Clark Atlanta Announces New Dean, and More – Atlanta News
It’s time for a newsflash! Let’s take a look some of the biggest business school and MBA news coming out of Atlanta metro this week.
Silvanus J. Udoka Named Dean of Clark Atlanta University’s School of Business — Clark Atlanta News
According to a press release issued by the school, Clark Atlanta University President Ronald A. Johnson announced the selection of Silvanus J. Udoka, Ph.D., as dean of the university’s School of Business Administration. The current professor and chair of the Department of Management will enter his new role on June 1, 2018.
“I am honored to have been selected to serve as dean of Clark Atlanta University’s School of Business Administration,” Udoka said. “The history of the institution and the storied reputation of the School of Business Administration is palpable and the opportunities to create a transformative, innovative learning environment — attributes that first compelled me to pursue this assignment — align with my own mission to produce business and industry leaders who will not only compete successfully within the contemporary business environment, but apply critical thought, analysis and creativity to develop new market paradigms across vast sectors of the global economy. We are going to do great and exciting new things at Clark Atlanta.”
You can read more about Udoka’s promotion here.
25 Alumni Recognized During Emory Entrepreneur Awards — Emory Business News
Last month, the Emory Entrepreneur Network and Emory Alumni Association recognized 25 entrepreneurs Emory University alumni at the second annual Emory Entrepreneur Awards. According to the school, the awards celebrate alumni entrepreneurs who have innovated in their start and industry.
Several of the recent Emory entrepreneur honorees pose during last month’s event / Photo via emorybusiness.com.
“As you’ll see tonight, we’ve got a really good diversity of different folks from different industries and different business that they’ve created,” Steve Greenfield, co-president of the Emory Entrepreneur Network said. “Thankfully, with the support of folks like the Emory Alumni Association and Goizueta, we’ve finally gotten some momentum behind this.”
You can see the list of honorees here.
New Mentoring Program Pairs MBA, Master’s Students With Professionals — Georgia State University Newshub
The J. Mack Robinson College of Business recently launched a graduate mentoring program that helps MBAs build relationships with seasoned industry veterans. The new six-month program matches mentors using an algorithm that examines factors such as industry, years of experience, career goals, and expected outcomes.
“We are employing the latest technologies to ensure our new graduate mentoring program is another way in which we deliver on our vision that ‘no one gets closer to business than Robinson,’” dean Richard Phillips said.
Learn more about the mentoring program here.
These are the Top 5 Contenders for Amazon’s HQ2, According to Bank of America – Business Insider
In non-school news, a handful of Bank of America industry insiders believe that Atlanta can very well be the final destination for HQ2, Amazon‘s much publicized soon-to-be second headquarters.
“Bank of America considered two factors in choosing the cities: how closely each city mirrors Seattle (the site of Amazon’s current headquarters), and how attractive the city’s financial, employment, education, business, housing, transportation, and innovation sectors are.”
Amazon’s Seattle headquarters / Photo via Elaine Thompson/Associated Press.
The company has not yet released details of its pending final selection. You can read more about the industry expert’s predictions here.
Tuition Cost vs. Starting Salary: Atlanta
One of the most important things a prospective MBA can look for when choosing a business school is the program’s return on investment. Return on investment, or ROI, is the most common profitability ratio, and an easy way to determine if an MBA is “worth” your time and money.
According to a recent review of 129 schools from U.S. News & World Report, graduates from a third of the institutions earned an average starting salary and bonus of more than $100,000, with the overall average for all schools coming in at $91,940. MBA Class of 2015 graduates typically left school with just over $50,054 in debt, according to the same data.
Most business schools publish employment records with average salaries for different industries, so prospective MBA students can use these numbers to project future salaries. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled these figures some of the Atlanta metro‘s premiere business schools.
The Atlanta MBA Return on Investment
Clark Atlanta University School of Business
A full-time MBA at the Clark Atlanta School of Business requires 60 credit hours of study, which totals up to $53,220 in tuition. Other costs also apply, including $1,008 in annual fees as well as books and supplies. To save some money for sibling students, Clark offers a Sibling Discount to a biological or legally adopted sibling currently enrolled at Clark Atlanta University. Siblings will receive a 33.3 percent discount after submitting a copy of both birth certificates, parent’s federal tax return and a simple application.
