This past weekend, I was most fortunate to spend a weekend in residence at Island Wood on Bainbridge Island, WA with the Bainbridge Graduate Institute during one of their student intensives. It is hard to put into words what an amazing place Island Wood is, but equally difficult is trying to describe in a few words the powerful engine for change and sustainability that has been created at BGI. Since its founding earlier this decade, BGI has grown in just a few years into one of the top MBA and Certificate institutions in the world, focused on human and environmental sustainability.
I was there as part of their executive in residence program, which is held as part of their intensives so that students can hear from heads of companies, organizations, authors and thinkers in the realm of sustainability, alongside their classes, group interactions and studies. What struck me the most is the level of commitment and accomplishment of the students, which made me almost want to go back and get another MBA! OK, I’ll wait on that – I was lucky to attend some of the classes and talks given by other execs. in residence who were truly amazing as well & in just a few days was walking on air when I left Island Wood.
See the related blog below for more information on the groundbreaking study that we have commissioned a team of MBAs from BGI to complete by Spring ‘09 on sustainable communications. I was able to see firsthand the results of Phase 1 of the project, really exciting and excellent work by our team (Libby Johnson McKee, Desiree Rajee, Yogi Potzoe, Manan Shukla, and PJ Wilson) which is going to help create a new sustainable paradigm and direction for the telecom industry.
If you have any way to get to Bainbridge and spend time with this program, make it a priority, you will walk away a different person, I did. For more information: www.bgiedu.org.
Matt
