As mentioned in a previous post, Short Intensive Programs (SIPs) are courses that offer a great opportunity for students to think about career choices, gain practical skills, and explore new topics. These are no-fee, no-credit courses over winter break open to both first-year and second-year students.
We interviewed two students about their experiences with SIPs, taking a closer look at their time in the Spiritual Lives of Leaders and Personal Finance courses.
Tricia Peralta (MBA 2024) - Spiritual Lives of Leaders
Why did you enroll in a SIP? And why this SIP in particular?
I saw taking a SIP as an opportunity to immerse myself in a topic I care deeply about. Attending the Spiritual Lives of Leaders program was a no-brainer because I see business school as a time to introspect, think about my goals, and reflect on my purpose. This class seemed like a perfect avenue to take a step back, hear from other leaders about how to approach integrating spirituality with being a leader in the workplace, and engage with peers who are wrestling with similar questions.
What was the best part of the SIP?
Being able to hear candid thoughts from CEOs, recent alumni, and the leaders in the world of higher education about how they struggle with maintaining spirituality in the real world, and how they continue to persevere was eye-opening. There aren’t many times in our lives when we can have these important conversations or where these leaders are asked about questions of purpose and meaning – so hearing them speak felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
What key learnings did you get from this Short Intensive Program?
This SIP helped me frame what it means to live my spirituality – what daily practices my peers and other leaders do, what values I hold dear and why, and what spirituality even means for me. This was such a refreshing way to start off the year. It felt like going on a retreat (in the middle of the HBS campus), where I could think about what I wanted to get out of the rest of my HBS experience (and life) and find friends who can hold me accountable to these goals.
Matthew Glynn (MBA 2024) - Personal Finance
Why did you enroll in a SIP? And why this SIP in particular?
I decided to take a SIP as a way to ease into the spring semester and learn more in a subject area that would have minimal overlap with our required course load. Personal Finance caught my eye due to its broad focus, practicality, and importance.
What was the best part of the SIP?
The best part of the SIP was listening to the questions my classmates asked (especially the second-year students since they are closer to reentering the workforce) and wondering how I can improve my financial literacy. We also had some amazing guest speakers and covered a great deal of material over the four-day intensive period.
What key learnings did you get from this Short Intensive Program?
Some of the key learnings were: 1) When negotiating an offer, do not feel the need to go easy or give in. This is your one time to have an understanding of your value to a firm. 2) You can use Donor-Advised Funds to maximize your donation amount through asset appreciation that is not taxed. 3) Budgets and targets usually are not totally accurate but can provide a greater understanding of where we want to go, how close we are to financial independence, and what we can afford. Overall, this course made me a lot more comfortable discussing my financial goals, investigating my spending amounts, and looking towards the future with more of a financial lens.