Mays Business Online

Inspired by TED, the annual conference for the world’s preeminent thinkers and entertainers, Mays student Bill Erickson and his colleagues set out to create a gathering just as important, but sans the $6K admission ticket. Hence BIL, the “unconference” with the tag line “minds set free” debuted in March in Monterey, California - in the same neighborhood and following close on the heels of TED to encourage participation in both.

What do Chicago-style pizza, a nine-iron, and a prison inmate have in common?

No, this isn’t the opening of a joke. All of these are elements in the education of Business Honors students at Mays Business School. This highly selective group (only 30% of applicants are accepted each year) is getting out of the classroom and into the real world for hands-on educational experiences that they aren’t likely to forget.

It happens every time registration rolls around: Students ask their friends what courses they should take, what kind of assignments they should expect and what teaching style from given professors.