As the sun dipped below the horizon in South Kensington, the Natural History Museum closed its doors to the public. The museum came alive and transformed into a captivating venue, exclusively for Imperial College Business School students to celebrate the 2024 academic year kickstart. Held in the Hintze Hall, the event united students and alumni from across our programmes at the Business School. A neighbour to Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum provided a space that felt like a scene from a movie. As our students start a new academic term, they reflect on their experience so far and share highlights of this unforgettable event.
Mishaal Majeed
MSc International Health Management (now replaced with MSc Global Health Management)
Nationality: South African
My first term at Imperial College Business School has been a memorable one. There has been so much learning and growth, not just through academics but throughout the entire student-life experience. It’s been a lot to get adjusted into, especially as an international student, but this has not been an unwelcome encounter. I’ve really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and diverse environment and have been glad to be able to contribute towards it. Between balancing academics, career prospects, social commitments and personal goals, I also make time to reflect on the experience of being here – and I am grateful for this every single day.
The combination of historical significance, architectural beauty, and the opportunity to explore the museum after hours made the Natural History Museum an extraordinary venue for the Winter Party.
What I was looking forward to at the Winter Party
There was so much I was looking forward to – and it’s safe to say that my expectations were set quite high. Here are a couple of things I was keen to explore and experience:
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The museum itself: the world-famous Natural History Museum
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The entertainment: great music, a lot of dancing, and a heartfelt ballet performance.
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The interactions: getting to see everyone – the glitz, the glamour, the conversation and all the good times that came with it.
The event was truly spectacular and exceeded all my expectations.
Stunning entertainment
There was a variety of entertainment featured at the party. Earlier on in the night was a stunning LED ballet performance, and this was nothing less than exceptional. Furthermore, throughout the night, there was a mixture of amazing music being played by some very talented DJs – and this was accompanied, of course, by a great deal of dancing. There were also a number of photo booths situated throughout the museum where you could dress up (even more) and get some impressive photos taken.
Marco Wai
Nationality: Macau
My first term has been truly phenomenal and transformational. Studying with my cohort coming from different nationalities, cultures and languages within the first 4 months has been eye-opening for me which I got to learn better on how to work in a global team. The wide ranges of courses such as Organisational Behaviour, Innovation Challenge, Data Analytics has trained me to solve a business case from a 360 all-round perspective and it has paved a great foundation for my future career upon graduation from Imperial.
It is an unreal experience dancing under the 25-metre blue whale skeleton with a mixture of creative party anthems throughout the night.
Meeting and networking with fellow students
Before I joined the Business School, I was already looking forward to this event, especially the opportunity to dance under the famous blue whale. I was able to mingle with so many professors, staffs and students whom I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with in the first semester and met some of the weekend and global MBA students whom we have been taking classes together online, it is great to finally meet them in person. The event has been a great platform for like-minded people and fellow Imperial family to get together.
My personal highlight
As a Deans Impact scholarship recipient, I was invited to the VIP reception drinks before the party. Here, I had the opportunity to meet professors, senior staffand alumni. I spoke with so many inspiring senior business leaders, learned from their experiences and built meaningful connections. I met Full-Tim MBA alumni, they provided useful tips on how to navigate the MBA.
Amazing entertainment
DJ Tony Perry was the best entertainment at the night, especially with his skilful selection of music ranging from different countries, vibes and singers, which has made the night so enjoyable. It is an unreal experience dancing under the 25-metre blue whale skeleton with a mixture of creative party anthems throughout the night.
The majestic LED Ballerina trio is amazing too, which blends very well with the entire setting of the museum.
Xiaolin Yao
MSc International Health Management (now replaced with MSc Global Health Management)
Nationality: Chinese
My first term at Imperial College Business School has been truly enriching. I've had the pleasure of connecting with friends from diverse backgrounds around the world, and the energy and charisma of the teachers at the school have been truly inspiring. The experience has allowed me to broaden my perspective and learn to approach affairs in new and innovative ways. Overall, it has been a positive and transformative start to my journey at Imperial College Business School.
The party that exceeded my expectations
I can confidently say that the event not only met but exceeded my expectations. The Winter Party offered a fantastic blend of socialising, entertainment, and immersive experiences. Dancing beneath the awe-inspiring blue whale skeleton, interacting with the LED Ballerinas, and exploring the museum's exhibits created an unforgettable evening. The photobooths were a hit, providing an enjoyable way to capture moments with friends.
My personal highlight
The personal highlight of the Natural History Museum party for me was dancing beneath the captivating 25-meter blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall. The combination of the atmospheric music curated by DJ Tony Perry and the majestic presence of the whale created a truly enchanting experience.
The National History Museum, a distinctive party backdrop
The iconic Hintze Hall, with its towering 25-meter blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling, provided a breathtaking and unique setting for the festivities. The grandeur of the hall, adorned with historical and natural wonders, added an awe-inspiring atmosphere to the event. The juxtaposition of the lively party elements against the backdrop of the museum's exhibits, including the Wildlife Photographer of the Year gallery and the Darwin Centre, created a one-of-a-kind experience.
Rounak Mahakul
MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering
Nationality: Indian
Throughout my first term, Imperial College Business School has provided me a great platform to showcase and harness my leadership capabilities by making it accessible to various events ranging from social to career fairs to network with alumni better fostering a deeper meaningful relationship.
I have found the classroom to have experienced professors that structure the programme in such a way that contrasts while mapping theoretical knowledge with practical implications relating to the applications used while delving deeper into the world of finance.
An unforgettable event
Prior to the event, I felt so excited to join a student event with amazing people with diverse background meeting new bunch of beautiful people bringing back to the Business School calendar. More than 500+ people joining the party couldn’t have been more exciting moment to capture these moments in the middle of this intense one-year program. I remember before joining the Business School, students would always talk about this Winter Party as an unforgettable event.
My personal highlight of the party
Personally, being with the classmates, communities and bright minds at Business School enjoying this lively experience made this party eventful and full of life. Also, I had great moment to cherish with the people over clink of glasses and kickstart the year 2024 at the National History Museum party.
Additionally, we were fortunate enough to meet with the Imperial alumni who were also invited to the party; I spoke to them to understand about their experience at Imperial and managing workloads this intense year.
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