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SLU Students Meet the ‘Oracle of Omaha’

Saint Louis University MBA students traveled to Omaha to spend an afternoon with billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

Warren Buffett trip

Students dined with billionaire investor Warren Buffett at his favorite restaurant.

A group of Saint Louis University MBA students had the chance to meet the ‘Oracle of Omaha’ Nov. 18. SLU sent 20 graduate business students to Nebraska to participate in an invitation-only Q&A with billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

“When I first started the MBA program, I didn't know much about Warren Buffett. I had heard some of his quotes about investment strategies and knew that he lived in Omaha, but that was about it,” said Laura Kleinschmidt, who is enrolled in the evening MBA program. “As I continued in my coursework, I learned more about his success and business legacy. So when the chance to travel on a bus trip to Omaha with my MBA classmates for a meet and greet with Mr. Buffett came up, I went for it.”

SLU joined 10 other universities for the event, which included a tour of Nebraska Furniture Mart — a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway — and lunch at Buffett's favorite restaurant. Each school had the opportunity to ask two or three questions during a two-hour meeting with Buffett.

“Mr. Buffett surprised us with his transparency, openness and sincerity,” Kleinschmidt continued. “He answered questions for two and a half hours straight from the 10 different MBA programs in the banquet room at Anthony's Steakhouse. Maybe it's his age (he started off by acknowledging he was 86 years young), but that morning I got the feeling that he was trying to connect with us and impart all knowledge to the future generations. And thanks to SLU, I was one of the lucky ones to hear the Oracle in person on that cold and windy Friday in November, and it was certainly a day I'll never forget.”

Kleinschmidt live-tweeted the event for the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business using the hashtag #SLUMeetsBuffett.

Buffett has hosted these student-only sessions for several years, welcoming hundreds of students from nearly 50 schools.

Learn more about SLU's graduate business programs, including the one-year MBA program, the evening MBA program and the executive master of international business program, at business.slu.edu.