Early Career MBA and MBA for Carer Change: News

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Willamette MBA Ranked as a 2011 Best Business School for Return on Investment by Forbes Magazine
Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management has again been named to Forbes magazine’s “Best Business Schools” list. Willamette is the only school in Oregon to make Forbes’ 2011 list and is one of only two schools in the northwest.

Forbes surveyed over 15,000 recent graduates and calculated their return on investment based on pre- and post-MBA salaries compared to the cost of tuition. Only 16 of the ranked schools are located west of the Mississippi River.  A complete list of schools appears on Forbes’ website (http://www.forbes.com/bschools)

Willamette MBA Ranked #23 in Preparing Graduates For Success The Aspen Institute’s 2011 “Beyond Grey Pinstripes” survey ranked Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management #23 in the world. The survey recognizes MBA programs that provide a curriculum that prepare students with the social, environmental, ethical and economic perspectives needed for success in today's competitive and changing environment.

The Willamette MBA was also recognized as a top 10 school (#7) for "Business Impact" (ie; showing how for-profit business can be a force for improving social and environmental conditions). Some of the other MBA programs listed in the top 10 for business impact were Stanford, Northwestern, Yale, Michigan, and Notre Dame.

Inc. Magazine Names Willamette's New Venture/Venture Investing Course One of "The 10 Best Entrepreneurship Courses for 2011"
Inc. Magazine has named the Willamette MBA "new ventures/venture investing" course as one of the 10 best entrepreneurship courses in the country. Other schools with named programs included Stanford, Harvard, Northwestern, Chicago, Ohio State, Babson and Illinois.

The Willamette MBA course — the only one of its kind in the nation — gives students insight into entrepreneurship from both sides of the table. The course taught by Rob Wiltbank, associate professor of strategic management, places students in real-world angel investing groups where they apply the integrated understanding of management they have gained at Willamette (strategy, marketing, finance, accounting, operations, sustainability, HR, etc.) to evaluate real opportunities from early-stage companies that are seeking investments.

Read the full article on the Inc. magazine website at http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110401/the-10-best-entrepreneurship-courses-of-2011_pagen_2.html

The "new venture/venture investing" course is just one example of exceptional experiential learning at the Willamette MBA. The Early Career/Career Change MBA program offers a variety of unique experiential learning opportunities in all areas of interest. Some of the other courses include:
* The Student Investment Fund - finance
* Design Thinking and the rapid prototype lab - marketing
* SAP Partnership - operations and analysis
* Experiential Global HR - human resources


PACE Partners 2011-12
All first-year Willamette MBA students build valuable professional experience through participation in the required course: PACE - Consulting for a Non-for-Profit or Government Organizations.

Eileen Brady for Mayor - Portland, Oregon (City Government)
Gem Children's Foundation - Salem, Oregon (NFP & Social Entrepreneurship) Chicago Children's Advocacy Center - Illinois (Government Partnership)
Mercy Corps Northwest – Oregon (Social Entrepreneurship & NFP)
Willamette Academy - Salem, Oregon (Local Government & Education)
Hacienda CDC - Portland, Oregon (NFP & Social Entrepreneurship)
Loaves and Fishes - Portland, Oregon (NFP & Social Entrepreneurship)
The Imani Project - Portland, Oregon (International NFP)
Oregon Secretary of State - Salem, Oregon (State Government)
Onpoint Community Credit Union - Portland, Oregon (NFP & Entrepreneurship)
Salem-Keizer Education Foundation - Salem, Oregon (NFP & Education)
Backbones - Chicago, Illinois (NFP)



Download theWillamette MBA Viewbook
The viewbook for the Early Career MBA and MBA for Career Change program is available. Follow the links below to download a PDF version of the viewbook or to request a hard copy:
Download a PDF version of the viewbook
Request a brochure be mailed to you.




Academic Calendar for 2011-12
Access the complete calendar at http://www.willamette.edu/agsm/full-time/schedule/calendar_11_12.html



New Willamette MBA Angel Fund Provides Rare Opportunity for Students
The Willamette MBA program offers a two-semester elective course that allows students to work alongside real angel investors and invest start-up money for new businesses. This unique program gives students insight into entrepreneurship from both sides of the table. "Each student sees about 60 or 70 presentations from entrepreneurs who are running a business and pitching it to investors," says Robert Wiltbank, Willamette MBA associate professor of strategic management. "They get to observe how business owners work to raise money for their project. On the other side, they're also seeing how successful entrepreneurs — the angel investors — evaluate these opportunities." Learn more and watch a video here.

