Mind Your Peas and Carrots: Annual MSBA Etiquette Dinner Recap

As is our tradition, we started off the Spring semester with our annual MSBA Etiquette Dinner, lead by Associate Director of CUA Career Services Kathryn Marshall.

The evening began with passed appetizers, drinks, and a demonstration of proper networking reception etiquette. Students learned some tricks of the trade such as how to balance a plate of appetizers while holding a drink. 

Students enjoyed passed appetizers and networking at the beginning of the evening.

Holding a plate of appetizers as well as a beverage can be tricky, unless you know the proper way to hold them.

Students were then guided through a delicious seven-course dinner by Kathryn, who directed the students on everything from which (of the 3 - yikes!) forks to use for which course, to what topics are taboo during a lunch or dinner interview. 

The amount of silverware pictured here was a bit daunting, but by the end of the evening, students knew exactly which utensils to use for which course, and what to do with them after they were finished eating.

Eating foods like pasta can be tricky, but students learned the proper way to eat without making a mess!

Lemon sorbet was served in between the salad and main entree to clear the palette. 

The Etiquette Dinner is such a valuable evening for students not only because they learn how to eat tricky foods such as spaghetti or cherry tomatoes and know which silverware to use for what course, but because they leave at the end of the evening knowing how to handle a business lunch or dinner, or an interview in a dining setting.

Kathryn Marshall explaining how to decide what to order during a lunch or dinner interview

Ending the evening with a champagne toast!

"Good manners never go out of style, so whether you are preparing for the job interview, cultivating client relationships, or developing your networking base as part of a dining experience; proper etiquette is essential."  - Kathryn Marshall, Associate Director of Career Services, The Catholic University of America. 

As always, we would like to thank CUA Career Services and especially Kathryn Marshall, for organizing one of our favorite events. We would also like to thank Aramark Cardinal Catering for the delicious food and impeccable service.

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The MSBA: Making Business Approachable for Non-Business Majors

Maria Notarianni, MSBA '17, shares her views on how the MSBA degree makes business approach for those with little to no business background.

I recently graduated from Catholic University with a degree in Media and Communication Studies. While the degree suggests a concentration in the media, it would be an injustice to the major to say that it encapsulates only the media. The biggest lessons I learned from the Media and Communication Studies Department are:

• To understand someone, you must understand their ideologies.
• Syntactic and paradigmatic choices say as much as the thought itself.

The Master of Science and Business Analysis program is so wonderful because they naturally complement your undergraduate degree with practical business skills. The program closely works with students to help us understand our own interests and realize them in our careers. The program also does an exceptional job making business approachable for those with non-business degrees. They firmly believe that everyone has an aptitude to learn the curriculum, and that by helping each other, we will all benefit. The program has taught me a lot, but two of the most important lessons are:

• Teamwork is the cornerstone to success.
• Skills can always be learned, but the right attitude is required immediately.

While the curriculum differs, the two programs work together well. My team and I have recently started our field team study project, and I believe that there are a few skills my programs have taught me. The key to our success will be having:

• Good communication
•  Empathy 
• An open mind

What these skills amount to is an understanding of my teammates—both those I am working with and for. By taking the time to understand each other, we will all be able to highlight both our own strengths and each others. Just as important, we will be able to understand precisely what our mission is by understanding our client and her values. The field team study introduces new experiences for my teammates and I, but our backgrounds have given us the skills to confidently work on and create value for our project.

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