Real Humans of the Drexel LeBow Class of 2019
Over 100 years since the founding of what would become the Drexel University Bennett S. LeBow College of Business, the business school, located in the heart of Philadelphia, has steadily transformed into one of the nation’s most dynamic landing spots for MBA candidates. Alongside the LeBow MBA, Masters and Executive programs, the school offers a highly—regarded part-time and Online MBA, both of which have been recognized among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report and the Financial Times.
With so many acclaimed AACSB-accredited programs, its only natural that the LeBow College of Business would be cultivating an increasingly diverse MBA class. These students have an opportunity to study accounting, business analytics, supply chain management & logistics, economics, finance, general business and marketing, taught by over 100 full-time professors at the business school. Currently, around 3,800 students are enrolled in various graduate, undergraduate, and doctoral programs. An estimated 1,020 are enrolled in the graduate programs alone, making LeBow one of the largest private business schools in the country.
Outside Gerri C. LeBow Hall, the center of Drexel’s LeBow College of Business
Of the 3,800 aforementioned students at LeBow, approximately 450 come from 60 countries outside of the United States. The numbers, however, only tell a small story about the Drexel LeBow Class of 2019. To learn more about what it means to earn a graduate degree from LeBow, we interview five current students, who come from several corners of the world: from Asia, to Europe, to right here in Philly. Read on to see what’s in store for these students at LeBow and what life after an MBA and Masters may look like.
Temple Winners, Wharton Blockchain, and More – Philly News
Summer may be just beginning, but that doesn’t mean class is out for Philadelphia business school news. Here’s this week’s Philly news brief.
Fox School Announces Second Annual IMPACT Award Winners — Fox Newsroom
The Temple University Fox School of Business recognized outstanding staff members at the second-annual IMPACT Awards ceremony late last month, honoring staff who demonstrated the ability to collaborate effectively as groups to deliver impactful service, teaching, and research contributions. The awards are also held with Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management.
This year, 16 groups representing the accomplishments of 70 faculty and 86 staff members earned nominations. The three winners were:
- The Fox Global Immersion program
- The Temple University Entrepreneurship Academy (TUEA)
- The Fox Center for Undergraduate Advising.
Winning groups took home glass trophies, customized merchandise to commemorate the achievement, a special group experience, and financial rewards.
To read more about the winners, click here.
Penn Launches Strategic Collaboration with Ripple — Wharton News
The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and the School of Engineering and Applied Science recently announced the launch of The Ripple Project: a collaboration with blockchain-based global payments leader Ripple that aims to support academic research, technical development, and innovation in blockchain, cryptocurrency, and distributed ledger technology.
Geoffrey Garrett, Dean of the Wharton School, proclaimed during the announcement that:
“Blockchain represents the fusion of technology and finance spanning schools and disciplines well beyond Wharton. The Ripple Project will transform the way our students and faculty look at blockchain and its potential to change the world. We are thrilled to welcome Ripple’s collaboration as we prepare future leaders who will shape the future of how this dynamic technology is developed to transform fields as diverse as finance, logistics, and healthcare.”
Penn is one of only 17 universities around the world partnering with Ripple and its University Blockchain Research Initiative. Each university has the autonomy to determine its own research topics and areas of focus.
You can read more about this exciting news here.
EMBA vs MBA: Which Is Right for Me? — LeBow News
The LeBow College of Business recently published an article to help prospective MBAs choose between their EMBA and MBA programs. The piece compares and contrasts the Experience Level, Class Style, and Curriculum of both programs.
MetroMBA has ranked LeBow’s EMBA as one of the best in the Philadelphia metro area. Check out how the two degree programs match up here.
Drexel Culinary Collaborations and First Place Finishes — Philly News
With so much news happening in Philly business schools, it’s understandable if you need a hand catching up. Here’s your Philly news brief.
Drexel EMBA Class Spurs Culinary Collaboration — LeBow News
Thanks to his Drexel LeBow College of Business EMBA class, chef and restaurateur Kevin Sbraga has found a way back into the kitchen. Sbraga, a chef with prior business experience in the Philadelphia area, came up with the idea for a one-day pop-up kitchen in a Business Problem Solving class taught by associate clinical professor of management Suresh Chandran.
