Haas Welcomes Undergrad Class of ’11

Beloved Cal mascot Oski the Bear — or the undisclosed individual who portrays him — is one of 349 students who began undergraduate business studies at the Haas School in July.

Members of the class of 2011 arrived on campus the week of July 6 and were introduced to program advisors, student clubs, and the alumni community during Friday orientation, which also featured a performance by the Cal Straw Hat Band.

The incoming class was selected from a field of 2,051 applicants. As of July 1, approximately 74 percent are continuing UC Berkeley students and 26 percent are transfer students. The class is 51 percent male and 49 percent female.

“Each year the new undergraduate students impress us with their diverse backgrounds and interests,” says Erika Walker, executive director of the Undergraduate Program. “They arrive with a wealth of leadership potential and great enthusiasm for the opportunities at Haas. We look forward to their contributions in and outside of the classroom for years to come.”

The new students learned about the many resources available to them for career planning at a second annual business career conference July 17. The conference was launched last year thanks to a gift from Mark DiPaola, BS 99, who is also sponsoring this year's conference. A business career conference for the senior class will be held Aug. 25.

DiPaola, CEO of Pier Alliance and president of D3 Ventures, shared his perspective with students on his career as an entrepreneur. The 2008 conference was the first comprehensive career program geared to a specific college or school at UC Berkeley, according to Tom Devlin, director of the UC Berkeley Career Center, which developed the conference both years.

“The business career conference provides a unique opportunity for students to interact with and learn from alumni, career counselors, and employers,” says Devlin. “In light of the highly competitive job market, the Undergraduate Career Center is again offering this forum for new students to get a head start on developing an effective and marketable career plan.”

By the way, if you are hoping to spot Cal's ursine celebrity on campus, don’t spend too much time looking — Oski’s true identity is always kept secret.

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