Key Takeaways: AACSB B-School Communications Development Symposium

We just returned home from a successful trip to the the very beautiful, very sunny St. Pete Beach, Fla. for the AACSB B-School Communications and Development Symposium. It turned out to be a great conference for many reasons – and not just for the weather either.

Our adventures began Sunday morning with the obligatory Starbucks run and ended just more than 12 hours later on the western coast of Florida with a hurried pit-stop in Savannah to scoop up our wandering Project Manager, Tara Hardy.

What We Learned

B-School communicators love their jobs.

This is, at least in part, because they have the unique opportunity to meet people from all over the world and contribute directly to the betterment of the schools they love (in many cases, their alma maters) through marketing, development and fundraising.

Communication within the B-School community is king.

Most attendees come for the sessions, but they often find the most value in the new relationships they build with other professionals over coffee/lunch/dinner etc.

B-Schools face very similar challenges.

Most b-schools seem to realize the need for a more strategic and holistic focus on communications and events. AACSB provides a unique opportunity for them to come together, collaborate and work toward solutions.

Don’t work on the beach.

Yes, it happened. After the snowpocalypse that crippled North Carolina, I couldn’t help myself. My attempt at “working” on the beach turned into a long, ill-advised siesta in the sun. And no, I wasn’t wearing any sunscreen.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Where We’re Headed Next

We’ve honestly lost count of all the conferences we’ve attended over the last couple of months, but I can tell you personally that each one I’ve been a part of has been a blast. With AASCB behind us, our thoughts shift to our next stop on the VisionPoint conference circuit. We’re packing our bags and preparing our taste buds for New Orleans, where we’ll be at the annual conference for the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. If you’re planning on being in the Big Easy from March 19-21, make sure to find us and say hello.