With over 100 majors at UC Davis, there is no opportunity for students to receive a business degree. Justin Waterman discovered this when he transferred here his junior year, and decided to fix the problem by starting the Marketing and Business Association, known to many as MBA.
The club’s goal is to provide resources for students who wish to pursue a degree in marketing as well as offer the chance to network with other interested students and business professionals.
Only a few weeks old, the MBA already has 44 members of different majors and class standings.
“When I transferred here, I was looking to do more in business,” said Waterman, a senior economics and communication double major and president of the MBA. “But UC Davis doesn’t offer one so I wanted to bridge the gap between majors like economics, communication and international relations to create a business-like foundation.”
The MBA meets in 147 Olson every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. It has had numerous events over the past few weeks – including a guest speaker visit from the CEO of Vantage Point Media – and will hold fundraisers to raise finances for their club.
“Mainly, we will be having fundraisers to get our name out there,” said Max Bausher, MBA public relations officer. “We will also be having social events such as barbeques and hopefully a concert in the near future.”
Even though the club has only been around for less than a quarter, joining MBA will give students many opportunities in the field of marketing, said Waterman.
Sheryl Purifoy with the University of California Washington Center program will be speaking at the MBA meeting on Nov. 17. She is looking for several marketing interns to promote the UCDC program at Davis.
Besides internship opportunities, the club will also have guest speakers from throughout the Davis area at their meetings to discuss proper interview etiquette, résumé construction and offer advice.
For those interested in membership, students can attend a MBA meeting and fill out an application. A $10 membership fee is required for all members per quarter. Currently, the club is accepting all applications. However, once MBA reaches a certain size, they will begin a more selective process for new members.
Sholah Ramish, a junior communication major and member of MBA, said this association will provide a unique experience and competitive edge.
“[The MBA] provides us with the practical tools college students need for the professional job market,” said Sholah Ramish in an e-mail interview. “It gives us the chance to interact with professional guest speakers that offer us the necessary skills that will enable us to go above and beyond once we graduate.”
Ramish said the time commitment is not too overbearing for students with an already busy schedule.
“Being an MBA member is not a lot of work at all which is something that is truly great within itself considering a typical UCD student workload,” said Ramish. “I really enjoy being a member because I feel it is a club that offers me actual useful information and resources while being a UCD student in terms of internships, but also that it will help me greatly even after graduation.”
NICK MARKWITH can be reached at features@theaggie.org.