According to employment statistics provided by the school, MBA graduates earn an average base salary of $79,000 with a signing bonus of $12,250. Most graduates took marketing/sales jobs (59.7 percent), with finance/accounting (29.7 percent), human resources (7.4 percent), and operations (7.4 percent) following behind. In order to help place MBAs, the Atlanta University Center Consortium Career Planning and Placement Service (AUCC CPPS) offers students career planning and placement resources, plans on-campus recruiting events and hosts a database of contact information for over 1400 corporate, government and educational partners. They also host several on-campus recruiting sessions and career fairs.
Eugene W. Stetson School of Business & Economics – Mercer University
Full-time MBAs at Mercer’s Eugene W. Stetson School of Business & Economics pay $818 per credit hour, with total tuition for the program coming to $29,448 with some additional minimal costs, such as a technology fee. Students can visit the university’s Office of Student Financial Planning to receive updated financial assistance information, including information on federal student loan programs.
According to U.S. News, Mercer MBAs earn an average base salary of $57,500, with 23.8 percent of full-time graduates employed at the time of graduation. Mercer students can visit the Office of Career Management Services on the Macon or Atlanta Campus to receive specialized career guidance, job search, internship search, résumé and cover letter assistance, developing personal brand information, interviewing information, and salary negotiating.
Goizueta Business School – Emory University
Students enrolled in Emory University’s Goizueta Business School two-year, full-time MBA program pay a base tuition of $59,000 per year, while those enrolled in the one-year program pay about $89,500. These cost account for tuition only, so students must consider additional expenses for textbooks and other fees. To offset some of these costs, financial assistance is available in the form of Federal Stafford Loans, graduate plus loans, private loans, international student loans, research and assistantships, merit-based scholarships, fellowships from the Goizueta Business Fund for Excellence and fellowships at various constituent centers.
According to Goizueta’s most recent MBA employment report, the school’s alumni are among the top for post-graduate employment nationwide, with nearly 95 percent of students receiving job offers within three months after graduating and an average full-time base salary of $113,295. Goizueta Business School’s Career Management Center (CMC) offers assistance to full-time MBAs in their job search. Students can receive professional development and interview training within both core and elective courses, preparing students for both the internship and job search processes. Most Emory MBAs were offered post-graduate employment following an internship (56 percent), with another 19 percent getting job offers thanks to School Scheduled Interviews.
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Scheller College of Business – Georgia Institute of Technology
Tuition costs for Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business full-time MBA students are about $29,232 a year for Georgia residents or $40,180 a year for out-of-state residents, as well as $2,010 in mandatory fees. Financial assistance is available in the form of federal loans, graduate assistantships, and a limited number of fellowships.
According to the school’s MBA Compensation Overview, 95 percent of Scheller MBAs are employed within three months of graduation. These students are paid an average starting salary of $108,088. Meanwhile, 90 percent of graduates earn a signing bonus, which average to the amount of $15,830. Scheller MBA students are guided along the path to employment at the Jones MBA Career Center, where they learn about opportunities for internships and employment through one-on-one advisement, an eight-week career development workshop, self-assessment tools, interview preparation, and a series of conferences and career fairs
Terry College of Business – University of Georgia
Terrt’s in-state students pay about $15,670 in annual tuition, including student fees, for the Terry College of Business‘ full-time MBA. Non-residents pay $34,378 per year, including student fees. The school also awards approximately one-third of its students with graduate assistantships to help make the program even more affordable. Some students may have their tuition drastically reduced per semester, get 40 percent of their student health insurance premiums paid by UGS, and receive a monthly stipend for working 13 hours per week in the Terry College of Business. Additional scholarships are also available, such as the Terry MBA Leadership Scholarship. Given out during the spring semester, the scholarship awards between $1,000 to $2,000 to a student who has shown promising leadership skills.
According to the school’s MBA Employment Statistics, 90 percent of University of Georgia full-time MBA students receive a job offer within three months of graduating with an averaging starting salary near $90,250. Terry helps its students gain employment at the MBA Career Management Center (CMC), which helps students and graduates connect with networking events, information sessions, interviews, and much more.
Your Search for Atlanta’s Best Accelerated MBA Programs
Most folks pursuing an accelerated MBA know which industry or area of concentration they want to pursue. They are MBA candidates who want to advance their current careers, not switch them. Others choose the accelerated route because it can be difficult to leave two years of work and salary. Continue reading…
The Best Executive MBAs in Atlanta
The city of Atlanta might just become the next hot spot for business. The southern city’s population increased by more than 90,000 last year, and it’s likely to grow even more. Right now, it’s the ninth-largest metro statistical area in the country—clinging to the top 10 in the U.S.
