Questrom School of Business Kicks Off BU Alumni Weekend with Thought-Provoking Dialogue

On Thursday, September 26, Boston University’s Questrom School of Business launched Alumni Weekend with an engaging conversation between two distinguished BU Terriers: Dave Kerpen (Wheelock ’98), New York Times bestselling author of five books, and Curt Nickisch (Questrom ’13), Harvard Business Review Senior Editor and Co-Host of HBR’s Ideacast Podcast.

The event, held at BU’s newest architectural gem, the Center for Computing and Data Sciences, attracted over 80 members of the BU Terrier community. Alumni, students, and industry executives gathered on the top floor, enjoying spectacular views of the Charles River.

The evening opened with a private reception bringing together senior alumni executives and Questrom School leadership for networking and a chance to forge meaningful connections. During her welcome, Questrom’s Alumni Director Dee Polat shared that nearly 3,000 alumni were visiting campus for alumni weekend festivities and invited Allen Questrom Professor and Dean of Questrom School of Business Susan Fournier to deliver the opening remarks.

“In our hyper-connected, digital world, it’s ironic that we often forget the most crucial element of success: our ability to genuinely connect with others,” said Dean Fournier, alluding to the topic of Dave Kerpen’s nationally acclaimed best-seller, “The Art of People.”

Introducing the evening’s moderator, Dean Fournier praised Curt Nickisch’s rich background with WBUR and his talent for uncovering the human stories behind business success. She also mentioned Nickisch’s recent partnership with Questrom as host of Questrom’s “Is Business Broken” podcast, an initiative of the school’s newly launched Mehrotra Institute, which explores the positive societal impact of markets and business.

In a heartwarming moment, Charlotte Kerpen, a current Questrom senior and Dave Kerpen’s daughter, introduced her father. She humorously admitted her initial hesitation to apply to BU because of her father’s alma mater status, but expressed deep appreciation for her BU experience.

The conversation between Nickisch and Kerpen was marked by a blend of humor and insightful exchange, providing attendees with valuable takeaways from the evening. Some of our favorites included the following:

• Start listening actively and authentically
• Help people come up with YOUR idea all on their own.
• Apply the platinum rule – treat others as THEY wish to be treated.
• Not every connection is worth pursuing, blowing off the right people is a-okay
• Flex your communication to meet the emotional motivators of others.

For those interested, a recording of the event and photo gallery are available below:

Photo Gallery

Event Recording

Written by Dee Polat, ICF-PCC, Director of Alumni Engagement and Monica Parker James, EdD,  Associate Dean for Industry Relations, Career Services, and Alumni Initiatives.