre-term experiences to communities and projects that they’re eager to build.

A self-proclaimed espresso aficionado, Alfred Jackson ’27 Two-Year MBA Program is looking forward to sharing his love of java, great music and classic cars with his Kellogg peers. But aside from connecting over personal passions, Jackson is eager to deepen his finance experience, having spent the last seven years in early-stage venture capital and startup ecosystems. He looked to Kellogg knowing he needed a rigorous finance curriculum taught by professors with real-world experience in the private equity and venture capital industries.

The Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital, along with the Black Management Association (BMA), played a significant role in his decision to attend Kellogg. “I’m especially excited about Kellogg’s Advanced Private Equity Experience (APEX), which supports students with private equity or related experience who are committed to building careers in the field after graduation,” shares Jackson. “My long-term goal is to establish my own private equity firm that invests in industries crucial to enhancing the quality of life for everyday people.”

To read additional profiles of first-year students, click here.

DON’T MISS: MEET NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG’S MBA CLASS OF 2026

---

Professor for a Day: Machine Gun Kelly Visits Harvard Business School

Boston Globe: “MGK, formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly, had a few words of advice for the students of Harvard Business School earlier this week.

The musician, who has dipped his toes into everything from rap to pop to punk, hit the hallowed halls of Harvard University in Boston’s Allston neighborhood to serve as a guest speaker at the Business School’s Entertainment and Media Club, where he spoke candidly about how he deals with his haters.

“Harvard has a new professor,” the musician captioned a photo of himself standing outside of the university, dressed in a leather bomber coat, red tie, gray pants, and a Lost Americana hat, the name of his latest album.”

To read more, click here.

DON’T MISS: HARVARD PROF WHO BROUGHT KIM KARDASHIAN TO CAMPUS EXPLAINS WHAT MBAS CAN LEARN FROM HER

---

Case Western Reserve Weatherhead Receives $15 Million Gift to Launch Leadership Institute

CWRU Newsroom: “When the Weatherhead Foundation invested in the management school at Case Western Reserve University more than 45 years ago, its gift fueled an institution that is known for breakthrough management research, experience-based education and exceptional leadership development.

Today, the foundation is amplifying its commitment to the next generation of leaders at Case Western Reserve University through a $25 million gift that will launch the Celia Scott Weatherhead Leadership Institute.

Housed at Weatherhead School of Management, this university-wide, interdisciplinary institute will help students develop the experiential and service-based leadership skills they need to make courageous, ethical and emotionally intelligent decisions in the real world.

“As president of the Weatherhead Foundation, Celia has proven she is a strategic, impactful leader—changing the lives of so many through thoughtful support to organizations that can make a difference,” said Case Western Reserve University President Eric W. Kaler. “We are grateful for her continued commitment to the Weatherhead School and to this university—including as an emerita trustee—so we can develop leaders who are ready to be a force for good in the world.”

To read more, click here.

DON’T MISS: Profile of the Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management

---

ADDITIONAL STORIES

University Of Alabama Business School Receives $5 Million Donation

From Luxembourg to Singapore: The World’s Wealthiest Countries in 2025

IÉSEG School Of Management Unveils “Becoming”, Its Distinctive Educational Approach Focused On Lifelong Human Transformation

 

© Copyright 2025 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.