12 Coolest MBA Clubs and Student Orgs in Chicago

Hindsight is 20/20

Ever since I was a little kid, my mother always encouraged me to get more involved at school (or after-school really) by joining in student clubs and extracurricular activities. Whether it was because I was more interested in playing video games at the time, or if it was the fact that Quilting Club didn’t seem like very much fun, I never really did participate in these types of activities.

Fast forward a decade and I really wish I had gotten involved with some kind of club, especially with all the cool and diverse student organizations running on college campuses across the country today. But cool clubs aren’t limited to the undergrad level…

So there are MBA clubs too?

Aside from going to classes — and in the case of those folks seeking a Part-Time MBA, going to work — many prospective MBAs join clubs or student organizations. They do so for a multitude of reasons: Some clubs provide great networking and professional benefits, such as access to industry leaders, countless professional development opportunities and the ability to make a real impact, while others focus on travel or are strictly just for fun.

These organizations can add value to all the academic and professional experiences a student has over the course of pursuing their MBA. A U.S. News & World Report list describes the following as reasons why it’s a good decision to get involved in a student organization:

• It allows students to become connected to their school

• It helps them build community

• It allows them to discover their passions and strengths

• It’s a résumé builder

• Sometimes, busier people do better

• Utilize your school’s resources

How about us folks working and studying in Chicago?

Ah, yes… the Windy City. The Chicago Metro has the advantage of being a bustling business city and the home to some of the finest business schools and MBA programs in the country. Along with these top notch programs come some of the coolest (and most useful) student clubs and organization you can find anywhere.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite MBA clubs in the Chicago Metro:

Kellogg School MBA Clubs

• Brew ‘n Q: Brew ‘n Q is cool because it has more to do with grillin’ and chillin’ then studying and working. The club is made up of MBAs who share a passion for all things beer and BBQ. The club holds plenty of events throughout the year where they educate the student body on the ancient art of the grill and joys of global beers, including the annual Turkey Bowl, Chili Cook-off, Crawfish Boil and Spring Luau, among others.

• Cork & Screw: Another club that focuses on booze, the Cork + Screw club at Kellogg aims to further the student body’s appreciation of, familiarity with, and accessibility to wine and the industry. The Cork & Screw club has a few more business ties than it’s pork and pilsner counterpart, in that it promotes career related opportunities, and hosts networking events for students to socialize over wine.

• Kellogg Automotive Club: This one is cool for the car lovers in business school, or students looking to break into the automotive field. The Kellogg Automotive Club is focused on supporting a wide range of automotive interests within Kellogg and encompasses both professional and recreational aspects of the automotive industry. The Automotive Club provides and hosts services and activities such as social events that encourage exchange with others interested in automotives, trips to various automotive events, networking opportunities, and exposure to various aspects of the automotive industry through plant visits and speaker forums.

• Digital Shorts Club: Any fans of animation out there? Folks who participate in this club actually help make funny digital shorts throughout the year that celebrate Kellogg. While that does sound daunting to someone with no experience in animation, don’t worry — you don’t have to know how to edit or have had directing experience or be a professional cinematographer. Just want to help make entertaining videos? Join the club. Have a good idea? Join the club. Check out the club’s YouTube channel to view and comment on past videos

U Chicago Booth School MBA Clubs

• The Energy Club: The Energy Group is cool because the topic of new energy is so fascinating and important. The club’s  mission is to promote Booth community awareness of the energy industry, develop connections between members and industry insiders, and assist group members who are pursuing careers with energy firms and related service businesses. Some of the club’s annual activities include an annual trip to Austin for an energy finance case competition, a speaker series featuring industry experts, a series of career panels designed to assist first years, and a collection of other social and energy-focused trips and events.

• The Media, Entertainment, and Sports Group: We recently discussed Sport Management MBA degrees in a recent post, so this seemed appropriate to add to this list. The MESG at Chicago Booth is dedicated to positioning students for successful careers in these very competitive industries. The club provides professional development support through networking opportunities, increasing awareness of the career opportunities available for MBAs, and preparing members for job/internship searches in these specific fields.

U Illinois at Chicago Liautaud School MBA Clubs

• Women’s Network: In honor of Women’s History Month, I’m naming UIC’s Women’s Network to this list. You can find Women’s MBA organizations on many campuses across the country. Formerly known as Women’s Interest Network, Liautaud’s club was founded on the concept of empowering women in business through service, professional development and networking. The club is dedicated to supporting women MBAs in order to propel more women into leadership positions in corporate America and to enhance the diversity of the nation’s workforce. The Women’s Network is affiliated with MBA Women International (formerly NAWMBA, National Association of Women MBAs), an organization focused on encouragement and support for women.

Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School MBA Clubs

• The Association of Loyola Entrepreneurs: Folks who decide to go their own way by choosing the life of an entrepreneur should look into the Association of Loyola Entrepreneurs, especially because start up culture and Fleetwood Mac are both very cool. The Association of Loyola Entrepreneurs is an organization focused on building strong, valuable relationships and networks inside and outside of the Loyola University community. The club holds a number of networking and speaker events that can connect students with established entrepreneurs.

The Best of the Rest:

Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business

• Biotechnology & Healthcare Club: Biotech is a very cool industry and figures to become even more important as technology continues to advance.
• Sports Business: Once again, sports are cool. This club is too.

Northern Illinois College of Business

• MBA Student Association: The gold standard of MBA clubs. Most school have one, and all provide great ways to learn from the experiences of top-notch CEOs

Kellstadt Graduate School of Business

• Kellstadt Consulting Club: This is cool because who doesn’t like telling people how they should do their job? This graduate association focuses on providing students opportunities to learn more about the consulting industry.