U.S. News & World Report ranked the Fisher MBA program 22nd in the nation. The Graduate Programs Computerworld ranked the Fisher College 20th in their Top 25 Techno MBA programs list. The MBA orientation program, Super September Start-Up, featured a twoday series of activities with a case presentation by Ford Motor Company about its decision to purchase Jaguar Motor Company. Students also participated in a day-long community service project at a local middle school, beautifying the school property and working with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students on organizational skills. Sponsored by a grant from the Xerox Foundation, this project enables students to test their leadership and teamwork abilities and develop a sense of social responsibility and community awareness. Under the direction of Professor Jay Barney, small student groups of Business Solution Teams (BST) spent 20 exciting weeks immersed in real management challenges. BST projects have included evaluating the market potential of a business software application, developing a marketing plan for a transportation and logistics firm, helping a company through an acquisition, and streamlining operations of a retail firm.
teamwork interaction creativity The Art of Leadership During the 1996-97 academic year, the Fisher College implemented its revised MBA program. These curriculum revisions included a cross-disciplinary introduction during autumn quarter, as well as the reorganization of some classes into fewer weeks per offering. The new core curriculum also gave students the flexibility to take electives prior to their summer internship. Student evaluations were very positive despite heavy workloads both autumn and winter quarters. The 1996-97 year was the fourth year that Susan L. Josephs, associate dean for Educational and Professional Diversity, coordinated a unique mentoring program for women, minority, and international students linking first-year MBA students with corporate mentors from companies such as Banc One, Huntington Bancshares, Inc., Riverside Hospital, Nationwide Insurance, and CompuServe. WENDY KWOK The intensive course work at Fisher provided me with the understanding of business theories, analytical frameworks, and creative problem-solving approaches I m now using as a business analyst at American Electric Power. Among the many skills acquired, I value teamwork and leadership skills the most and truly believe these are critical to career success in today s corporate environment. The MBA program provides tremendous resources and opportunities to foster leadership qualities in its students. For example, students who participated in the Emerging Markets Field Study program designed the course structure and then arranged a two-week trip to Singapore and Malaysia to visit companies in various industries. At Fisher, students regularly participate in curriculum and program administration; and, overall, interaction between students, faculty, and corporate partners is strongly encouraged and facilitated. My MBA experience was a wise investment of my time I believe my goals were accomplished many times over. Wendy Kwok Class of 1997 MBA, Finance, International Business Business Analyst, American Electric Power Columbus, Ohio
Martin Tursky Class of 1998 MBA, Finance Intern, Bank One Columbus, Ohio determination persistence competition Statistics Average starting salary $63,656 Number of companies recruiting on campus 198 Percentage of class reporting job offers at graduation 89% 8 Percentage of class reporting job offers three months after graduation 98% Number of on-campus interviews conducted 1,065 Number of resumes referred to companies by request 12,816 Number of companies recruiting on campus for internships 60 Number of job opportunities posted by correspondence 3,227 A partial list of companies extending offers to Fisher College MBAs Allied Signal American Electric Power American Express Andersen Consulting Bank One Caterpillar Logistics Chase Manhattan Bank Coopers & Lybrand, LLP Eli Lilly Ernst & Young, LLP Ford Motor Company Frito-Lay General Electric IBM Kimberly-Clark Nations Bank Navistar Pillsbury PNC Bank Price Waterhouse, LLP Procter & Gamble Ross Products SAP America Sterling Commerce MARTIN TURSKY To me, leadership is having persistence and determination regardless of the obstacles that lie ahead. It is setting an example and never asking more of an individual than you are willing to give of yourself. My graduate experience at Fisher has prepared me in many ways for a future role as a business leader. The MBA program has allowed me to experience diversity and learn to adapt to it and learn from it. The Bank One Fellowship I was awarded has provided me with a broader understanding of the banking industry and just how competitive it has become. Working on redesigning participant education and enrollment materials for Bank One s 401(k) program, I was able to directly participate in the bank s corporate objective of being a premier financial services provider. My internship reinforced the teamwork skills and leadership abilities that I ve developed in the MBA program. The Fisher College has challenged me in many ways and has proven to me that through persistence and determination, anything can be accomplished. Leadership is a learning process that never stops.