MBA Students Dig Into Sustainability
This spring, Early Career and Career Change MBA students interested in sustainability management had the opportunity work like scientists through the MBA elective course Sustainability Management and the Physical Sciences. The course is designed for students interested in sustainability management who do not have an extensive science background. The course emphasizes exposure to the scientific method and scientific tools, hands-on projects and management case studies. Major topics include water quality, alternative energy, and ecosystem function -- which are the three topic areas where science and sustainable business objectives most often intersect. As part of the course, students spent a day taking and analyzing soil samples to determine if an area of Zena Forest could be technically defined as a wetland.

New Dedicated Trading Floor for Investment Fund Students
Willamette MBA students interested in finance have the opportunity to participate in a year- long elective course known as the O'Neill Student Investment Fund. In this course, students manage an investment fund of more than $400,000 under the guidance of Professor Michael Dothan and an advisory board of outside investment professionals. 

Beginning fall semester 2011, investment fund students will have a dedicated trading floor with computer workstations and large display TVs to bring them the latest data and news. The trading floor will also have a large conference table for student brainstorming sessions and presentations and other amenities, just like real trading floors.

To date, the fund has retained earnings of 17.7%. Earnings are being spent on professional level global financial and economic data and breaking news service, including company data, deals, and credit market analysis. The data subscriptions are already in place and being used by Willamette MBA students. Some of the profits from the investment fund also support scholarships for students.

Recent Career Treks and Activities
The Willamette MBA Career Management Team and student professional organizations are always busy helping students connect and prepare for their careers. Here are just a few of the recent events.

* Willamette MBA students were hosted by three very different organizations in the Portland Metro area: D.A. Davidson & Co., Nike Inc. and Intel Corporation. Students interacted with a variety of executives, analysts and associates and met with alumni. They learned about the organizations, organizational culture, and job opportunities.

* Columbia Sportswear's Talent Acquisition Team invited students in Human Resources for a visit to learn about their talent management strategy and tour of the Columbia Sportswear facility.

*Atkinson Accounting Association hosted a panel of accounting firms, including AKT LLC, Moss Adams, McDonald Jacobs and Northwest Mortgage.

* Sixty Willamette MBA students participated in the Willamette Personalized Career Fair. Students participated in table-topic discussions with employers and received a one-on-one resume review with participating employers. Companies included Adidas, Oregon Department of Transportation, Regence, Salem Hospital, FBI, Boys and Girls Club, and more.

* The Atkinson Public Administration Association sponsored a panel about career options in the public sector. Panelists included a management consultant and organizational development consultant from the Oregon Department of Human Services and the director of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

* The Atkinson Project Management Association took a trek to Hewlett Packard Company.

* The career management team offered a special topic workshop about Linkedin. Students learned how to build a professional profile, etiquette for Linkedin, how to utilize Linkedin resources to find jobs, alumni and recruiters.


WU MBA SHRM Chapter Receives Award
The Willamette MBA student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, was awarded the Student Chapter Superior Merit Award. The Superior Merit award recognizes outstanding achievements in chapter operations and outstanding commitment to providing meaningful programs and services to members.

Willamette MBA Establishes Chapter of Net Impact
Willamette MBA students now have an official chapter of Net Impact.  Net Impact is a "global network of leaders who are changing the world through business." The Willamette chapter joins more than 260 other chapters from many of the world's leading graduate schools, and will provide a platform for students to immerse themselves in sustainability and service through projects, educational experiences and networking,  Members recently visited the Marion Polk Food Share to volunteer and learn how this non-profit organizations helps feed people in need throughout Marion and Polk Counties. Students also toured local wineries where they learned about the application of sustainable operations and networked with members of other chapters of Net Impact. 

