MIT Sloan offers myriad opportunities for students to develop their management and leadership skills outside the classroom. The Student Life Office oversees a variety of club and event management opportunities which allow students to refine these skills in a real world context, complementing classroom learning and enhancing career and life skills. Student Life provides significant support and guidance to students as they plan and manage treks, conferences, case competitions, and social activities. Additionally, they partner with the MIT Leadership Center to ensure that these activities are integrated and leveraged as a formal platform for leadership development.

MIT Sloan Student Senate

The MIT Sloan Student Senate (or “Senate”) represents the interests of the Sloan graduate community and works to enhance the student experience. It includes formal representation from MBA, Leaders for Global Operations (LGO), Master of Science in Management Studies (MSMS), Master of Finance (MFin), Master of Business Analytics (MBAn), Sloan Fellows MBA Program (SFMBA). Overseen by Student Life, the Senate works in partnership with the student body and the School’s staff, faculty, and alumni. Senators sit on a variety of committees that address an array of areas, among them academics and admissions, diversity, equity, and inclusion, community and communications, technology, and operations.

Clubs

MIT Sloan clubs fall under the purview of the Sloan Senate and Student Life, as opposed to MIT clubs, which are overseen by the Association of Student Activities (ASA) — a joint committee of both the Undergraduate Association (UA) and the Graduate Student Council (GSC). All Sloan clubs register with Student Life every year in order to maintain their official status and related benefits including account and space booking privileges, administrative support, eligibility for Student Life funding through the Senate, and leadership training. New clubs may be proposed to Student Life and proposals are evaluated on their mission, membership, and sustainability.

Graduate Student Council (GSC)

The Graduate Student Council (GSC) is an MIT-wide student organization that consists of elected representatives from academic departments and graduate living groups. The GSC is primarily concerned with promoting the graduate student body’s general welfare and communicating their concerns to Institute stakeholders. The GSC also sponsors many social, cultural, and athletic events to help improve the quality of life for graduate students.

Treks

MIT Sloan Treks are a form of student-led and organized travel. They can take place at any time of the year, as long as they do not conflict with classes and provided that they comply with the MIT International Travel Risk Policy. Treks are not offered for academic credit. They are typically organized and run by MIT Sloan clubs, and most focus on professional development based on an industry or geographic location. Planning a trek gives students the opportunity to test their leadership skills, get an in-depth look at a particular industry or geography, and build contacts to help in the future. Remember:

• To use the MIT Sloan name, treks must obtain Branding Rights through the Trek Branding Rights Application.
• Participants may NOT travel when classes are scheduled.
• Treks cannot take place in a country with an extreme or high travel warning.

Conferences, Case Competitions, and Hackathons

MIT Sloan students plan and host more than 10 professional conferences focused on a particular region, industry, or theme during each academic year. The conferences bring business, government, and thought leaders from around the world to the MIT Sloan campus and the Cambridge area to share their insights with students and professionals. Student clubs also organize annual case competitions and hackathons throughout the academic year. These student-led events offer an invaluable opportunity to practice management in action, allowing students who get involved to build their networks and develop leadership skills. Conference, case competition, and hackathon organizers must obtain Branding Rights by completing an application and meeting with Nicole Willits in Student Life. Organizers must continue to work closely with Student Life during the event planning process in order to leverage the experience as part of their leadership development at MIT Sloan and to understand the various MIT rules and protocols around event management.

Application for MIT Sloan Branding Rights

Adding the words “MIT Sloan” to an event is a powerful statement that can help maximize publicity, resources, and fundraising opportunities. The School name opens up doors to speakers, attendees, media, and sponsorships, and helps connect students to the various planning offices and people that can assist with those resources. We want to make sure that our brand is being used positively and successfully; therefore, branding rights are required for all Sloan student events that reach beyond the MIT community — that includes case competitions, hackathons, conferences, and treks.