MLA Members Meet Business Leaders and More in New York City

This past spring, members of the Management Leadership Association (MLA) at UIC had the remarkable opportunity to embark on a trip to New York City. The three-day trip contained a packed agenda, with students being able to network with corporate executives alongside taking time to take in the sights and sounds of the world’s leading financial center.

Upon arriving in New York, students scuttled over to midtown Manhattan to meet with the CEO of McGraw Hill Education, Simon Allen, who had just flown in from London to speak with our members. Allen detailed his start at the company as a salesperson, while also giving us insight into McGraw Hill’s business strategy and technological advancements they have implemented in order to provide students with a more fulfilling educational experience. After taking a group photo, MLA departed the offices and made their way to the Bronx to watch the New York Yankees take on the Houston Astros, with the home team taking a win in dominating fashion, 10-3.

The second day of the trip had us travel to Queens to visit Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. Upon entering, we were able to tour facilities which are typically exclusive to team players, as well as having the chance to step onto the field. After taking it all in, we made our way to the press conference room and met with several senior managers that are part of the team’s operations, and learned more about the responsibilities each of them had that keep a professional baseball team running. To conclude the day, we headed back to Manhattan and embarked on a tour of Wall Street, gaining valuable insight into the history that made New York the business center that it is today.

To cap off our journey on the third day, we hopped on a boat and cruised our way over to the Statue of Liberty, accompanied by stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Before disembarking, we made sure to take a group picture on the boat, and after that, we started to make our way home back to Chicago.

MLA member Sara Calvillo, majoring in Human Resource Management, felt the trip contributed strongly towards her professional development, commenting that, “The MLA trip to NYC this past summer was an enriching experience filled with networking, cultural exploration, and team-building. The group visited key landmarks, met with such successful and inspiring professionals like Simon Allen—CEO of McGraw Hill, and overall connected with professionals from various industries, gaining valuable insights. The trip also strengthened bonds amongst members and Professor Miller, allowing many students to come out of their comfort zones and really let them be and show themselves amongst others, creating lifelong memories and connections with the organization.”

Longtime UIC Management professor Michael Miller is the advisor for MLA, and he founded the organization over twenty years ago. For him, embarking on this trip was a dream come true, stating, “Taking a group of UIC students to New York City was always a goal for me personally and the CBA Field Education program. We were only in NYC for three days, but it was a golden educational opportunity for the 18 students attending. Visiting Wall Street, going to the corporate headquarters of McGraw-Hill and visiting with its CEO, Simon Allen. We also toured the home of the New York Mets and met with senior management of operations of the team. Finally, we were able to go see the famed New York Yankees play and take a cruise down the famous Hudson River. All in all, I was honored to take a group of UIC students to explore NYC and enrich their educational experience by learning more about how the business world works outside the classroom.”

As president of the Management Leadership Association, I believe this trip was another great example of how education can be conducted effectively outside of the classroom and by using real world examples that show insight into corporate America and the greater business world. An expedition like this wouldn’t have been possible without hard work, so I’d like to thank Professor Miller, last year’s MLA executive board, and everyone else involved in making this trip a reality. MLA remains committed to bringing students closer to business leaders and corporations across the country with several speakers, office visits, and other fun events being planned as of now. New members are always being accepted, so UIC students should make sure to join as soon as they can.