Penn State Online MBA Opens with University Park Campus Residency
Penn State’s newly-revamped Online MBA at the Smeal College of Business kicked off with a five-day residency at Penn’s University Park campus. Eighty-two students from all over the world gathered to prepare themselves for the significant undertaking of the virtual MBA.
Faculty Director, Janet Duck, views this residency as a preview for the challenges students will face in the program.
“Entering into a master’s program is a big transition, as many students have been in the professional arena for six to eight years,” Duck said, “They begin to realize that this is a commitment, this is a dedication, this is a serious next step in their career. The newly redesigned program provides a great support network so that students are well-prepared and continually connected to the resources available to them as Smeal students.”
Throughout the five days, students received a core course overview as well as an outline of possible concentration options. The students were also trained to navigated Penn State’s learning management system, Canvas. The week also included a team performance class with Glen Kreiner, Faculty Chair.
The re-designed website has been carefully orchestrated to provide a very specific experience for MBAs.
According to Duck, “In our new model, we provide the foundational framework for students at the beginning of the program. What smell has brought to the program through the redesign supports Online MBA students from day one, related to networking, career services, work-life balance, and financial aid, as well as insight into the instructional design process. The transition to a Smeal-led program has really allowed us to provide support on so many levels, which begins with the residency experience as University Park.”
The residency gave students the opportunity to meet professors and faculty members in person and develop relationships with their peers. This is an essential part of the Penn State’s Online MBA, as the importance of building a sense of community is often overlooked by online programs.
Penn State BOSS Program Honors A Decade of Promoting Diversity
Penn State’s Smeal College of Business recently celebrated the ten year anniversary of its BOSS program. BOSS (Business Opportunities Summer Session), organized by the Smeal College of Business Office of Diversity Enhancement Programs, lasts two weeks each summer, and is specifically designed for business-minded high schoolers from underrepresented populations to gain exposure to college life.
Jamie Campbell, Assistant Dean for Diversity Enhancement Programs, said, “BOSS is designed to show students that no matter your color, creed, or socio-eceonomic background, there is a support system at Smeal that will enable a student to reach their very best.” Campbell went on to say that, “During these two weeks, students are given a crash course on what it means to be a Smeal student. BOSS engages the cohort in everything from accounting to the Smeal honor code.”
According to Campbell, industries and schools are coming around to the fact that having including people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives is essential to success in business. Students in the program have the chance to take college prep courses, taught by Penn State faculty, that help them gain an understanding of fundamental business principles. Participants spend the two weeks living on Penn State’s University Park campus located in Happy Valley.
Over the past decade, the BOSS program has inspired many successful students. Close to 200 students have attended the program, and over 60 percent of which have gone on to apply to Penn State. Of the BOSS graduates who have applied to Penn State, 91 percent have been accepted.
Diag Davenport, one of the program’s earliest participants spoke highly of his time there, saying, “I left Penn State fully energized to study business and I was certain that Smeal was the right place for me to do so. I saw that BOSS was the bridge between my ambition to succeed and the opportunity to make it happen.”
First PSU Smeal Sustainability Awarded To Gerald Susman
Former Associate Dean Gerald Susman from the Penn State’s Smeal College of Business has been awarded with the inaugural Susman Sustainability Leadership Award.
Anti-Bullying Program Earns Penn State Support
In 2006, Linsey Covert was pursuing her master of education at Penn State. During this time, her passions for both teaching and promoting positivity in schools led her to develop a program to reduce bullying in and outside of the classroom.
Smeal College of Business Team Wins Supply Chain Management Award
A team from the Penn State Smeal College of Business won the 2016 Global Supply Chain Management Initiative Inter-College Case Competition which took place at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management.
The Smeal team beat out two other schools to earn first place: the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and the third-place team from Washington University’s Olin Business School.
How to Conduct an MBA Informational Interview
Have you ever wanted to know more about a particular MBA program without getting the typical tour during an on-campus visit? The Informational Interview is becoming more and more popular for candidates to gain an in-depth and personal look at their chosen MBA program. Setting aside time for this type of interview allows you to ask questions specific to your goals, needs, and wants while getting a less guarded glimpse of the program as a whole. Continue reading…
