Alana Buckner
“I decided to come to Carlson because it offered strong academics, project-based experience and an individualized approach .”
My story
Canadian-born, I moved to the US when I was eight and lived in Minnesota during my last two years of high school. For undergrad, I headed to Cornell in Ithaca, NY, interned with IBM, and then joined them full-time. For 5.5 years I worked in IBM Corporate HR in five roles in four cities, ending up on assignment in Shanghai, China. During my two-year overseas adventure, I knew I was ready to take the leap and pursue my dream of social entrepreneurship.
Why Carlson?
As a career switcher, I was looking to build upon my corporate experience, develop my financial and operations skills, and connect with an entrepreneurial community. With this in mind I applied to a few different schools to find the right fit. I decided to come to Carlson because it offered strong academics, project-based experience and an individualized approach. The Enterprise programs would provide experiential learning (Ventures was my target). Also, the current students I spoke with, potential classmates at the admit weekend, and the Carlson staff left a positive impression, and I looked forward to joining the Carlson community. The additional plus is the great, scenic Twin Cities with a vibrant food scene and great place to live and stay active.
A Day with Alana - Monday, March 23rd
| 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. | Wake up and dress casual thanks to entrepreneurial track. Leave the house for my 20-minute drive to campus. |
| 8:30 - 9:55 a.m. | Hang out in the Master’s Lounge, print slides and maybe play some ping pong (singles is preferable…). |
| 9:55 - 11:35 a.m. | Attend my Cohort A required course Managerial Economics. |
| 11:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Walk through the basement to the Humphrey School - Bistro for a super foods salad. |
| 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Meet with my awesome, efficient and fun core team A5 to split assignments for the week. |
| 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Catch up on email, work with the outgoing Net Impact president on budget planning and print readings. |
| 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Run around Lake Harriett and enjoy the spring weather. Training for the Twin Cities Marathon! |
| 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. | A mixture of homework, emails and dinner @ home. |
| 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Get out of the house! Kickball and drinks with friends. |