According to a news story on the Drexel website:
“We were talking about innovation as a disrupter, and that made me start to think about how the real estate landscape is changing for retail as well as restaurants,” Sbraga says. “I reached out to a hospitality buddy of mine who has some experience in the tech field. I asked him, ‘How can we create a virtual restaurant? A restaurant experience without the brick and mortar,’ and his response was ‘delivery’.”
Sbraga was one of the first restaurateurs in the city to adopt the now-popular food delivery app Caviar, helping deliver the first batches of Nashville hot chicken to Philly for a special one-day event. “The Hot Chicken was far and away the best-selling dish from The Fat Ham’s menu on Caviar. It was widely regarded as some of the best hot chicken outside of Nashville, so featuring it was an easy choice,” a Caviar spokesperson said.
LeBow EMBA grad and chef Kevin Sbraga was one of the first in the city of Philadelphia to help introduce the now-popular food delivery app Caviar.
You can read more about Sbraga’s food and pop-up concept here.
Penn State Smeal MBAs place first in Fisher Invitational Big Ten+ MBA Case Competition — Penn State Smeal News
Four Penn State Smeal MBAs recently took first place in the Fisher Invitational Big Ten+ MBA Case Competition at Ohio State. The team of first-year students were coached by Nancy Mahon, clinical associate professor of business communication.
Teams had 24 hours to develop a comprehensive pitch outlining concrete recommendations to address the challenges facing Bob Evans restaurant chain. Competition judges included key Bob Evans senior leadership as well as executives from other corporations. The Smeal squad defeated teams from Illinois and Wisconsin in first round before beating second-place Purdue and third-place Michigan State in the finals.
“I’m extremely impressed with our team’s efforts and professionalism,” Mahon said. “I’m especially proud of our students’ representation of Smeal.”
You can read more about the recent Penn State Smeal event here.
Is It Possible to Change Bad Behavior – Permanently? – Knowledge@Wharton
The recently-created Behavior Change for Good Initiative course at The Wharton School, taught by celebrated UPenn professor Angela Duckworth and Wharton’s own Katherine Milkman, looks at the quality of daily living in a broad and curious way.
In the most recent Knowledge@Wharton podcast episode, the two discuss the program’s vast social experiment angles, asking how people can change bad or not-well-liked behavior on a permanent scale. This includes the launch of the StepUp program with fitness chain 24 Hour Fitness. “Duckworth and Milkman are hoping to recruit hundreds of thousands of current and new members of the chain to sign up for the program,” they explain “Those who do will become part of a large-scale tournament in which scientists have developed 57 different paths they hope will lead to positive behavior change.”
“We want to see which ideas truly yield the biggest changes in behavior, not just during the course of the program, which is 28 days, but also in the year following it.”
You can check out the most recent podcast episode here.
Philly’s Fastest MBA Programs
You’re education is important—but so is your time. And for those looking to earn an MBA to accelerate their job growth or fast track their careers, the faster you can earn that degree the faster you can get back to earning money and making an impact in your field.
Most business schools offer a variety of MBA programs for students to choose from, allowing everyone from recent graduates to experienced executives the flexibility to choose a program that best fits into their life and schedule. For driven students who just can’t wait to reap the benefits of their MBA, many schools offer accelerated or One Year MBA programs that shortens the traditional length of time it would take to earn an MBA. While the curriculum can be rigorous, the programs give students the chance to quickly earn their degree, both minimizing the amount of money spent on classes and the income lost from not working full time.
In Philadelphia, there are a number of programs that allow you to go from applicant to degree holder in as little as twelve months. And since a 2017 study ranked Philadelphia as one of the five most-improved economic cities in the U.S., you won’t want to miss your chance to reap the benefits of this economic boom with your degree in hand.
The Fastest Philadelphia MBA Programs
Fox School of Business – Temple University
The Temple University Fox School of Business Executive MBA is one of Philadelphia’s quickest and most flexible MBA degrees. The program takes place over the course of 16 months, with classes delivered on one three-day weekend per month. The program is designed for experienced professionals who want to pursue their degree without giving up their career, and is constructed to accommodate a full-time work schedule.