This influx of people has followed the city’s booming job market. That and the warmth that comes with living in the great state of Georgia. The cost of living in Atlanta is also affordable, especially when looking at other major metros along the East Coast. The city was ranked among the 12 “best big cities” to live and the median annual salary is $48,750.
This might just make Atlanta the next best place to build on already-established experience to pursue an executive MBA. Here are five of the best programs in the city.
The Best Atlanta Executive MBA Program Options
Goizueta Business School – Emory University
Emory University’s Goizueta Business School has been around for a while, since 1919. That’s nearly 100 years. It’s no wonder that its executive MBA program offers all the perks it does. The school’s had time to finesse its programs. The school sits on Emory University’s campus within driving distance from downtown.
The Executive MBA program at Goizueta caters to the older professional who needs flexibility. That’s why the program has two tracks: one on the weekend and a modular EMBA. The modular EMBA allows students to finish the program in 20 months. That’s not even two years. Either way, students begin the program in September. The weekend MBA offers five areas of focus: finance, healthcare, leadership, strategy, and general management.
J. Mack Robinson College of Business – Georgia State University
If you’re looking for hustle and bustle, the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University might be it. Located downtown, the school’s been around six years longer than Goizueta. So it’s way past the century mark.
The Executive MBA program is short, too. It takes just 17 months to complete. Classes take place every other weekend. Most students are around 40-years old. This Atlanta EMBA program has received rank after rank from publications like U.S. News World & Report, CEO Magazine, and Ivey Exec.
Scheller College of Business – Georgia Institute of Technology
At the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology, MBA candidates can expect a lot of immersion into the world of business. The school sits smack dab in Midtown Atlanta, the city’s second largest business district.
MBA students can decide to focus on one of two options: global business or management of technology. The Executive MBA program has a heavy foundation focused on the basics of business, but it also compounds that with a required international residency.
Terry College of Business – University of Georgia
Sitting on the University of Georgia’s Atlanta campus, the Terry College of Business‘ Executive MBA program is worth keeping your eyes on. Students do have to complete two week-long residencies at the school’s Athens campus, but it’ll be worth it.
With a professional executive mentor, students get direct access to the business world from someone who knows how to navigate it. The Executive MBA program has been ranked 14th in the world by The Economist. It combines classroom education with field experience—all in 18 months.
Michael J. Coles College of Business – Kennesaw State University
The Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University sits outside the city of Atlanta, but it’s still very close. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, the school hasn’t been around as long as others on this list. But that doesn’t make it any less competitive.
For one weekend a month over 17 months, students learn real-world experience to give their years of experience even more edge. The program is proud of what it can offer students interested in expanding more globally. The eight month-long additional global program provides students a 10-day international residency, as well as working with another MBA program in Europe.
Goizueta MBA Alumni in the News: Two Up-and-Coming CEOs
At Goizueta Business School at Emory University, one of the MBA program’s goals is to develop and support entrepreneurship in its students at every stage of their careers and venture creation. “This includes those not only supporting those who plan to start a business but also enhancing entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial thinking amongst all Goizueta students, through educational content, intellectual engagement and infrastructure,” explains the website. To this end, the School offers 16 entrepreneurial-focused electives, co-curricular options, the yearly Emory Entrepreneurship Summit, as well as partnership opportunities with alumni, mentors, and industry experts.
Today we’re highlighting two Emory alumni – Louise Wasilewski and Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim – whose Goizueta MBAs helped them become CEOs and change the status quo.
Louise Wasilewski, ‘13 EMBA, CEO of Acivilate
Louise Wasilewski, a 2013 EMBA graduate from the Goizueta and CEO of Acivilate, is on a mission to reduce recidivism with her cloud-based communication platform. The goal is to make it easier than ever to track a newly released prisoner’s progress and to send out an alert to the necessary organizations when they require support or intervention. Acivilate cuts down on paperwork, decreases missed meetings and makes the re-entry process into society far easier.
Acivilate started with a passion for the criminal justice system. Wasilewski’s father had a troubled past and she had a burning question; “How can I create second chances for people like my father, who has a criminal history?” From there, she started looking at the U.S. justice system and asking some tough questions.
