<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3cD8iV_1H00ijUy00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3cD8iV_1H00ijUy00" width="800" height="800" >You may have noticed a different type of student joining your classes in Gleacher and Harper over the past few quarters. If you’re brave enough, you may even interact with some of them and come to learn an unfamiliar acronym or two: “MiM”, which is a Master's in Management, or “MiF”, a Master’s in Finance.Perhaps you have heard of the Specialized Master Programs (SMP) that were launched in 2024 with much administrative fanfare and more than minor student dismay.Two years after these programs were launched, the question now shouldn’t be whether these programs are justified, but how to integrate the newest, youngest members of the Booth community. Here’s the problem: most MBA students aren’t aware that these students exist.So why is it that despite being 40% of the size of an incoming full-time MBA class, most of us haven’t met them?Part of this is by academic design. SMP students are siloed into specific sections in the Gleacher Center, decreasing the likelihood of an MBA student meeting an SMP student in class until the Spring quarter at Booth. These sections, a new addition this academic year, were designed to ease enrollment concerns raised by full-time students during the first cohort.Another part of this, however, is also oversight, intentional or otherwise. SMP students don’t have access to the same organizations, communities, or even Slack channels enjoyed by the full-time and evening/weekend programs. While SMP students have found workarounds, this limits their ability to organize and join events that they may benefit from as a joint venture.One example is Plintus Capital, the SMP student investment fund. Unlike other student organizations, which have access to Slack or a listserv, the fund often sends updates through an admitted students WhatsApp group to maximize outreach. Its own attempts to collaborate with the full-time MBA investing organization have also seen some obstacles, despite interest from both MBA and SMP co-chairs.The administration has worked on improving programming catered to SMP students, with an alumni speaker series, dinners with Booth alumni, and social happy hours. An internal student council of SMP students also works with other organizations, such as the Institute of Politics, to organize discussions of interest to Boothies, our Law School counterparts, and other graduate students. However, these events fail to provide a structure that SMP students can begin attending and joining events hosted by MBA student organizations.While there can and should be a greater discussion about how non-MBA programs can be integrated into Booth, it shouldn’t come at the expense of SMP students who made the same choice to be here and not somewhere else. Instead, there should be more opportunities for SMP students to interact with their MBA counterparts, and vice versa.One success story comes from the Foundations of Leadership seminar, where MBA students mentor SMP students to provide insight, perspective, and support. Another way both cohorts can connect is through programs like the Golub Capital Board Fellows, which, for the first time, allowed SMP students to apply for and support local nonprofits in Chicago.Beyond the classroom, however, there needs to be opportunities for SMP students to connect with the greater student body. Opportunities range from more formal career conferences, such as TechCon and the PE Conference, to the more casual (but no less classy) socials hosted by the Whiskey Club.Perhaps this integration will come with time, as well as with a broader sense of experience. This year, SMP students can apply for the Chicago Booth Scholars program, the school’s deferred MBA admissions pipeline. Many students have expressed an interest in returning to Booth after gaining more work experience, including yours truly. It’s conceivable that by the time these SMP students return as MBA students, they’ll help foster more opportunities for the newest members of the Booth community to connect. Athean is a Masters in Finance student and an International House graduate fellow. He grew up in Upstate New York (which starts past Westchester) and previously worked in Management Consulting. When not sneaking into LPFs and enjoying Whiskey Wednesdays, he spends his free time running along the Lakefront and maintaining his Duolingo streak in Mandarin.</div></body>

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You may have noticed a different type of student joining your classes in Gleacher and Harper over the past few quarters. If you’re brave enough, you may even interact with some of them and come to learn an unfamiliar acronym or two: “MiM”, which is a Master's in Management, or “MiF”, a Master’s in Finance.

SMP Students’ Place in the Booth Community

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You may have noticed a different type of student joining your classes in Gleacher and Harper over the past few quarters. If you’re brave enough, you may ev

SMP Students’ Place in the Booth Community

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