Ellie Andersen, a senior at Amherst College majoring in History, participated in CORe during the summer of 2014. It may be fitting that she helped pioneer this first cohort because she comes from hearty stock.
Raised on a family farm in Pennsylvania, she never had formal business training but appreciated the value of it. Her older sister and eldest brother had both graduated from Harvard Business School, and in her parents, she observed the business savvy required to build a successful livestock and produce operation.
“I always saw myself going to business school at some point,” Ellie explains, “but HBX CORe gave me a way to test the waters. It supplemented my education and complemented my lifestyle.”
That lifestyle included an unpaid summer internship with Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a Rockefeller-founded agricultural site in New York State with a field-to-table restaurant. “I get a kick out of combining history, food, farming, and events because they all hinge on business,” she explains. “Sometimes that combination surprises people,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.
Ellie was able to integrate her interests by exploring business fundamentals through CORe. “I particularly enjoyed the Enhanced Participation,” she says. “I had a chance to ask questions as well as answer them and to engage with my fellow cohorts.”
Establishing a community of learners is one of the goals of HBX. Peers can reach out to each other individually or in groups without the intervention of faculty.
Utilizing the case study method that distinguishes HBS classrooms, CORe presents real-world examples via video interviews with executives from a diverse range of companies. Ellie found this approach extremely effective. “I learned about economics, statistics, and principles I can apply to daily life” – and she’s already doing that.
As Campus Community Coordinator for Amherst, Ellie serves on The Power House team, a group of students charged with transforming a former power plant into a venue for social gatherings. Tasks include making building improvements, setting policies, and establishing operational systems. Thanks to HBX, Ellie has brought her budgeting skills and inter-personal finesse to the project.
That confidence has carried over into her personal life where she can now converse with a family friend who works in Finance. “I think of business differently now. I have a whole new source of understanding, and I’m excited to learn more,” Ellie explains. “I know I don’t know everything, but I can at least talk to people on a basic level.”
What advice does she have for others considering HBX? “Throw yourself into it and remember that no question is a bad one. Approach CORe with a blank slate and be open-minded. I never saw myself as particularly math-oriented, but I moved through Financial Accounting step by step, and it all worked out. It was fun.”
Lucky for us that Ellie sees connections where others might not. Thanks to that – and some HBX training – we may some day dine on locally grown cuisine at her historically-correct establishment while enjoying live entertainment.