For those looking for a quick MBA without the ten or more years of work experience an EMBA requires, Temple Fox’s Online MBA can be earned in just 20 months. Outside of one week-long residency at the start of the program, the digital aspect of this degree gives students not just time flexibility but also location. After the residency, this program can be pursued from pretty much anywhere!
LaSalle University School of Business
The School of Business at LaSalle University offers a One-Year MBA program for students with undergraduate experience in business. Knowing that important business pre-requisites for the degree are already out of the way, students can jump right in and earn their MBA in as little as 12 months.
The AACSB accredited One-Year program is an intensive degree program that requires students to take a full course load for the fall and spring semester as well as working through a winter intersession and summer semester. Students in this program also have the opportunity to specialize their degrees in the fields of accounting or finance, and will help prepare graduates to take the CPA and CFA exams by the end of the year. Students will also be paired with an academic adviser throughout the year who will help plan for their future careers. And the success of past graduates of the One-Year MBA program seems pretty clear, joining major companies like Deloitte LP, KPMG, PwC, and JP Morgan Chase, among others.
The La Salle One-Year MBA is among the fastest MBAs you can earn in any major East Coast city.
Haub School of Business – Saint Joseph’s University
The MBA at Saint Joseph University’s Haub School of Business can be completed in as little as one year for students who meet certain undergraduate requirements. Students can pursue this degree in a variety of ways, whether on campus or online, and whether full or part-time. Regardless of format, the MBA at Haub gives students the option to choose major for their degree, among high-demand disciplines like marketing, data intelligence, finance, international business and more.
The overall data which shows that those with an MBA earn more and have more career opportunities most certainly rings true for graduates of Haub’s MBA program. Nearly 76 percent of graduates said their SJU MBA helped their career advance, and 73 percent reported a salary increase as a result of their graduation. With the chance to limit the time of an SJU MBA to just 12 months, students can work their way to these benefits even faster.
Lehigh University College of Business and Economics
The 1-MBA at the Lehigh University College of Business and Economics is a full-time, one year MBA program designed for professionals looking to either accelerate their career or looking to change careers and move towards a business-related field. The rigorous program, which is located all on campus, cuts the time it takes to pursue a traditional Lehigh MBA in half.
Unique benefits of the 1-MBA at Lehigh include a team of mentors and coaches assigned to students even before they arrive on campus, including a faculty adviser, industry mentor and career coach who will help guide students through their year-long program. The program is also centered around a consulting practicum, which both trains students in practical skills for consulting and provides hands-on experience in the field. The 1-MBA program also focuses intensely on the professional development of every student in the program, offering personalized coaching and global immersion study opportunities that can help shape and prepare students for future business success.
Villanova Wins, Wharton and Temple Land Donations, and More – Philly News
Philadelphia was up late this week watching the Villanova win its second NCAA Championship in three years, but that wasn’t the only exciting news out of the City of Brotherly Love. Here’s your weekly Philly business school news brief!
William P. Lauder Endows the William P. Lauder Wharton Leadership Fellows Program with $4 Million Gift — Wharton News
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania announced that alumni William P. Lauder has committed $4 million to endow the William P. Lauder Wharton Leadership Fellows Program. Wharton Leadership Fellows are second-year MBA students who mentor, coach, and support first-year students in developing their potential and strengthening their performance as learning teams.
“I have always believed that great leaders are also great teachers, coaches, and mentors,” said William P. Lauder, who serves as Executive Chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies. “That’s what I expect of leaders at The Estée Lauder Companies, and what I hope to model for MBA students … I am thrilled to support this outstanding program’s continued growth and evolution.”
Lauder is also a member of the University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees, the Lauder Institute Board of Governors, the Wharton Leadership Advisory Board, and a lecturer in the Wharton School. His family has a track record of giving back to the Wharton community, including funding for the Lauder Institute, student fellowships, and numerous capital projects, such as the recently completed New College House at 3335 Woodland Walk.
Read more about Lauder’s gift and the Leadership Fellows program here.
