MBA Program Hosts First McDonough “Sippy Cup”

Brooke Raybould (MBA ’16) poses with her husband and son.

For an afternoon, Connelly Commons at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business was transformed into a playground, complete with bouncy balls, popcorn machines, face paint, and coloring books. The activities were part of the first “Sippy Cup” event, held in conjunction with the annual McDonough Cup celebration.

The event provided MBA moms and dads – and their little Hoyas – the opportunity to meet fellow students with children. Sippy Cup is part of the MBA Program Office’s larger initiative to provide support to MBA students who have children, including adding a nursing mother’s room in the Hariri Building and starting a database to collect spousal and child information. The hope is to create a more intimate and inclusive community for all MBA students.

“In the past year and a half we’ve had more than 30 children born to our MBA students, so we really saw the need for events like this,” said Kerry Pace, associate dean of MBA programs.

One MBA parent, Zeynep Ozfatura Gundogdu, president of the MBA Partners Association, appreciates opportunities like Sippy Cup, citing how family-focused events offer important benefits for those balancing academia with parenthood.

“I’ve found that a lot of my fellow students are parents or expecting parents, so we’re growing as a family,” she said. “It’s nice to meet people who are going through similar situations because they understand and can give you support when you need it the most.”

The McDonough Sippy Cup is an event particularly suited to Georgetown, given the university’s Jesuit value of cura personalis or caring for the whole person. 

“McDonough MBA students and Georgetown, in general, stress the importance of community and supporting the whole person,” Pace said. “That’s really what this is – an opportunity to support the students and thank their families. Family support is essential to their success in our program.”