The Whitman Full-Time MBA Program

Transcription

1 The Whitman Full-Time MBA Program

2 The Whitman full-time MBA program is It s about

3 about more than just business courses. We believe the best MBA programs are transformative. taking you to new careers or new levels in your current career providing you with new avenues towards leadership giving you the experience you need to be competitive in the global marketplace instilling in you the sense of entrepreneurship and innovation in every aspect of life One of the nation s oldest and most innovative business schools, the Whitman MBA program is a leader in redefining graduate business education to give our students the most dynamic, relevant experiences possible. changing your world.

4 ready, set, go!

5 A TYPICAL ORIENTATION DAY Breakfast 8 8:30 a.m. Introduction to Day 9 9:15 a.m. Alumni Speaker and Icebreaker 9:15 10:30 a.m. Ian McIntosh 00 BS (EDU) 03 MBA, recruiting executive, Accountants International, a Randstad company Whitman alumnus Ian McIntosh speaks to the new MBA class about life after earning an MBA, the importance of networking, and the anatomy of a career search. Company Tour: CONMED 10:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. New MBA students will visit ConMed, a global medical technology company headquartered in Central New York. Vice president of global operations, Dave Johnson, will lead the group in a Kaizen (continuous improvement) exercise, followed by a plant tour, led by Johnson and Don Keeler, manager of continuous improvement at ConMed. From the moment you are accepted into the Whitman MBA program, the Whitman School ensures a smooth transition into our graduate community, orienting you to life as a full-time MBA student and allowing you to begin your professional and career development. Essential tasks are assigned to provide you with the opportunity to network with other students before your arrival in Syracuse, prepare you for orientation and coursework, and allow the Whitman Graduate Programs Office to assist you with relocation and course registration. Throughout Whitman s engaging and activity-filled orientation, MBA students get to know their new classmates during social events and team building exercises. In addition, orientation prepares students for the academic rigors of the program and the equally important internship search. New MBA students are immediately connected with the Whitman Career Center to create a more refined understanding of skills and expertise through career assessment tools and research. This career programming is an intense opportunity for students to gain additional insights into the graduate recruiting process. Community Service 1 p.m. Pamela Heintz, associate vice president for engagement and director of the Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Service Community involvement is a major part of being a good corporate citizen. This afternoon, students will be introduced to SU s Center for Public and Community Service. Students will then go out into the Syracuse community and take part in a community service project. MBASA Social 5 7 p.m. Inn Complete (South Campus) Whitman s Military- Friendly Emphasis Since 1952, the Defense Comptrollership Program in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University has trained financial managers to handle multibillion dollar resources for the Department of Defense. Whitman encourages former military to apply to its MBA programs and participates in the U.S. Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program to offer higher education benefits to post-9/11 servicemen and women and their dependents. DUAL DEGREES There are limitless possibilities to combine the full-time MBA with a graduate degree in another Syracuse University school or college. The following combinations have been most popular in recent years: MBA/MS with the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications MBA/MPA with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs MBA/MS with the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science MBA/JD with the College of Law MBA/MS with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

6 Students in the Whitman MBA program receive a wellrounded education that incorporates both the theoretical background and practical experience needed to succeed in today s ever-changing global economy. Requirements 54 program credits Typically a two-year program Experiential elective credits Study or work abroad (optional) concentrations ACCOUNTING Allows students to work toward earning eligibility for the New York State CPA exam. Career choices include: consulting/professional services tax, audit, investment, and financial services corporate accounting/finance ENTREPRENEURSHIP Built around entrepreneurial management, innovative products, services and processes, and global perspectives on marketing opportunities. Students develop an advanced skill set that can be applied in a range of professional contexts, including: launching new companies succeeding in fast-growth entrepreneurial firms growing family businesses pursuing social or non-profit entrepreneurship developing new business units in large corporations FINANCE Provides a strong theoretical background while instilling strategic and analytic thinking skills, with courses revolving around investment, corporate finance, international finance, and financial institutions and markets. Job opportunities include: corporate finance financial planning investment banking insurance real estate SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Builds on core courses in finance, marketing, and management information systems, and addresses logistics, transportation, inventory, risk sharing, buyer-seller alliances, and business-to-business marketing in a global setting. Potential employers include: traditional manufacturers and retailers consulting firms transportation service providers third-party logistics companies MARKETING MANAGEMENT Focuses on brand and product management and develops knowledge of concepts and skills around implementing products, pricing, distribution, and communication strategies for goods and services. Marketing graduates are prepared for a variety of promising career options, including: advertising and promotion management business-to-business marketing consulting marketing management marketing research new product development product and brand management retailing and wholesaling sales management family business management the mba curriculum

