by Elena Aldea, Recruitment and Admissions Officer, Executive MBA Programmes
Diversity is a principle that underpins life at LBS. Nowhere is this more evident than in the activities and experiences you’ll find outside the classroom. No matter whether you’re interested in entrepreneurship, consulting or photography, LBS has a bit of everything. From specialised business orientated groups to cultural groups to sports teams, LBS offers a wide range of clubs, as well as conferences and student-led events, for you to join and explore.
The 85+ student clubs all fall into a variety categories: regional (e.g. Indian Club, Latin American Club), sports (e.g. Men’s Rugby Club, Sailing Club), social (e.g. Salsa Club, Film Club) and professional (e.g. Energy Club, Health Care Club). So whether you’re looking to build some business ideas, expand your network or even just try something new, you’ll certainly have more than enough opportunity.
Raya Ghandour, our EMBALJ2020 student, is truly taking advantage of the on-campus opportunities. She is an active member of the Salsa, as well as the Entrepreneurship club:
“When I started my EMBA journey, I was keen on making sure it would be a fun and mind-expanding journey (and not just from an academic standpoint). I made the conscious effort to join all the clubs that interested me (I never thought I would enjoy Salsa dancing as much, I now attend a double class religiously every Monday evening!) and also felt I wanted to give back to my LBS community so I decided to join the student representatives body and became entrepreneurship rep for my cohort. My goal is to ensure that our executive community gets as much as possible from the growing community of LBS entrepreneurs.
The EMBA programme is definitely challenging in all the right ways and one needs to be disciplined and focused to be able to make the most out of it while also having fun!”
Her peer, Michael Collar (EMBALJ2020), is involved in the Student Association and equally wanted to give some insight into the importance of extracurricular activities:
“As a Student Association programme representative, I serve as the main liaison between my EMBA cohort and the larger LBS student body. The Student Association represents all students across all programmes, making it the largest group on campus. In my role, I work to keep my classmates connected to the rest of the LBS community by facilitating participation in school-wide clubs and events and being the main point-of-contact for any LBS-related questions, suggestions, etc.
I love the role because I have a direct impact on the LBS experience of my fellow EMBAs. Since we are on campus less frequently than other programmes, it can more difficult for EMBAs to connect with other students. By encouraging participation and highlighting the extracurricular options available in the LBS community, I am seeing many of my classmates expanding their networks and building lasting bonds, which is incredibly rewarding.”
The conferences also play a big role in cultivating ideas and encouraging debates with world speakers, market consultants, sponsors and traders. Keep an eye out for the student-led events coming up in 2020:
- Retail & Luxury Goods Conference
- Healthcare Conference
- Women in Business Conference
- Social Impact Week
- Global Energy Summit
- Middle East Conference
- Latin America Business Forum
- Mental Health Awareness Week
Other big, fascinating highlights taking place every year that you should know about are Tattoo, which brings all the clubs together for unforgettable showcases and performances, and the Summer Ball, a celebration dedicated to all students.
You can take a look at the extensive list of all the student clubs running within LBS and start having a think about what you’d get involved in.