Kelvin Wang, now a fourth-year student studying business, started the Business Strategy Club his freshman year. When he came to UCR, he wanted to find a club with the perfect match of a socially stimulating environment and opportunities for professional development, so he created the right balance in the Business Strategy Club.
In the beginning of the club, the events and meetings held consisted of lots of case competitions and simulations to help business students practice their skills in real-life situations. Through Kelvin’s second and third years, the club went through demo phases, solidified its founding document and cemented its vision. Throughout the years of its founding, the club has settled into the ideal equilibrium of what its Vice President Jay Vitela calls “professional focus in a fun environment.”
The way that Wang, Vitela and other board members foster this professional focus is by providing people with feedback in real-time on how to improve their business skills, but a core part of their mission is delivering this in a way that is very engaging. In a typical club meeting, which in fall quarter is Tuesdays 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., you can find the club participating in various stimulating activities. They practice case competitions to develop solutions on the spot to business situations, have socials at University Village, and bring in knowledgeable guest speakers who are well-versed in the business world. One activity that stands out in the lineup is their interview prep, which students don’t often get to practice; these simulations help build students’ readiness to tackle the post-college world. Board members of the club think that this is a critical part of studying business that is often overlooked; this practice of business strategy (hence the club name) is the primary focus of BSC.
A major goal of the club this year is to incorporate even more of the social aspect into their meetings and events. After working so hard over the past couple of years to create a strong foundation, the practicality and application of the organization are solid, so according to Wang, “bringing the social air is the focus this year.” Another goal of the club is recruiting people from majors outside of business, so everyone has the chance to bond while gathering skills and experiences to put on their resumes.
Their biggest event this quarter, providing a day filled with professional growth and tons of fun, is their Week Six Venture Valley Tournament. Venture Valley is a business simulation, eSports-style game where players compete against each other to come out on top. Students will get the chance to sharpen their skills throughout the day as the event runs from 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. in Latitude 55 (where The Habit is located). By just participating, students will get the chance to win prizes like gift cards, discounts on the habit, plushies or even cash. BSC hopes that competitive and socially active members of UCR’s campus will be drawn to the event so they can incorporate an even more diverse array of students into the club.
The board members’ goal of the event is to recruit more club members but also to showcase to the university that their members help create the culture of the club. Because BSC is one of the newest business organizations on campus, it doesn’t have as much of an established culture as other clubs, which Wang and Vitela view as a positive opportunity. They want people to identify that this is their club as well, not just a group they attend a meeting with every week. BSC aims to maintain its startup culture, one that is very spontaneous, creative and can adapt to whatever direction the members desire it to go. This strong foundation for the club will help it be one that sticks around. One business principle you may learn in a BSC meeting is market validation, aka that organizations die if they don’t adapt and constantly engage their members in what they desire to learn/participate in, which is exactly what this club strives to do.
If you want to find out more about Business Strategy Club or are curious about their Week Six event, their Instagram is @ucrbsc.