Stanley and Franny Wang Make $2 Million Gift to Fox School of Business — Fox School News
In similar news, a $2 million gift from Temple alumni Stanley and Franny Wang will support a fully endowed chair professorship at the Fox School of Business, and create an endowed fund for the Stanley and Franny Wang Chair in Business and Management. According to dean Dr. M. Moshe Porat, the fully endowed chair will be held by a leading scholar in a department soon to be chosen.
“I am continually humbled by the generosity of our school’s graduates, and Stanley and Franny Wang serve as shining examples of this philanthropy,” said Porat. “The Fox School has a proud tradition of providing leading and cutting-edge business education. Stanley and Franny’s transformative gift will significantly enhance our efforts to attract the world’s top professors and most-renowned researchers—both now in our centennial year and throughout the school’s next 100 years.”
Learn more about the Wangs and their generous gift to Temple here.
Associate Professor Korschun Receives Fulbright Award, 2nd for LeBow Faculty in 2018 — LeBow News
Daniel Korschun, associate professor of marketing and Stephen Cozen Research Scholar in Marketing, has received a Fulbright award to travel to Italy for a research project. According to a press release, Korschun will teach and conduct research on political statements by corporations at Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli from September to December 2018.
“With the two-party system here in the United States, these decisions are made in a simpler context,” Korschun said. “In Italy, they don’t have that—there are a lot more shifts in how people see their political identity. That makes it more complex to disentangle what’s going on in people’s minds.”
Korschun is the second LeBow professor to be awarded with the prestigious Fulbright Award: Economics Professor Konstantinos Serfes received a Fulbright award to visit the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom during spring 2019.
Read more about Drexel’s Fulbright Scholars here.
Villanova’s Title Proves it is the Best Team—and Program—in All of College Basketball — ESPN
Okay, okay—not business news—but a big deal for Villanova and the surprisingly championships-filled city of Philadelphia.
Drexel MBA Team Earns Second Place, and More – Philly News
Let’s review some of the biggest news coming out of Philadelphia business schools this week.
MBA Students Weather the Storm and Win Second Place — LeBow News
Four first-year Drexel University LeBow College of Business MBA students braved a winter storm in order to compete in the inaugural University at Buffalo MBA Case Competition in Buffalo, New York. The Drexel team ended in second place, winning a $3,000 prize. The competition was hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Management and sponsored by Dun & Bradstreet.
“It was an all-star group, and it was a huge learning experience for us,” said Cory Terzis, who—along with Joseph Dipre, Dhruv Gandhi and Zach Hauck—made up Drexel’s team.
The Drexel LeBow MBA team / photo via lebow.drexel.edu
You can read more about the team’s experience here.
In Memoriam: Erivan K. Haub — HSB News
Erivan K. Haub, the namesake of the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph’s University, passed away on Tuesday, March 6, in Pinedale, Wyoming. St. Joesph’s business school was named after Haub in 1997 following the Haub family’s support for business education at SJU over a three decade period of time.
“There is no doubt that the international business world lost an extraordinarily successful and influential entrepreneur with the passing of Erivan Haub,” said University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D. “More importantly, Saint Joseph’s lost a partner who will forever be remembered for his generosity and friendship.”
You can learn more about the life and accomplishments of Haub here.
Postponed: Women’s Leadership Initiative Launch — UD Daily
In a previous edition of Philly News, we reported that Lerner College at the University of Delaware was hosting the Women’s Leadership Initiative Launch at the Roselle Center for the Arts on National Women’s Day. However, bad winter weather prompted organizers to postpone the event. According to the school, the event will be rescheduled, likely in the fall of 2018.
According to University of Delaware, the Women’s Leadership Initiative, “… is the preeminent driver of learning to propel transformational women leaders and advance gender equity in the workplace.”
The event was set to feature alumni speakers like Terri Kelly, president and CEO of W.L. Gore and Associates, Inc., Mary Ellen Payne, former VP of sales and marketing at Verizon Communications, and several others. There is no word on who will be able to attend the make-up event.
Read more about the Women’s Leadership Initiative Launch here.