After speaking to hundreds of individuals from organizations within the system, from nonprofits to social service agencies, she discovered that they were all dealing with the same problem—a lack of communication between the different sectors—and that it could be easily solved with technology. Thus, Acivilate was born in 2014.
How Does Acivilate Work?
Wasilewski explained Acivilate’s work in a recent article on Hypepotamus: “The problem that we’re solving is when a person gets out of prison or they are going through drug court, they usually need help finding housing, finding employment and others … All of these different agencies can’t work together and help the person because privacy rules get in the way. So what we’re really doing is making it possible for those organizations—the workforce, the housing, the probation, the behavioral health and the community service organizations—to work together to help these people get their lives back together.”
Acivilate is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that provides a secure cloud dashboard that “synchronizes existing cross-silo human services delivery while managing privacy rules.” It’s mobile friendly and built to encourage self-sufficiency and accountability.
Gwinnett and DeKalb counties in Georgia have already started using the platform and Wasilewski has plans to rollout in Utah and Maryland next month. Acivilate was also a finalist in the Amazon Web Services’ Public Sector Summit Challenge.
About Louise Wasilewski
After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Systems Engineering, Wasilewski spent 25 years in business and technical roles. She has expertise in media and communications technology innovation, helping to introduce streaming TV and operating secure cloud-based services. Throughout her career, she’s worked at KPMG Consulting, Cox Communications and more. Beyond her MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, she holds four patents and has been published in Policy and Practice.
Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim, ’11 MBA, CEO of Future Foundation
For 12 years, Abdur-Rahim has been the CEO of Future Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping Atlanta’s youth by providing quality education, health and life skills programs. Since becoming CEO, she has grown the company from a team of two to a staff of 40, recruiting more than 30 board members and raising over $25 million in revenue. The Future Foundation now has four locations and serves 11,000 students.
Abdur-Rahim has allowed two simple goals to drive her success: to learn as much as she could and to work hard every day. “Those two idealistic goals evolved into more formal goals like increase revenue, increase the number of children served, and go to business school,” she told the Atlanta Tribune. Currently, Future Foundation participants have a 100 percent high school graduation rate compared to just 70 percent of their peers, and she earned her MBA at Goizueta in 2011.
Abdur-Rahim’s History
Abdur-Rahim grew up as one of five siblings in Atlanta’s South Side. From there, she attended the University of California Berkeley on an athletic scholarship, and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. She then earned a master’s degree from UC San Francisco before returning to Atlanta and joining the Future Foundation as a program director.
As for her work and success, Abdur-Rahim said: “I have always imagined myself using my career to help people. I am happy about where I am professionally and completely excited about the position I am in to do more. I continue to have the most enriching development experience leading and significantly growing a start-up nonprofit.”
Abdur-Rahim was recently named one of America’s Leaders of Change by the National Urban Fellow Program, which is a leadership development program particularly focused on helping people of color and women become leaders and change agents. In addition, using the Future Foundation as a laboratory of innovation, she developed and implemented the “Theory of Change,” which addresses how poverty can be disrupted and alleviated by giving children access to family, education, health, relationship and life skill support.
The Future Foundation
Currently, the Future Foundation is going through a strategy development process, which will fundamentally shift the vision of the organization. The goal is to move from individual-level impact to system-level impact.
“Understanding the world is rapidly changing, and success is occurring across broader business ecosystems, I pushed our board to reexamine our strategy,” said Abdur-Rahim. “Our new strategy allows us to scale our work and provide thought leadership … Disrupting business as usual is always a risk and continues to challenge me in ways I never imagined. However, the outcome of stronger communities is worth the challenge, and I am up for it.”
The new strategic plan was launched in January 2017 and has required drastic changes in communication, work and growth. And it hasn’t been without a few problems.
“I learned that it’s not enough to collaboratively lead a process to get buy-in; you need to find creative ways to constantly communicate the shared vision and reinforce the details,” Abdur-Rahim explains. “We are overcoming the challenge by having a series of ‘heartfelt conversations’ to improve culture internally and build stronger partner relationships.”
For now, the Foundation is continuing to focus on empowering youth and their families to break the poverty cycle.
Building A Career At The Emory Goizueta Business School
Even after you’ve stepped off the stage with diploma in hand, the hard work of an MBA continues. Despite the massive advantages an MBA can provide for those entering the job market, the process of searching for and applying to jobs—not to mention finding your dream job—can often be as much as hard work as earning the degree itself.
