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Class of 1997 Graduates with Distinction
Topics: Education-CommencementAccounting-Accounting AuditsClass of '99 Profile
Number of applicants | 7,467 |
Total size of class | 880 |
September cohort | 560 |
January cohort | 320 |
Median age | 26 |
Women | 30% |
Minorities | 17% |
International | 26% |
Married | 20% |
Have children | 4% |
Undergraduate Majors | |
Engineering and Natural Sciences | 29% |
Business/Economics | 20% |
Humanities and Social Sciences | 47% |
Other | 4% |
(All data as of Summer 1997) |
Members of the Class of 1997 participated in a three-day graduation celebration last spring leading up to the School's 86th Commencement exercises on June 5, when 883 new MBAs and 4 DBAs joined the ranks of HBS alumni.
The festivities began on June 3 with a special presentation to honor the finalists in the first annual HBS Business Plan Contest. Sponsored by the School's Small Business and Entrepreneurship Club, the contest gives students experience in creating and evaluating new business ventures. This year the competition made an impressive debut with the participation of 160 students, 35 faculty, and numerous alumni and friends of the School. At the award ceremony, contest faculty advisor Professor William A. Sahlman shared the podium with Henry F. McCance (MBA '66) chairman of Greylock Management Corporation, who served as one of the judges. Sahlman recognized everyone involved for helping to establish a new HBS tradition that highlights the "entrepreneurial vigor of the School."
After presentations by each of the four teams of finalists, Dean Kim B. Clark announced the contest winners: Eman Safadi, Sophia Shing, and Anouk van der Boor (all MBA '97). Their group developed a plan to launch Omnicom Technologies, an enhanced fax management system. A total of $50,000 in cash and in-kind services (accounting assistance from Arthur Andersen LLP and legal advice from Foley Hoag & Eliot) were awarded to the winning team and the three finalists.
Class Day festivities took place the following day, with a sampling of special fac-ulty presentations for graduating students and their guests on topics ranging from "The Transformation of the U.S. Healthcare System" to "The Future of the Internet." A highlight of this year's proceedings was the presentation of the first-ever Dean's Award for service to the HBS community (see sidebar below). In the late afternoon, a ceremony featuring the remarks of John Crowley (MBA '97) and outgoing HBSAA president Catherine A. Connett (MBA '79) was capped by an address from Raymond V. Gilmartin (MBA '68). Gilmartin is chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc., and the father of Beth A. Gilmartin, a member of this year's graduating class. A reception followed for students, family, and friends.
After attending Harvard University Commencement exercises at Harvard Yard the next morning, the newest HBS graduates with their families returned to Aldrich Lawn to receive their diplomas.
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