MSU Graduate School of Business Administration

Transcription

I was looking over the internet, researching into the different MBA schools, and one of the schools that always kept coming up was Michigan State. All of the people seemed to have a positive experience here—good feedback from recruiters, from current students, from alumni. Well, it started the minute I walked onto campus as a student—and it started with an orientation program, meeting my team for the first time. And these were people that came from diverse backgrounds—both geographical and professional. I started off in engineering and I wanted to move into the purchasing field, but I didn’t have a real robust business background. Some are “career-switchers”—coming from dramatically different fields. Others are here to deepen their understanding of business discipline. All of them have in common that what they’re looking to do is create a career where they’re going to make a difference in the business that they’re working in. So as faculty we roll up our sleeves, get to know the students well, and essentially lead by example. And the smaller class size is very beneficial in terms of fostering discussion among the students within the classroom setting. In the business world today, teamwork is pushed—it’s necessary—it’s critical for success. I wanted to develop those skills so I could be a leader—a team leader, and a business leader in the future—and that’s what Broad offers. Maybe some of the recommendations that we put together. I think that’s a good idea. Our graduates understand the business as a whole. It’s not just about supply chain management, or jus about marketing. It’s how those functions fit into the business and contribute to the success of the business. First, of course, they have to learn the fundamental techniques…and they have to learn them very well. Then, they have to apply them. And then, they have to apply them in situations which are as close to reality as you can possibly bring into the classroom. So this past year, Kelloggs came in. We wrote up a custom case and gave it to the students. They have to approach the problem, figure out the research they need, and then propose and defend the strategy to management. There are people from all over the world—from the U.S., from Europe, a lot of countries in South America, from China, Asia… The culture of the program very much lends itself to that interaction that allows the students to learn from the experiences of each other. I came from Idaho Falls, Idaho—a town of about 50,000 people. I ended up in New York City working with a Fortune 50 company. This summer I had the opportunity to do an internship at Intel Corporation in Portland, and there were plenty of MBAs from all across the United States. I always ask them, you know, “How did you feel? Did you feel you were as prepared as your colleagues from other MBA programs?” And unequivocally, every one of them has said they felt as prepared or more prepared. Well, yeah, they’re bright and they’re well-trained, but the first few weeks they show up as the students that are happy to bring in resources from other places and really lead the change through hard work. And over time, people take notice, and that’s somebody they want to be around. Everyone wants to have a balance. They’re going to work hard, but they’re also going to make sure they have time to have fun and really foster relationships. They have a charity auction. The Broad Women’s Association organizes the “Race for the Cure.” You know, it’s kind of a nice way, if you think about it, to teach ethics within an MBA program—because the students leave with a sense of social responsibility. Now I’m a “finance geek,” so it’s the best return on your time, your money and your effort. And you come out all the better for it, in terms of competing as well as in terms of friends and alumni. Career services at the Broad program is one of the other top reasons I chose to come here. When I looked at the percentage of folks getting jobs and internships, it was in the 90’s. That was a huge selling factor for me—because you want to have the confidence that they school is working for you, as well as your capabilities to get you a job. I think that the network beyond the Broad program, and beyond those alumni that I went to school with, is extremely valuable. Michigan State is a large university, yet when you meet somebody from Michigan State, that’s an immediate connection that gains you a hand-up. I grew so much in the Broad MBA program. I’d definitely do it again in a heartbeat. Whether it be in a classroom setting or it be with case competitions or organizations or the friendships that I’ve made, each aspect of that has pushed me to a limit where I’ve never gone before. I think we prepared them for anything that they want to achieve. “David, welcome to Broad.” “Thank you.” “Nice to meet you.”