JEFFREY RICE Recruiters come to the Fisher College to find Office of Career Services students who are able to solve problems, build relationships, and initiate new and creative ideas. They know that with on-campus recruiters increased The number of student interviews effective leaders must be able to address both immediate by 18% during the 1996-97 academic and long-range strategic issues. year the fourth consecutive year of Because of this emphasis on leadership, the interviewing process has changed over the past few years. Recruiters recruiting program. expansion for the college s on-campus make assessments based on behavioral evidence of innovation, teamwork accomplishments, and problem solving in The Office of Career Services implemented a relationship management diverse environments. A student s leadership involvement in both curricular and extracurricular activities now shows as program, selecting a number of recruiting companies for more focused much if not more about his or her leadership potential than do grade point averages and test scores. consultation and service. A follow-up I believe the college has made significant strides in survey showed positive results from offering our students a variety of opportunities for leadership development in and out of the classroom. Our students this program. work closely with professionals in their fields through the Enhancements to technology services college s mentoring program, exchange ideas with corporate included web access for employers to leaders through the Executive Luncheon Speaker Series, attend a retreat with executives from the nation s leading Office of Career Services web page to student resumes, direct links from the companies in the annual undergraduate Dean s Leadership employer web pages, and an employer Conference, and participate in teamwork and community video library allowing students to view service activities throughout the MBA orientation. company-produced videos on the Web It s not surprising to me that among the portfolio of via Fisher College computer labs. companies recruiting Fisher students, most seek leadership potential from their recruits while embracing leadership as a corporate identity. innovation teamwork problem solving Jeffrey Rice Associate to the Dean for Career Services Chair, Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers Volunteer Coordinator, Columbus Wheelchair Marathon Salvation Army, Homeless Meal Delivery Program Gahanna Middle School, Strategic Planning and Curriculum Development Gahanna Youth League Sports, Summer Baseball Coach Forty-Plus of Columbus, Job Search Consultant Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Business Development Consultant Rickenbacker Port Authority, Business Development Consultant Ohio State National Merit Student Recruitment, Panelist 9
Ranked seventh by the Gourman Report, the Fisher Master s in Labor and Human Resources (MLHR) program has been rated among the top 10 of 84 graduate labor and human resource programs in the nation for the past five years. Last April, the MLHR program celebrated its 20th anniversary. Alumni and human resource professionals gathered to share their views on issues such as international human resources and employee compensation. In 1996, human resources graduates formed the Human Resource Alumni Network to provide networking and professional development opportunities for human resources alumni. Last year, the MLHR Graduate Studies Committee, with the help of its advisory board, concluded a major five-year review of the MLHR curriculum, which will be fully implemented in the fall of 1998. The new program will further develop students leadership and analytical skills while providing a strong theoretical foundation and practical application in human resources. LAURA PARKS I believe that having a passion for what one does is a prerequisite for leadership and my passion has always been human resources. As a graduate assistant acting in the role of academic adviser for the Office of Minority Student Services, I am able to pursue my interests while applying some of the concepts I am learning in the MLHR program. I find it extremely gratifying to know I have assisted undergraduate students with their academic and career goals. The position also gives me an opportunity to serve as a mentor to the student, which is another key element to leadership. Leaders serve as role models as well as giving back to their communities. Not only am I aware of these responsibilities in my role as an academic adviser, but also in my role as a mother. My 12-year-old son has been a key factor in inspiring me to strive for success. In fact, I am sure that serving as a mentor to him has helped him achieve honor roll status (4.0). In fact, the two of us often study together! Fisher s MLHR program has