BB&T Leadership Challenge

Since 1982, the McColl School of Business has provided an opportunity for faculty, staff and MSB graduate students to participate in a weekend leadership experience at the Wildacres Retreat Center, located in the western North Carolina mountains near Little Switzerland, NC. Launched by Herman Blumenthal and Billy O. Wireman, the Blumenthal Conference originally focused on ethical issues in business.

In 2009, the retreat was re-named the BB&T Leadership Challenge in recognition of a generous gift from BB&T.  This gift now covers the cost of this retreat for all degree-seeking students in the PMBA and MSOD programs. The Leadership Challenge includes opportunities for dialogue and debate regarding the philosophical underpinnings of capitalism and Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged." This intellectual challenge is followed by an outdoor physical challenge! This experience is led by a distinguished team from Vertical S.A., a leadership consulting firm located in Santiago, Chile, which uses the outdoors as a means of teaching leadership and communication skills as well as teamwork and entrepreneurship skills.

Read about the 2012 trip, and check back August 1, 2013 for registration for the 2013 weekend. The weekend is scheduled for October 11-13, 2013. Get a head start by reading Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged."