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Michael Farmer in Media Village: Forget the Ivy League

By Nancy R. Tag Posted on 03/03/2021 14:39

“Our students are not put off by Madison Avenue's manslaughter -- they are used to upheavals, toughened by their personal experiences, and eager to attack the real world with all its opportunities. For an industry needing transformation, diversity, equity and inclusion, CCNY stands ready, as it always has, to provide well-educated graduates who have the right stuff.”

By BIC Program Director Nancy R. Tag

BIC Professor and Board member Michael Farmerknows what he’s talking about. A Princeton English major with a Harvard MBA, he’s been a high-level international consultant for decades, clocking in some time as director of Bain & Company, founding its office in Paris. The third edition of his book Madison Avenue Manslaughter includes a forward from Sir Martin Sorrell.

So when he speaks, we listen. What’s he saying right now? If you want to be in the trenches with a smart and focused professional during a global health crisis, amid societal unrest, and with an industry in turmoil, pick a BICster.

When Michael agreed to teach in my graduate program in Branding and Integrated Communications (BIC), I felt so lucky. He not only fills the classroom with his vast knowledge, leadership, and compassion, but with guest speakers who are at the top of their game (Former Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Brian Sheehan is featured in the photo below). But the thing that tickles me the most about Professor Farmer is the utter joy he derives from the BIC students he teaches. He captured this in a recent article —a tribute, actually — for Media Village in which he shares tales from BICsters in his Internal Management course.
Two of my favorites tales from the article:

"One of my students grew up in Castro’s Cuba during the Período Especial, when aid from the Soviet Union collapsed. As a child, she chanted, 'Pioneers for Communism, we will be like Che!' every morning at the commencement of classes."

"Another was born in Afghanistan during the political turmoil of the Soviet Union communist regime and the Mujahedeen resistance in the 1980's. He has worked on reconstruction projects and was able to come to the U.S. with his family on a green card due to his extraordinary efforts for USAID."

In Media Village, he summaries: “Our students are not put off by Madison Avenue's manslaughter -- they are used to upheavals, toughened by their personal experiences, and eager to attack the real world with all its opportunities. For an industry needing transformation, diversity, equity and inclusion, CCNY stands ready, as it always has, to provide well-educated graduates who have the right stuff.”

As always, well said, Michael! To read the entire Media Village article, go here.  Please do. It will inspire you.


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