From the Vietnam War to the AI Revolution: Five Decades of Business Today

Business Today is the largest student-run magazine in the United States, with two issues being published a year and distributed to over 200,000 college students and business executives. Since its beginning, it has aimed to connect university students passionate about business with business leaders. Students have the opportunity to hear about business leaders’ career paths and real-world experience, and business leaders can get an insight into the minds of a younger generation. 

Business Today was originally founded in 1968 by Steve Forbes, Michael Mims, and Jonathan Perel as a magazine. The organization started on Princeton’s campus during the Vietnam War. In 1969, Forbes, Mims, and Perel appeared on the Today Show, sparking worldwide attention about the magazine. Business Today was later featured in an article by The Wall Street Journal in 1968 and contained exclusive articles published in the magazine by presidential candidates Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon.

Throughout the years, Business Today has been led by students who have gone on to make a significant impact in the world. For example, Meg Whitman ‘77, a businesswoman and politician, Wendy Kopp ‘89, the CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All, and Michael Kratsios ‘08, a government official. 

In 1971, Business Today became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Later that year, the first Business Tomorrow conference was held, hosting speakers such as American novelist Richard Clarke and American lawyer Ralph Nader. The Business Tomorrow Conference was continued and is now known as the flagship International Conference. This is the largest student-run conference in the world, staffed by 100+ Princeton students. The conference has seen impressive speakers such as Gerald Ford, Andrea Jung, Brad Smith, and Henry Kissinger. 

Through the International Conference, Business Today has worked to connect undergraduate students from over 35 countries and 6 continents to business executives around the world, including Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees, startup founders, and firm producers. The 51st International Conference is being held this fall at The Westin New York Grand Central in New York City from November 8th to November 10th. The conference theme is “The Human Algorithm,” exploring the ways in which AI and technology are changing the job landscape and human life more broadly.  

In the 2010s, Business Today gained national recognition due to its expanding opportunities for university students. The 2010s were filled with great additions that expanded Business Today’s horizons. In 2012, Business Today hosted its first Start @ a Startup Conference, which was geared towards engineers and students interested in computer science. Also in 2012, Business Today published its Online Journal. In 2013, Business Today hosted its first Women in Business Conference. And in 2017, they announced their first Breakout trip, where students had the opportunity to visit companies in New York City. 

In 2017, Business Today founded the Design Nation Conference, which emphasizes the importance of design education in universities across the nation. The conference hosts 100+ students from various backgrounds to learn about innovation and creativity from top industry leaders. Through various keynotes, workshops, executive seminars, and networking opportunities, students internalized the importance of design through hands-on experience and interactions with major companies and design firms.

In addition, Business Today’s Boost Conferences have empowered Black student voices at Princeton and across the nation. Business Today previously partnered with Black student organizations at other colleges and HBCUs to foster experiences to help Black student leaders find mentors and plan their careers.

While Business Today has been around for several decades, its initial goals and objectives have remained consistent. The organization has changed and grown to fulfill its mission. We’re excited to see what comes next!