We’ve hopped across the pond to check out if US MBAs love snow sports as much as their European counterparts. Surprise, surprise, it turns out they do, but it’s got to come with a dose of good partying!
We checked in with the Ski and Snowboard Club at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The club is extremely popular among students and now famous for organizing an unforgettable party headlined by 90’s rapper Coolio.
It turns out that at this club, you don’t have to be a skier or a snowboarder to join. Having a love for snow sports is great but they also welcome you with open arms if you just want to get involved with the social aspect!
The Ski and Snowboard Club organizes a number of trips throughout the year to the best ski locations in America, and if the chance to fraternize with Coolio doesn’t appeal to you, they also host scavenger hunts and competitive eating and drinking contests. But seriously, who doesn’t want to party with Coolio?!
Jaime Streem, one of the club’s Co-Chairs, talked to us about the Coolio party, skiing and snowboarding, studying at Chicago Booth and being part of an outrageously cool club!
Do you have to be a skier or a snowboarder to join?
We have people of all skill levels in our club, from the “never-evers” to the very advanced. Some people in our club do not even ski or snowboard at all: they just join for the social aspect!
How often do you guys go on snowy getaways?
We have three main trips throughout the school year: a week-long trip to the Rocky Mountains over winter break (Telluride in December 2012), we send a team to compete in the Tuck Winter Carnival in February , and a long weekend trip back out west in the spring (Breckenridge in April 2013). We also have socials once per quarter back in Chicago.
How many members does the club have?
You become a member of the group once you attend one of the three trips mentioned above, so we have upwards of 300 members from the combined trips.
Apart from the Tuck Winter Carnival, what other challenges have you/will you be participating in?
We have two team competitions during our winter trip that always prove to be a highlight of the week: a Winter Carnival where teams of both first and second years dress up in costumes and compete in a variety of skiing/snowboarding events as well as competitive eating and drinking, and a photo scavenger hunt around the ski town we are in that week.
What costumes? Chicago Booth's Ski and Snowboarding Club digs in to a healthy dinner
What were some of the highlights of your last Ski trip?
We had an awesome time in Telluride, despite the lack of snow. We flew in 90’s rapper Coolio for a private concert, which I’m sure will be talked about for years to come!
Each afternoon you were bound to find a large group of Boothies relaxing mid-mountain at Gorrono Ranch’s outpost bar. Our closing dinner is another highlight: we put together a slideshow of pictures from the week and present awards for some of the more memorable moments of the trip.
What are your favorite songs to listen to and get pumped up before a run?
Considering Coolio performed at our trip this year, he has become our (unofficial) group mascot, with the obvious song choice being “Gangsta’s Paradise”. He brought along an up-and-coming artist, Goast, so we like to listen to his hit “From Da Bottom To Da Top” to get pumped up as well.
What did you all do before Booth?
The Ski & Snowboard Club has four co-chairs who divide up the responsibilities of leading the group. I lived in LA where I worked in private wealth management and then moved to Chicago before Booth to work at an education non-profit.
Katie Ossman lived in Chicago and NYC before school and worked in private equity.
Cristina Ramos hails from Puerto Rico and lived in Chicago and Florida before school and worked in nvestment banking and Pierre Maroye from Belgium was working in consulting in Brussels before joining Booth.
Any good places to ski/snowboard in and around Chicago?
There are some mountains to ski in Wisconsin and Michigan, but when we plan trips, we want to take our members to some of the best skiing in the US that they might not otherwise get to. However, some of the local options can be great for a quick day trip.
Apart from snow sports, what else do you love about the chilly Chicago winters?
Even though the weather can be brutal at times, we still manage to have a lot of fun. Chicago Booth is an incredibly social place and you can always find a group that is up to check out a new restaurant or explore the city, even when the weather is sub-zero!
Read more stories about students, alumni and programmes at Chicago Booth School of Business, here.
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