Social Enterprise Leadership Transition In April, John Whitehead (MBA '47) welcomed Thomas Tierney (MBA '80) to succeed him as chair of HBS's Social Enterprise Initiative Advisory Board. Chairman and cofounder of the Bridgespan Group, Tierney credited "John Whitehead's vision, leadership, and personal commitment [which] have been absolutely central to the development of the Social Enterprise Initiative over these past fifteen years."

 
HBS Team Places Second in Business Competition Five HBS students placed second in the MBA ODYSSEY Competition at Columbia University on March 27–28, where teams representing fifteen international business schools competed in online management exercises. First place went to the London Business School, with the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) placing third.

New Funding for International Students After lenders withdrew from the market late last year, Harvard has worked to secure access to loans for thousands of international students. Both the Harvard University Employees Credit Union and JPMorgan Chase will make loans available to international graduate and professional students without a U.S. resident as cosigner. The Credit Union will also offer private loans to domestic students.
 

Virtual Learning Series Contact your local Alumni Club to register for the next faculty teleconference on April 27. Professor Clay Christensen will discuss his new book, The Innovator's Prescription: A Disruptive Solution for Health Care.

Healthcare at the Intersection of Government and Markets Will healthcare reform lead to fiscal health? On May 4–5, explore the issues driving healthcare reform at this Washington, D.C., event organized by the HBS Health Industry Alumni Association and the Young Presidents' Healthcare Forum. Learn more at http://www.hbshealth.org.
 

Tanzania Safari and Rwanda Gorillas Join Harvard Professor and Pulitzer Prize–winner Caroline Elkins for a unique journey on August 26–September 4, 2009. The expedition begins in the Serengeti National Park and continues to the Ngorongoro Crater. This massive caldera, often called "the eighth wonder of the world," shelters almost 30,000 animals. After touring Kigali, travelers will spend two unforgettable days tracking the mountain gorilla in the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda.

2009 OPM Reunion Don't miss the OPM reunion on October 1–4, 2009. Many alumni have already registered; to see who's coming, visit the reunion website and click on 2009 OPM Reunion. You'll find reservation information, registration fees, a schedule of events, hotel information, and more. For additional information, contact Jane Turner Michael, Alumni Relations, at jturnermichael@hbs.edu.
 

Alumnae: Chart the Course of Your Career with HBS Taking place May 27–28 on campus, Charting Your Course is designed to help alumnae develop a strategy for blending career and personal life. Case studies, team exercises, and lectures will help you realize your own vision of success and decide how to negotiate the "lane changes" you want. This program is also offered to partners of HBS alumni. For more information, go to http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/careers/cyc.html.

The Corporate Leader This program, to be held at HBS from June 14–19, addresses the multifaceted role that confronts executives in the corporate office: leadership, strategy, finance, and governance. With a focus on today's global financial crisis, participants acquire the skills needed to drive performance and growth in an economic downturn. For more information, visit http://www.exed.hbs.edu/redirects/tcl_wn/.
 

The Economics of Structured Finance In Working Knowledge, HBS professor Joshua Coval, Princeton professor Jakub Jurek, and HBS professor Erik Stafford examine how the process of securitization transformed risky assets into securities that were considered safe. The authors assess what went wrong and evaluate the role of rating agency errors, investor credulity, and incentives on the part of issuers, rating agencies, and borrowers.

 
Teamwork Beyond the Borders The Financial Times (registration required) describes Executives without Borders, created by Robert Goodwin (GMP 3). The nonprofit is "a Peace Corps type experience" for executives, matching volunteers with NGOs in emerging countries in need of business expertise. "What's exciting for me is that we can make such a big impact because we're not starting our own projects," says Goodwin. "We're making existing projects work better." Professor Benjamin Esty is an informal adviser.

HBR Debate: How To Fix Business Schools Some critics charge that MBA programs are in part to blame for the lapses that led to the economic crisis. The editors of Harvard Business Review have launched an online forum to explore this idea—and to offer solutions. Contributors include Professors Clay Christensen, Carl Kester, Rakesh Khurana, and Robert Pozen. Share your own views on the HBR site.
 

Spring Reunion
On May 28–31, the MBA classes of 1939, 1954, 1959, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004 will gather at HBS for classroom sessions, family programs, section parties, and more. Returning doctoral alumni span 46 graduating classes. There's still time to register online!