For the first time, The Tuck School of Business will offer a three-week version of its Business Bridge program over winter interim in addition to the popular monthlong summer program established in 1997. Coined December Bridge, the new program will teach business and financial fundamentals, targeting Dartmouth sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Tuck decided to launch the December Bridge program for students who cannot participate over the summer, Tuck senior associate dean Robert Hansen said.
Tuck professor William Martin, who teaches Business Bridge courses, said in an email that December Bridge will also target juniors who choose not to participate in the summer program as rising seniors, instead completing summer internships “to secure a much coveted full-time offer.”
Tuck professor Adam Kleinbaum, who teaches in the program, said he believes that offering Business Bridge immediately before the January recruiting window will make the program more effective for students seeking internships the following summer.
“It also expands our capacity to offer this great educational opportunity to more students each year,” Kleinbaum said.
December Bridge will be one week shorter than the summer program and will not include on-campus recruiting.
Tuck markets the summer program beyond the College, Hansen said, and students from around 50 to 60 colleges typically participate.
The winter program, however, will cater primarily to Dartmouth students, Hansen said, though applications from students at other schools will still be considered.
Racquel Bernard ’13, who attended the Bridge program the summer after her junior year, said that she is concerned that not having students from other colleges may negatively influence dynamics among students.
“One thing I’m curious is to see how they’ll maintain the same level of energy they have during the summer session, when you have students that are meeting each other for the first time and everyone’s really excited,” Bernard said.
Michael Burbank ’13 said that although the program may lose some of its power without students from other schools, he did not believe the change would detract from the program’s academic offerings.
Both professors and students interviewed said the program effectively equips students with skills necessary for success in the business world.
Calling the program “integrated and interactive,” Tuck professor Leslie Robinson said she believes it efficiently delivers a diverse curriculum.
Kleinbaum said Business Bridge students gain a broad business education in a short time frame.
“It’s also a great opportunity for the faculty to interact with smart, interesting undergrads,” Kleinbaum added.
Hansen, who founded the program in 1997 and has taught courses every year since, said that he has seen program alumni successfully apply the knowledge they gained from the program to their postgraduate careers.
“I think the Bridge program has helped literally thousands of students figure out how to use their liberal arts education in a way that allows them to have an impact on the world by applying business knowledge,” he said.
The program costs $7,000, and some funding for students eligible for financial aid may be available, Hansen said.
The alumni network and post-program resources made the program worth it from a financial standpoint, Burbank said.
“The connections stay with you,” he said.