7 YEAR 1 Fall YEAR 1 Spring YEAR 2 Fall YEAR 2 Spring Weeks 1 8 Weeks 9 16 Weeks 1 8 Weeks 9 16 Weeks 1 8 Weeks 9 16 Weeks 1 8 Weeks 9 16 IT for Decision Support Managerial Skills Competitive Strategy Corporate Strategy Understanding Financial Statements Creating Financial Statements Operations Management Supply Chain Management Economic Foundations of Business Economics of International Business Financial Markets & Institutions Fundamentals of Financial Management Creating Customer Value Managing the Marketing Mix Elective Elective Data Analysis Legal & Ethical Aspects of Business Behavior in Organizations Elective Elective Opportunity Recognition & Ideation Global Entreprenuerial Management Accounting for Managerial Decisions Elective Customer Relationship Management (with SAP) Project Management -or- -or- Introduction to Sustainability Elective Elective Elective Elective Elective Elective Elective course sequence for mba curriculum

8 BURAK KAZAZ Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management Burak Kazaz s aim as a researcher is to examine new perspectives on managing uncertainty. With research interests including pricing, production, and distribution planning under uncertainty, particularly supply, demand, and exchange-rate uncertainty, Kazaz is motivated by a desire to help companies plan for uncertainty in periods of supply and demand risk. Global Supply Chain Management The recent economic turbulence in the global financial markets illustrates the importance of effective and efficient management of global supply chains. For U.S. firms, the dollar is declining, opportunities for borrowing are shrinking, and the consumers purchasing power is diminishing with intensifying competition from foreign firms. The picture is also bleak for non-u.s. firms as the manufacturing costs are increasing, borrowing is becoming increasingly difficult, and revenues in major markets are shrinking in value when converted to local currency. This course responds to the needs of the current economic crisis and examines how global supply chains can create efficient strategies in order to provide profitable and sustainable operations. It integrates principles from marketing, finance, and operations. Elet Callahan Professor of Law and Public Policy Elet Callahan is primarily interested in sustainability, whistle-blowing, at-will employment, environmental policy, and academic integrity. She was an integral player in the new Sustainable Enterprise Partnership between the Whitman School, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), and the Syracuse Center of Excellence. Managing Sustainability: Purpose, Principles, and Practice The concept of sustainability is central to organizational efforts to respond to environmental challenges in ways that maximize competitive advantage. Thus, there is great demand for professionals who are skilled in sustainability issues and understand the economic and environmental challenges presented by increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, higher energy prices, and clean technologies. This course explores the interdependence of business, society, and the natural environment, and looks to engage in transdisciplinary collaboration focused on holistic assessment and development of sustainable business practices. Eunkyu Lee Associate Professor of Marketing Eunkyu Lee s primary research interests include marketing channel strategy, product category management, and consumer survey methodology. He also focuses on price competition and marketing specific to the movie and retail grocery industries. Strategic Brand Management This course prepares students to become successful brand managers and marketing strategists in today s dynamic and competitive market environment. Students learn how to develop and implement comprehensive brand strategies based on deep customer insights and clear competitive advantages identified through systematic analyses of various brand and market data. In the course, student groups compete against one another by introducing and managing brands for multi-million dollar companies in a simulated game under the oversight of the board of directors composed of the leading marketing executives in Central New York. Case studies extend the simulation experience to various real world situations found in established and emerging industries. Faculty in the Whitman School are committed to discovering and disseminating relevant knowledge, contributing perspectives on frontline business issues, and advancing the theory and practice of management. Whitman faculty research spans a diverse range of topics and methodologies and all faculty strive to reach the highest level of excellence. Faculty research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Operations Management, the Accounting Review, the Academy of Management Review, the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of Economics and Business, and Management Science. the whitman faculty

