Author: Joy Das

One of the newest initiatives from the graduate programs at Fisher College of Business is Advantage Columbus and the name fits. Designed to elevate the student experience through exclusive company visits across Columbus, the program offers something rare: direct access to industry leaders, operating environments, and real-world business challenges beyond the classroom.

This spring, I had the opportunity to participate in the COE Summit 2026, and it was a remarkable experience. What made it truly unique was that I got to see the event from two perspectives: as both a volunteer and an attendee.Being the First Point of ContactMy role as a greeter on Day 1 placed me at the very front of the experience - literally. I was one of the first people welcoming guests as they arrived at the venue. The sheer volume of interactions was both surprising and energizing.

The MBA program is full of a variety of courses, and each offering unique perspective of business. Some of the courses are elective, meaning one has the option to pick and choose those courses, and while others are core courses designed to build a strong foundation. One of the core courses in the second semester of the Full-Time MBA program is Strategy Formulation and Implementation.Now there is a very famous book by the Chinese military strategist and general Sun Tzu called The Art of War.

One of the most talked-about aspects of an MBA program is case competitions. Most of these competitions are optional, requiring students to take the initiative to register and form teams. However, we had a mandatory case competition to close out the semester. While it was not graded, it offered prizes and the opportunity to represent our college at the national level, an incentive strong enough on its own.On paper, a case competition sounds straightforward.

Diwali is one of the most meaningful festivals in India, celebrated as the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. There are many fables connected with Diwali, but the most well-known is the return of Lord Rama to home Ayodhya after spending 14 years in exile in a forest. The people lit lamps across the city to welcome him back, and that glow became the heart of the festival.This Diwali wasn’t my first one away from home. But it was special because, for the first time, I was actually out of India, and I felt the absence of the familiar rhythm of the festival very strongly.