Graduate Students Spend a Day with Warren Buffett in Omaha

Twenty Rutgers Business School graduate students accompanied by John Longo, a professor of professional practice, traveled to Nebraska to visit with business magnate Warren Buffett last week.

It was the fourth time Longo has taken a group of Rutgers students to Omaha to visit with Buffett. This year, students from the MBA and Executive MBA programs as well as the Master of Quantitative Finance and the Master of Financial Analysis programs went on the trip.

Rutgers was among eight universities participating in the meeting with Buffett, who has made his Omaha visit with business school students an annual practice.

"Meeting the greatest investor ever is truly an inspiring and life-changing experience," Longo said. "His wisdom is equalled only by his generosity."

Buffett held a candid, two-hour question-and-answer session with the students before joining them for a casual lunch. Ben Downing, a student in the Executive MBA program, was seated next to Buffett and was able to chat with him throughout the lunch.

The Rutgers group presented Buffett with a unique gift inspired by the philanthropic spirit the businessman exhibited when he set up The Giving Pledge with Bill Gates. As a thank you to Buffett, Longo said he came up with the "Rutgers Giving Pledge." Each of the 20 Rutgers students who visited with Buffett will pledge to do something for charity in his honor, Longo said.

Longo said Buffett told him: "It was the best gift you could have given me."

(Bottom image: Professor Longo created the idea for The Rutgers Giving Card. It was designed by Anju Jagasia, wife of Rutgers EMBA student Amit Jagasia.)