9 William Walsh Director, Joseph I. Lubin School of Accounting Bill Walsh, CPA, is an expert on taxes for closely held businesses and federal and state tax regulations. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Venture Capital This course gives students a thorough background in one of the most complicated and challenging areas of entrepreneurship. Students examine accounting and finance from a business owner s perspective in order to learn how successfully to start, run, and ultimately harvest a business. From a use of text, case studies, and live examples, students define the optimum approach to financing a new and growing company, and avoid the pitfalls of those who have failed. Craig Watters Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice Craig Watters works with Whitman s highly visible South Side Entrepreneurial Connect Project, advising teams of undergraduates and MBAs as they help small business owners and minority entrepreneurs on Syracuse s South Side grow their ventures. His areas of expertise include inner city small businesses and rural business development. Entrepreneurship in Engineering and Science This course bridges the gap between technical competence and entrepreneurial proficiency by approaching entrepreneurship as a manageable process built around innovativeness and risk-taking. The focus is on ventures where the business concept is built around either a significant technical advance in an operational process, or in the application of technology to create a new product or service. Students are exposed to real entrepreneurial case studies, real entrepreneurs, and the need to create a feasibility study or business plan for a real business concept. Anna Chernobai Assistant Professor of Finance Anna Chernobai s research interests lie in the area of financial mathematics and applied statistics/probability applied to the management and modeling of financial risks in banking institutions. Her areas of interest also include insurance, financial economics, applied probability, and stochastic processes. Risk Management This two-course sequence trains students in evaluating and managing operational and credit risk, relying heavily on quantitative models and statistical analysis. The operational risk sequence starts with an analysis of how operational risk contributes to overall riskiness of a financial institution; in fact, the biggest banking failures have been due to operational risk rather than any other financial risk. It then moves on to presenting the key statistical models for operational risk that are used in the industry. The credit risk sequence introduces traditional and more recent quantitative credit risk models. Special attention is devoted to working with real data and building necessary statistical and quantitative skills. Whitman is home to the new Certificate in Advanced Studies in Sustainable Enterprise (CASSE), open to students from a range of disciplines. The certificate is an outcome of unique collaboration to provide curricula, outreach, and research on sustainable enterprise with the Whitman School, SUNY-ESF, SU s L.C. Smith College of Engineering, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence.

10 Whitman MBA students experience the changes in the global economy and business through international study trips in emerging markets. These trips offer unique learning opportunities of each city and feature guest faculty, corporate visits, and cultural exploration. Recent trips include: Santiago, Chile, where students visited the United States Commercial Service, Cencosud S.A., LAN Airlines, CEPAL, Citigroup Bank, Unilever, and Sewell Mining. Bangalore, India, where students toured Texas Instruments, Google, Hewlett Packard, and GE. Buenos Aires, Argentina, where students visited NEC, Johnson Controls, Telefonica, Petrobras Libre, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, MercadoLibre, the American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina, and the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. Seoul, South Korea, where students toured Samsung Electronics, Korean Folk Village, SM Entertainment, and Gale International. international trips