enabled me to leverage my interests in general business and human resources issues by providing me the necessary tools to assist me in my future endeavors. And, because I worked my way through my undergraduate education over the course of many years, I have been able to experience firsthand the growing importance of the corporate human resources function to the health of an organization. As I prepare to graduate from the MLHR program, I feel the leadership skills I possess, my classroom experience, and my advisory role have provided me with a solid foundation for future success in my profession. Laura Parks Class of 1998 Master s in Labor and Human Resources (MLHR) Graduate Assistantship, Academic Adviser, Office of Minority Student Services Vice President, Black MBA Association Selected for the 1998 Emerging Markets Field Study Program to China/Hong Kong African American Student Leadership Award for Personal Achievement Service Award, Hispanic Business Student Association Summer 97 Internship, General Electric, Norcross, Ga. Student Representative, National Networking Association Industrial Relations Council on GOALS passion success role model
Rohini Ahluwalia Class of 1996 PhD, Marketing Class of 1993 MA, Marketing Assistant Professor, University of Kansas John A. Howard American Marketing Association Doctoral Dissertation Award, 1997 Robert Bartels Doctoral Fellowship in Marketing, 1994 William R. Davidson Doctoral Fellowship in Marketing, 1995 American Marketing Association Doctoral Consortium Fellow, 1994 Graduate Student Alumni Research Award, The Ohio State University, 1994 Research Associate Award for Outstanding Research Proposal, The Ohio State University, 1991 ROHINI AHLUWALIA While a doctoral student at Ohio State, I had the privilege of working with some excellent faculty members who helped me develop the leadership skills that I credit for my academic success. My adviser, Dr. Robert Burnkrant, encouraged me to think independently and critically about my subject, ask meaningful questions, and consider both the theoretical and practical implications of my research. He also taught me that an academic leader must be able to communicate her findings. Another mentor, Professor H. Rao Unnava, taught me to look for the counterintuitive in my subject and to bring an element of elegance to research. In addition to his impact on me as a researcher, I regard Dr. Unnava as a model teacher and emulate many of his methods in my own classes. To me, both professors possess key qualities of academic leadership a vision of where the field should be and the ability to take it to new places through independent and creative thinking. A 1996 Ohio Board of Regents study praised Fisher s PhD program as being among the top programs in the nation for superior quality, extolling its faculty as research-oriented and productive, and job placements as excellent. The Fisher College is one of approximately 10 institutions in the country to offer a PhD in international business. Nine of the 23 doctoral dissertation award winners recently recognized by the Council of Logistics Management were Fisher graduates. The AMIS PhD program places twothirds of its graduates in faculty positions at top 40 business programs. Approximately 12 hold distinguished professorships at universities across the country. 11
Jonathan Glover Class of 1992 PhD, Accounting & MIS Class of 1988 BSBA, Accounting & MIS Associate Professor, Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Xerox Research Chair, 1995-96 Editorial Board Member, Review of Accounting Studies, 1997-present The LHR PhD program studies the employment relationship and the design and impact of alternative managerial systems. Of graduating PhD students, 97% accept academic positions nationally or internationally, while others select careers in business. Recent academic job placements include positions at Case Western Reserve, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Arizona, Florida State University, and others. JONATHAN GLOVER Academic leaders have the ability to see the larger application of ideas. As an undergraduate student in the honors program at Ohio State, I was drawn to the field of accounting by faculty who viewed the discipline in the context of the big picture. Later, in the accounting doctoral program, I was inspired by faculty who were excited about their work, applied basic principles to larger issues, and creatively connected ideas. They also encouraged me to work with other Ohio State academic departments, which broadened my views. These experiences have guided me in my research and teaching at Carnegie Mellon, where the academic culture is interdisciplinary. In my research and teaching, I try to exemplify the vision and enthusiasm that I learned throughout my academic studies at Ohio State. 12