Net Impact is one of several Willamette MBA student organizations. A complete list includes:
Atkinson Graduate Student Association
Atkinson Accounting Association
Atkinson Consulting Association
Atkinson Finance Association
Atkinson Golf Association
Atkinson Marketing Association
Atkinson Outdoor Club
Atkinson Project Management Association
Atkinson Public Administration Association
International Graduate Student Association
Joint Degree Association (MBA/JD)
National Association of Women MBAs
Net Impact
Society for Human Resource Management

Students Participating in Two International Business Competitions

Willamette MBA students are participating in the Aspen Institute's 2011 Business and Society International MBA Case Competition. The team will be competing against 25 leading international MBAs programs for a total of $40,000 in prize awards. Mark Ahn, faculty advisor for team noted: "Talk about putting integrated learning to the test! " Find out more at http://www.aspencasecompetition.org/index.php

Willamette MBA is also sending two teams to the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition (ICBSC) in Long Beach, California on April 15-17.  ICBSC is a strategic Business Policy Game that where students become strategic managers of simulated companies. The simulation involves the economies of two countries, and requires consideration of global and domestic strategy.  Participants learn key lessons of how to run a business, including strategic planning, new product introductions, manufacturing scale economies, competitive pricing, market forecasting, and competitive intelligence.  Robert Wiltbank, Associate Professor of Strategic Management is advising both teams. 





Peace Corps Welcomes Willamette MBA to Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program
Willamette MBA is now a member of the Peace Corps Fellows/USA program where Peace Corps returnees combine their education and professional endeavors with their experience and desire to contribute to underserved communities. "Willamette University makes a wonderful new partner in the Fellows/USA family," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "Many of our returned Peace Corps volunteers seek to apply the experiences they have learned abroad to business settings in the United States, and the Willamette MBA will allow returned volunteers to expand their professional skill-sets into new areas." In response to this prestigious selection, Debra Ringold (Willamette MBA Dean and JELD-WEN Professor of Free Enterprise) said "We look forward to working with our Peace Corps Fellows as they immerse themselves in the Willamette MBA program, explore their career interests, and collaborate with fellow students on experiential projects."

NASPAA Reafirms Willamette MBA Accreditation
The Willamette MBA program is pleased to announce re-accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).  Accreditation from NASPAA ensures the institution meets the highest standards for preparing graduates for careers in the public sector. The Willamette MBA is only one of two programs in the world dually accredited for business (through AACSB International) and public administration (through NASPAA). 

Free Access to CareerLeader
The Atkinson School cares about the career planning process of our students. In fact, we provide each admitted applicant free access to CareerLeader - the most comprehensive and respected online career tool for MBA students. CareerLeader helps you explore a variety of issues related to potential career choices - even before you start your MBA.



Opportunity for Three Semesters of Internship
Willamette MBA students have the rare opportunity to participate in up to three semesters of approved internship experiences. This means eligible students can participate in a full-time internship in the summer between the first and second year of study, a part-time internship during fall semester of the second year, and a part-time internship during spring semester of the second year.

Internships provide an important opportunity to apply what you have learned in your MBA courses, explore your career interests, build your resume of real-world experience, and develop your professional network! And, because most internships are paid, they provide a source of income that helps students fund their educational and living expenses.

More than 98% of Willamette MBA students accepted an internship offer for the summer of 2010. More information about last summer's internships is available at http://www.willamette.edu/agsm/full-time/career/internship_report.htm



Have an Idea for a New Product? Build a 3D Model in Our New Prototyping Lab.
The Willamette MBA program has added a Rapid Prototyping Lab (RPL) to its portfolio of experiential learning. Students enrolled the elective courses such as Design Thinking and New Ventures to Launch are utilizing the lab to build 3D models of their new product designs.



New Elective Courses
Every year Willamette MBA faculty design and offer new elective courses for our MBA students. Here is a list of new courses that were added in the last two years.
* Angel Investment Program
* Supply Chain Modeling & Analysis
* Sustainability Management and the Physical Sciences
* Design Thinking
* Social Networks for Managers
* Experiential Global HR
* Beyond Negotiation - the Art of Dialogue
* Solving Global Challenges: Social Entrepreneurship
* Creating Global Alliances
* Sustainability Management
* Entrepreneurial Thinkin
* Beyond Negtiation - The Discipline of Dialogue
* Accounting in a Global Economy
* Financial Statement Analysis
* History of Enterprises
* Public Relations & Crisis Communications

Click here to view course descriptions for all Willamette MBA courses



Willamette MBA Wins the GMAC Team MBA Award
The Willamette MBA was awarded the 2010 Team MBA Institutional Award by the Graduate Management Admission Council at the GMAC conference in June. The award recognizes a school’s commitment to promoting and supporting corporate and social responsibility through school-led programs, services, institutional culture, and more. Other finalists competing for the honor were Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and Pennsylvania State University's Smeal College of Business.