11 Guest speakers Whitman MBA students experience management first-hand by hearing from professionals facing today s business issues. Guest lecturers include entrepreneurs, business leaders, and successful alumni in an array of forums. Gatherings range from the intimacy of a sit-down conversation in the student lounge to a distinguished lecture series that draws the entire Whitman School community. Recent guest speakers include: Frank Bisignano chief administrative officer, JPMC Bill Rancic first winner on NBC s The Apprentice and founder, CigarsAround theworld.com Johnny Earle founder and president, Johnny Cupcakes Daniel D Aniello 68 BS co-founder and managing director, The Carlyle Group Claudia Kotchka vice president of innovation, Proctor & Gamble Ursula Burns CEO, Xerox Corporation Jerry McDougal 91 MBA vice president of retail strategy, Apple Community Leadership For Whitman MBA students, earning an MBA is about more than just taking finance and marketing classes. It s about helping other people. Community engagement is a core value of the Whitman School, including the full-time MBA program. The Whitman School firmly believes that community service and helping others are important aspects of working professionally in the business world. Examples of recent MBA student community engagement include: March for Dimes March for Babies Fundraiser A group of Whitman MBA students launched a fundraising initiative to support March of Dimes March for Babies, a 3-mile walk at Onondaga Lake Park, raising more than $400 for the cause. Catholic Charities Business Tutorial for Children from Refugee Families Children from refugee families living in Syracuse participated in the MBA student-hosted Basic Business and High Aspirations event. The Whitman MBA program in collaboration with Whitman s Career Center provides interactive and participatory leadership development seminars that enhance MBA students professional skills, introduce and incorporate appropriate behaviors related to growth and success, and give Whitman MBA students a competitive edge in the marketplace. professional development

12 MBA student Chinyarai Modesti at her internship with John Varvatos in Manhattan Learn by doing is one of the philosophies widely embraced by the Whitman School. The experiential learning requirement in the full-time MBA program allows our students to fully apply classroom learning to real-world business problems. Through experiential learning projects, students connect with decision markers, hone business skills, and deliver tangible results that add value. Students build an experiential portfolio through: internships consulting specialized courses Whitman MBA students act as consultants to entrepreneurs at Whitman s South Side Innovation Center, a business incubator that fosters the creation of new ventures and helps make existing ones sustainable, and the Syracuse Community Test Kitchen (COMTEK), which assists food entrepreneurs to develop and test new food products for sale locally, nationally, and internationally. experiential learning

13 For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them aristotle Great Occasions A team of four students helped take a Dallas-based small e-business, Great Occasions, to the next level. Great Occasions sells artificial Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, LED lights, and yard art through the Internet. The SU student team used financial forecasting and modeling tool skills, and assisted the company with search-engine optimization techniques and sophisticated marketing tactics. JPMorgan Chase As part of the Syracuse University and JPMorgan Chase corporateuniversity collaboration, students across the SU campus were invited to develop a brand name for the partnership. One of the teams chosen to present in front of JPMC executives in Manhattan was the student team The Platform. They described their brand name as both a computer platform and a business platform and metaphorically as a foundation on which to build. Deloitte Whitman students addressed top automakers in Detroit at the International Auto Show as part of a platform designed to have MBA students from several geographicallydiverse schools present ideas on how to make cars cool for Gen Y. Five Whitman students analyzed a study conducted by Deloitte of approximately 1,000 Gen Y respondents. With those findings as their foundation, they developed a marketing plan to reach the target audience. The Whitman Career Center develops and maintains relationships with corporations across the United States and around the world. Our corporate development efforts focus on institutions with which Whitman students express a desire to launch careers. Through SU s campus recruiting program, the OrangeLink job posting system, and the MBA Focus Resume Database, Whitman students have the opportunity to be hired by some of the best corporations. The Whitman Career Center in collaboration with SU s Career Services offers campus career fairs and campus recruiting programs. Additionally, the Whitman School supports student attendance at national career fairs specifically focused on recruiting graduate students. The following corporations used our recruiting platform to engage with Whitman students: Al Reyami Group, Dubai Allstate Insurance Co. ALSAC/St. Jude Children s Research Hospital American Marketing Systems American Sales Company Amorie Jolie Analytic Partners Anderson Instrument Company Apple Banyan Capital BDO Seidman Berdon Blue Entertainment Sports Television (Best) Blue Highway Bonadio Group Bristol Myers Squibb Bronx Borough Adolfo Carrion, Jr. Capstone Cayuga Home for Children CheetahMail, an Experian Company CIGNA Citigroup Citizens Union CME Associates Cooper Crouse Hinds Coordinated Care Services, Inc. Corning Council of State Governments Crouse Hospital Cummins Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations Delaware North Companies Deliotte Deloitte Financial Advisory DiMarco, Abuisi & Pascarale Diversified Wealth Strategies Edward Jones Investments Energy East Ernst & Young Export NY Farkouh, Furman & Faccio First Environment First Investors Fiscal Advisors & Marketing Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability Fust Charles Chambers Gaylord Bros. Goldman Sachs Group Green Key Resources Hamilton College HSBC Bank USA IBM Independent Sales Associate Intel J.W. Burns & Company Jimlar Corporation JPMorgan Chase JW Stevens Company Korean American League For Civic Action (KALCA) KPMG Kraft Foods Lockheed Martin Manhattan Pharmaceuticals Inc. Markov Processes International Multicultural Radio Broadcasting New England Financial New York Blood Center New York City Department of Small Business Services New York City Teaching Fellows Oceans Casino Cruises Ochsner Medical Center Pidilite Industries Plaza Construction Company Port Authority of New York & New Jersey PPC Worldwide PricewaterhouseCoopers PRTM RBC Capital Markets Corporation Resort Funding Rodman & Renshaw Ross Stores Sauti Yetu Center for African Women Scotia DBG Investments Sears Holding Senator Charles Schumer Senator Clinton Regional Office SimplexGrinnell Smith Barney SPCC Finger Lakes WIC Syracuse Research Corporation T&T Premium Brands Marketing Telephonics Corporation The Bank of Thailand The Hartford The Princeton Review The Tech Garden Tiffany UBS Financial Services University of South Florida Unum Group VF Sportswear Westminster Community Charter School Wilh Loesch, India Win-Holt Equipment Xerox Corporation corporate recruiters

