By Julia Ostrov
The Social Enterprise Program held its annual retreat on Saturday, September 16, when faculty, administrators, alumni, and about 100 students gathered to relax and mingle through the late summer afternoon. Professor Ray Horton, Director of the Social Enterprise Program, and his wife, Jackie, hosted the event at their home in the Catskill Mountains.
"Most of the feedback I hear from students is that they enjoy the opportunity to get out of New York City and see the country," Professor Horton said. "For second-year students, it provides the chance to catch up with old friends, and for first-years it's an opportunity to get to know the second years. Ever since we started doing this in the '80s, with about a dozen students at our previous home in Fire Island, it's always been essentially a social occasion."
The day offered a variety of mountain delights. Not far from the house students explored hiking trails, went horseback riding at a local stable, and played paintball. Back at Professor Horton's there was a 135-pound pig on a roaster, freshly farmed corn on the grill, and a bountiful selection of potluck foods to sample, including three different kinds of potato salad.
A pond at the base of a waterfall, set off about 200 feet from the house, provided a picturesque (if cold) swimming spot, and on dryer land there was a trampoline for the aerodynamically inclined. Students raved about the outing. Giselle Leung, '07, enjoyed both the setting and the socializing. "It was great to be able to spend some quality time with friends away from the concrete jungle and to get to know some of the first-years in a fun, relaxed environment. It's exciting to see their energy and their strong interest in social enterprise."
Peter Wolfgang, '08, echoed that enthusiasm. "In addition to being a nice break from the city, I found that the retreat was the perfect opportunity to meet faculty and fellow students - including plenty of second years I hadn't met before - who share interests similar to my own. I think the turnout shows in general that there's a real commitment at CBS to keeping corporate responsibility in mind no matter what career we may choose in the future." Peter entered CBS this year with a background in consulting and is interested in "learning more about how business solutions can be involved in solving environmental problems."
The retreat was also a compelling glimpse into the program for prospective student Ben Wade, who came up from Washington D.C. to participate in the event. He is currently working with a healthcare consulting company there, and hopes to join next year's entering MBA class. Ben sends his thanks "to Professor Horton for extending the invitation, and to all of the current students who were so generous with their thoughts, advice, and stories. Columbia Business School was my top choice heading into the weekend," Ben noted, "and the retreat cemented that for sure."