AACSB International Accreditation Reaffirmed
Judy O'Neill, Associate Dean and Director of Admission, accepted the AACSB International Reaccreditation Award at the Annual Conference and Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA.

Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine Rank Willamette MBA as "Top 15" for Marketing

The Princeton Review ranked Willamette University's MBA one of the top 15 MBA programs for preparing students for a career in Marketing. The Princeton Review honor is based on students' assessments of how well they felt their business school courses prepared them to succeed in their career.

The honors list was printed in the April edition of Entrepreneur Magazine and is available online on the web sites of The Princeton Review (www.princetonreview.com/studentOpinionHonors.aspx) and Entrepreneur Magazine (www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges). The business schools are listed in alphabetical order on the lists. All schools in the list are considered equal within in the ranking of “Top 15.” 

MBA Investment Fund Students Outperform Benchmark
Students enrolled in our second year elective course “GSM 692 – Student Investment Fund” manage a portfolio of real stocks. This year, a group of investment fund students outperformed their benchmark by nine percentage points, while taking less risk than the benchmark.  

The students initially invested using a broad macro strategy, then researched individual companies. Following their research they presented their findings, discussed the companies and voted as to whether the stock would be added to the portfolio. Some of the best performing investments in the student account were Genco Shipping and Trading, up 74%, and Union Pacific Corporation, up 42%.

Professor Polly Rizova's Book on Innovation and Talent Management

The Secret of Success explores technological innovation and provides a new way of thinking about how to release the talent of research teams. The book offers a new perspective on the factors involved when managing R&D projects. "This is compulsory reading for anyone interested in the central problems of research and design in the knowledge industries of the twenty-first century. " (Stanford University Press)

Professor Rob Wiltbank's Book on Innovation and Talent

Rob Wiltbank's book (coauthored with J. Liedka and R. Rosen), titled The Catalyst: How You Can Become an Extraordinary Growth Leader, was published by Crown Publishing. The Catalyst represents the culmination of a three-year study of how operating managers achieve extraordinary organic growth, despite seemingly never-ending setbacks and challenges. "...this inspiring book reveals that the most potent drivers of growth are unsung heroes who often go unnoticed: ordinary middle managers who do extraordinary things." (Random House http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307409492)

Atkinson Chapter of the National Association of Women MBA's Participates in National Conference
Eleven students and four staff members represented the Oregon Women MBAs and the Atkinson Chapter of the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) at the NAWMBA National Conference in Anaheim, California.  Women from business, government and not-for-profit organizations networked, collaborated and shared best practices at the annual event, which drew over 1,500 women from across the country.  Thirty-six corporations participated in the Career Fair and/or showcased opportunities in presentations, events and panels. Featured organizations included Intel, Boeing, General Electric, Hewlett Packard Company, American Airlines and many more who are actively seeking women MBA’s.The NAWMBA fair was an excellent opportunity for students to meet recruiters from major corporations outside the Northwest.

Best Paper Award in Entrepreneurship Goes To Willamette Professor Rob Wiltbank and Co-Authors
A paper co-authored by Willamette MBA Assistant Professor of Strategic Management (with Murnieks, Haynie and Harting), won the Best Paper Award in the Entrepreneurship division at the Academy of Management meeting. The paper, titled "I like how you think: The role of cognitive similarity as a decision bias" suggests that venture capitalists prefer to invest in entrepreneurs who demonstrate patterns of reasoning similar to their own. Click here for a pdf of the article.

"An Uncertain World Offers New Opportunities for HR"
Lisbeth Claus prepared an invited article entitled, "An Uncertain World Offers New Opportunities for HR" for People Management, the official professional magazine of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) in the United Kingdom. She also prepared 10 Global Human Resource Management in Action instructional vignettes. They are designed for faculty, trainers, and practitioners and are free to use to advance the instruction of Global HR. Each vignette allows the reader to experience specific, relevant topics in a concise format and is followed by guided reading questions to stimulate discussion and interaction. They can be downloaded free of charge by using the following username (globalhr) and password (clauswumba).


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