14 Whitman career center

15 The connection to the Whitman Career Center starts when students enroll in Whitman s full-time MBA program, continues with students through the year, and until students have secured an employment opportunity. Focused on holistic professional development, the Whitman Career Center works in partnership with students to develop an understanding of the intellect and qualities required for a career and to prepare for a new career path. Through self-assessment tools, students evaluate strengths and work to develop a plan for skill development in order to position themselves as candidates of choice. The Whitman Career Center offers programming focused on continuous skill development, from training on database systems that support the execution of a successful job search to practice interviews. Employment by Industry Accounting 30% Financial Services 24% Consumer Products / Retail 21% Manufacturing 9% Media / Entertainment 9% Government / Education 2% Consulting 1% Petroleum / energy 1% Real Estate 1% Sports / Leisure 1% Transportation 1% Utilities 1% Northeast 94% Employment by Geographic Location Midwest 3% West 3% Employment by Functional Area 7% Consulting 8% General Management 8% Human Resources 8% Marketing / Sales 8% Management Information Systems 23% Operations / Logistics 38% Finance / Accounting Data provided as of July 31, MBACSC standards used to compile report.

16 The Whitman School s home is a progressive 160,000-square-foot building located at the intersection of Syracuse University and the city of Syracuse, and offers dramatic views of both. Every design decision for the Whitman School building was made with a focus on students and creating an environment that promotes a culture of collegiality and a high-tech, world-class learning experience. The building includes: 22 high-tech teams rooms A 200-seat auditorium 20 break-out rooms with flat screen monitors A dedicated graduate computer cluster and lounge A three-story, 4,000-square-foot Grand Hall A 100-seat café A special events room with an outdoor terrace High speed wireless throughout the building A dedicated research center An investment research center An incubator for entrepreneurial start-ups A Green Building The Whitman School of Management building has many sustainable, environmentally-conscious features, including: Erosion control plans to reduce impact on water and air quality Restored landscape areas with new trees to reduce impact of rainwater runoff Special roofing to reduce thermal gradient difference between developed and undeveloped areas Dedicated areas for recycling Some building materials made with recycled content Maximized use of daylight for lighting and heat Under-floor ventilation to increase air circulation the whitman building

