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Students participate in prestigious Harvard Business School summer program.

Douglas Garcia

Every year, students gather in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the Harvard Business School Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), a one-week management training program for college seniors designed to increase diversity and opportunity in business education.

For the past two summers, a student from the College of Business Administration has counted among this impressive group of rising business stars representing colleges and universities from across the United States.

“Harvard builds the next generation of business leaders who can change the world in a positive direction,” said Douglas Garcia, who attended the ten-day program in June, 2007. “This thought inspired me throughout my Harvard experience.”

An international business major slated to complete his Bachelor of Business Administration in December, 2007, Garcia plans to gain some post-graduation work experience, and then apply for admission into Harvard’s MBA program.

What it’s like to live the life of a Harvard MBA student.

According to Garcia, SVMP students participate in the Harvard program just as any MBA student would—living on campus, attending classes, analyzing case studies, and debating management issues with peers and faculty.

The complete experience gives students a broader understanding of the challenges business leaders face, the innumerable opportunities that exist in management, and the positive effect they can have on their communities and on the world through theirleadership.

Yes, an Ivy League experience can be in your future.

Mark Elbadramany

“You can accomplish anything when you work hard and set your mind to it.”

That’s advice offered by Mark Elbadramany (BBA ’06), the first student from Florida International University to be selected to attend the SVMP, which he did in the summer, 2006 session. Like Garcia, he plans to apply to Harvard after gaining relevant work experience.

Competition for acceptance into the program is keen—with an average of eighty students selected each year from among nearly 3,000 applicants.

Harvard selects students based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and personal characteristics that meet its diversity objectives.

Elbadramany describes the application process as “tedious” but worth the effort.

“I found myself taken aback by how easily I could relate to my new friends in the program,” he said. “We shared similar backgrounds and life experiences that molded us into the people we are today. My eyes opened to what one can truly accomplish. All you have to do is broaden your vision to see an ever-expanding spectrum of opportunities that are within your reach.”