schnappi^^: Harvard Conference

During our first pilates-turned-taibo meetup, my friend Ashley told me she was going to attend the Harvard Business School 2009 Social Enterprise Conference. I took a look at the website, at the schedule, and even though I had no idea what social enterprise is and what the conference was about, I was tempted to go because there were many sessions that sounded interesting. Plus, a HARVARD conference at $40 including breakfast and lunch + a career fair? Our Child Lit program's summer conference costs like $400 for three days! Not a bad deal. For Harvard, I mean. So I signed up too. My first official, professional conference that hundreds were to attend.

The day before the conference I had planned to go shopping with Ashley because she wanted to get new clothes for the event. Never happened. My poor friend came down with the flu that week, and could not get better in time for the conference. We were both terribly disappointed because she had been looking forward to it for a long time, and it wouldn't be as much fun to go by myself. Of course I still went though. I dressed as professionally as I could, wearing the new shirt I my grandparents had bought me, a long vest that was my mom's, dark grey or black slacks (I couldn't tell), and Mary Jane's. For outerwear I wore the black coat that my aunt and uncle gave me last Christmas. Although, when I changed my shoes after the conference ended, I realized the metal plate at the bottom of one of my heels was missing. Which explains for the hollow sound I thought I heard when I walked. Thankfully I brought another pair of shoes . . . toddling around in heels for 12 hours is not my idea of comfort.

I got up before 6am, still debating whether to take the T or the bus. I finally decided to take the train when I go and take the bus when I come back. At the Harvard T stop I walked down JFK St., crossed a bridge, and the business school was at my left.

This is the walkway I randomly entered.

I only had the vaguest idea of where the Spangler Center was, and when I came upon an important-looking building, I went in, thinking maybe I would hit the spot. If not, maybe find someone I could ask.

It tunred out to be a library. It wasn't Spangler, but I was right that it was an important building. Lucky for me a woman came in from the other side and knew where Spangler was.

The other side of the library.

The Spangler Center.

Ah ha.

Nice, isn't it?

Where we register

and have breakfast!

Sure is professional. Totally worth it.

I was secretly hoping for scrambled eggs and sausage . . .

but I'll welcome pastries anytime.

This is the building where the keynotes are held.

In the auditorium.

Settling down.

Where the panels are held.

Burden Hall. It was starting to snow.

My first panel.

Nice bathroom. I feel like a bumpkin.

Talking about global health and the challenges of delivering to the needed.

Second panel.

A peep at the snowy scene. Sure feels different from Simmons.

Mid-morning snack! The banana bread was delicious, the other one I wasn't so fond of.

Second panel. Introductions. Talking about food as an agent for social change.

The restrooms are in the left hand corner.

Second keynote.

I calculated that there were probably around a thousand people sitting in the room.

We had a brown bag lunch, nothing fancy. I had a turkey sandwich, lay's, and a cookie.

I don't know whether it was the monotone of the speakers, tiredness, or food coma, or maybe all, I was nodding off, and noticed that I wasn't the only one. The woman sitting mext to me was definitely asleep. Haha.

There were two people that I met who left an impression in me. One is actually a Simmons alumn who studied economy, and the other is a Chinese girl who I happened to meet at the bus stop on our way back. She was very chatty and admitted so, and I was surprised that she shared about her experience on a ski trip and how this guy was interested in her. She even told me what her professor just told them about accepting students: apparently, one of their policies is to accept a balanced amount of fast learners and slow learners. (Hmm...I'm a slow learner, so how come I didn't get in?:P) Anyways. Cute woman. (By the way, the ride on the bus was half as long as that on the T @@)

Third panel. The influence of media.

I only stayed half an hour for this one, because I was anxious to get to the career fair which would end when the last keynote ended. Choices, choices, choices.

The career fair was held in the room where we had breakfast, and boy were there a lot of people. There was a snack table in the middle of the room, with fruit, cheese, crackers, bread, and most yummy of all, Newman's Own all-natural pizza. They sure know h0w to advertise. I forgot to take pictures though. My hands were full of my resumes and company brochures.

Third and last keynote. About Ebay's World of Goods.