17 They thought about students when they designed the building every resource a student needs to study, learn, and excel is right here: computer clusters, flat panel displays, lounging areas, the latest training software. You can see the school really cares about providing us with what we need to prepare for careers in business. mlungisi mabele 06 bs, 09 mba

18 The student experience goes well beyond the traditional classroom at Whitman. As business professionals have to find the right balance between their work and personal lives, so do Whitman students balance academic workload with a wide variety of co-curricular activities and social opportunities to establish life-long friendships and tap into Whitman s extensive alumni and professional network. Examples include: Clarence Cross 10 MBA MBA Student Association Aims to enrich the Whitman MBA experience through social, cultural, and community-oriented activities and events, while also assisting the Whitman School in accomplishing its goals and honoring its core values. E-Club Dedicated to encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship across the SU campus, E-Club members team up with local entrepreneurs and businesses for entrepreneurship projects, host guest speakers throughout the semester, and manage revenue for their services. Consulting Club Nurtures, develops, and enhances the skills of members interested in pursuing a career in consulting, including through educating members about consulting careers and the consulting industry; offering members practical experiences by working on real life projects; and providing members with career preparation and networking opportunities. 9 a.m. Work I work from 9 11 a.m. before going to my first class: Data Analysis & Decision Making. I work as a graduate assistant in Syracuse University s Office of Student Life. Before leaving for class, I try to cruise through the screens of the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal online. 12:20 p.m. Class After my Data Analysis class is Accounting for Managerial Decisions with Alex Thevaranjan, associate professor of accounting. In addition to teaching us about managerial accounting, he really encourages students to find their niche in the world and meet a need. 2 p.m. Break Before our last class of the day, Managing the Marketing Mix, we have a three-hour break. I usually have a group meeting. Group meetings occupy about 35 percent of my time because the Whitman MBA program is heavily team-based, which really prepares us for future business environments. Team meetings usually mean drafting business or marketing plans for case study projects or a specific product study. 3 p.m. Lunch This Tuesday, we have a quiz in marketing, so I grab lunch and review my notes. I make sure I know the difference between product mix width and product line depth. I also review the aggregate project-planning matrix. 5 p.m. Class Marketing is a very exciting class because the content and class structure is based heavily on the case method. We breakdown cases as a class and discuss possible decisions that could have been made. Scott Lathrop, clinical professor of marketing practice, leads great class discussions. 6:30 p.m. Break After classes are over at 6:30 p.m., I sometimes go to the gym for a game of racquetball with a couple classmates. student life 11 p.m. Relax Later in the evening, after I ve finished eating dinner, I travel back to Whitman to study for another two hours, leaving around 1:30 a.m. When I finally get back home, I plug in my cell phone, set my alarm, and flop into an unmade bed.

19 9 a.m. Getting Ready After a quick shower and breakfast, I check my and plan activities for the day. Also, I spend some time reading The New York Times and Wall Street Journal online to stock up on the needed ammunition for discussions in class. Jennifer Dodd 10 MBA 11 a.m. Class At 11 a.m., we have Data Analysis and Decision Making with Chung Chen, professor of managerial statistics. It kicks off with insights into the performance of the S&P 500 over the last few days and outlook for the day. We cover the concept of interpreting the numbers and looking out for patterns, using random walk model. We also focus on the independence of the data and look out for the factors that play a significant role in shaping the data pattern by using regression analysis. To end the day s class, we learn about Minitab (statistical software) applications used to perform these functions more efficiently and accurately and that can be decisive in the analysis of the numbers. 12:30 p.m. Lunch and Office Hours After grabbing a quick lunch at Varsity, a popular Marshall Street restaurant, I head for my office hours at the MBA Student Association s (MBASA) office. The MBASA is an organization for MBA and MS students, and it works with Whitman administrators to enhance the MBA experience by organizing social events, group activities, and academic/ job related events. While there, I do some reading for my marketing class. 5 p.m. Class Our marketing course is taught by Scott Lathrop, clinical professor of marketing practice. We discuss a case study on Kodak and following that we have a quiz on the four P s, i.e., product, price, place, and promotion. 9 p.m. Fun! Today, I head with my friends to Armory Square, the hippest section of the City of Syracuse (two miles from campus) to have dinner at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and discuss the group projects that need to be started over the weekend. We hit the clubs after that and relieve the stress from the week on the dance floor! Aditya Garg 10 MBA 8 a.m. Work My Saturday starts early. I work Saturday mornings at the Carousel Mall as a sales associate at Bath and Body Works. I like having a job outside of my graduate studies because it gives me a mental break from class work. Also, my previous work experience is in marketing I used to do the online marketing and product positioning for a small company in Buffalo. However, I want to change my career path, which is why I started in Whitman s full-time MBA program. After completing my MBA, I want to work in the retail industry at the corporate level. After talking to recruiters at the national career fair early in the year, I found out that my current experience as a retail employee, even at the store level, may be helpful in applying and interviewing for corporate retail internships. Therefore, my weekend job helps pay monthly bills and will be helpful in acquiring a full-time position after I graduate. 3 p.m. Lunch The day at work goes by quickly and my shift ends. I head back home and make a late lunch before going over to the Whitman School. 5 p.m. Research/Projects I have a group meeting scheduled tonight to do research for a term project. The project is not due until the end of the semester, but we figure it s a good time to get started. We re working on a research project for our course, Data Analysis & Decision Making. Our project is to analyze various influences on crime, and tonight we need to find the historical data that we will later analyze using the statistical methods learned in class. It s very important that we have thorough research to base our project and presentation on later. Our professor, Chung Chen, had previously given us an older set of data, including education and crime statistics, to start our research. The relationships found in that initial set of data from Professor Chen suggest that there are other factors that would be interesting to research, such as Gross Domestic Product and unemployment. We easily find data about crime, but struggle in finding accurate historical education data. We decide to Professor Chen for some advice in selecting our variables and will meet again next week to finish researching. 9 p.m. Fun! It has been a long day, so I am ready to do something fun! A group of us from the MBA program decide to go back to the mall, this time to catch a late movie. It turns out to be a productive and entertaining day! A Day in the Life of a Whitman MBA Student

20 Darlene DeRemer 77 BS, 79 MBA Partner Grail Partners Whitman offered me a terrific education in a great university with caring and passionate professors and well thought out curricula and programs. Whitman has a reputation for preparing its students for the real world and to immediately make contributions to their employers. It s important to take advantage of all the educational experiences that Whitman offers: the Orange Value Fund, the entrepreneurship program, guest speakers, and research and analysis opportunities working alongside the faculty. Whitman offers a well-diversified program that can really prepare you for a rewarding and challenging career in management. I sought the development of a solid foundation that would provide me with a great launching pad that I could rely upon then in a job search and as my career advanced. I was looking for an accredited University that was ultimately going to provide me with a diverse educational experience that once I graduated would allow me to do what I wanted to do and afford me the opportunity to make choices. Whitman offered a complete package. Jerry McDougal 91 MBA Vice, Retail Strategy Apple James Winschel Jr. 71 BS, 73 MBA Senior Vice & CFO PAREXEL International Corporation I had been interested in a career in business from the time that I was 9 or 10 years old, so the choice of where to focus my studies was easy. To achieve success in a very competitive and challenging global environment, you need to work incredibly hard to ensure that you are appropriately prepared for what lies ahead. The Whitman School of Management does an incredible job of preparing its students for success. Whitman has done an outstanding job of ensuring that course offerings are on the leading edge of current practice as required by the rapid pace of change being experienced in industry today. While at Whitman, I was fortunate to be able to lead a consulting project with a local company through the Whitman Consulting Club, meet with renowned businessman Warren Buffet in Omaha, Nebraska, and travel to India to experience firsthand how U.S. companies operate in an international environment. I ve leveraged all of these experiences in my professional career. alumni Monika Janik 08 MBA Senior Associate, Washington Federal Practice PricewaterhouseCoopers