USC Tells the Story of Their Own Hero, and More – Los Angeles News
We’ve rounded up the top news stories coming out of the Los Angeles metro this week.
A Hero MBA – USC Marshall Newsroom
The Marshall School of Business at USC recently celebrated the graduation of the MBA Class of 2018, including Marine Corps Cap. Corban Pierce. Pierce, his MBA now in hand, hopes to use his degree to start a nonprofit that will help children around the world.
“I wanted to find a school that shared my values of entrepreneurship and helping people,” Pierce recalled on his decision to attend Marshall in a recent interview. “I found that spirit at USC.”
Pierce, who has served the country as the executive officer at Reconnaissance Training Company in the Marine Corps. He was attracted to USC for their combination of unrelenting high standards and flexibility. Pursuing the online MBA at Marshall, Pierce was able to continue his work training young Marines at Camp Pendleton, be a father to his five-year-old son, and still earn his degree. He plans to continue his military service after graduation, and is excited to put the skills he learned in the program to work. “It’s not about solving major crises,” Pierce said, commenting on his long-term goal of using business to create lasting change.
“It’s solving small things.”
You can read more about Pierce’s experience with the USC Marshall Online MBA here.
California Gains More Than 39,000 jobs; Unemployment Falls to Record Low – LA Times
A recent LA Times report from the Employment Development Department revealed a boost in the California economy throughout April, despite worries of an economic downturn. In March, the unemployment rate in the state had fallen to a record low of 4.2 percent, but April showed widespread job growth throughout multiple sectors. In the professional and business services sector alone, California witnessed an increase of 8,500 jobs.
“Each month in 2018, it seems that California’s employment boom will end, and each month it continues,” commented former director of the Employment Development Department Michael Bernick. In fact, all metros in Southern California saw an increase in the number of jobs throughout April. With 11,200 added jobs, San Diego County had the highest of any region in the state, and Los Angeles was close behind with an increase of 6,400.
“Good numbers,” said Dave Smith, an economist at the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management. “There are no signs of a potential downturn. The potential risk factors are overheating.”
Read more about California job gains and the employment report here.
ABC’s Move to Ax ‘Roseanne’ Reflects Businesses are Often at Front Lines of Culture Wars – U.S.A. Today
UCLA Anderson School of Management Jay Tucker, executive director at the Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports, recently commented on the cancellation of the Roseanne reboot by the ABC network, after its titular star, Roseanne Barr, posted several inflammatory tweets regarding Valerie Jarrett—a former aide under President Barack Obama—in comparison to apes from the ‘Planet of the Apes’ film franchise.
In an interview with USA Today, Tucker remarks, “In an earlier (TV) era, it would have taken half a season to make that decision after much internal analysis.”
“But the network now faces a backlash from other quarters. Many of the comedian’s fans blame the show’s cancellation on political correctness and are threatening a boycott of their own.”
You can read the remainder of the article here.
The Fastest MBA You Can Earn in Los Angeles
Los Angeles may not be typically associated with the break-neck pace of life like New York or Washington DC, that doesn’t mean your business school career has to be slow there. A fast MBA is becoming an increasingly large priority for new MBA students throughout the U.S., and, luckily, Los Angeles has plenty of fast options.
With businesses constantly growing in the city (LA added 6,400 new jobs just last April), the faster MBA students can get their degree in hand means the faster they can get to work. Not to mention that accelerated or shortened MBA programs usually mean spending less money on tuition and living expenses while in school—minimizing the amount of time students will have to forego an income.
We looked at some of the fastest MBAs you can earn in Los Angeles, with some unique programs taking as little as 12 months to complete. These MBAs will allow you to get quickly down to business without sacrificing the quality or integrity of the program.
Finding a Fast MBA in Los Angeles
Marshall School of Business – USC
The USC Marshall MBA is one of the top ranked programs in the country, and with the One-Year International MBA for Mid-Career Professionals (IBEAR MBA), you can have that degree in your hand in just 12 months. The program, which is designed for mid-career professionals looking to expand their leadership opportunities in global business, provides career development opportunities, personalized career plans, and plenty of chances to explore the world.
The program is truly global and the average class size of 55 can represent anywhere from 12-15 countries. Participants, with an average of 11 years of professional experience, come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including those with undergraduate majors in computer science, science & engineering, and even the humanities. These mid-level professionals can seriously minimize the amount of time they must take away from work, and in the process gaining an IBEAR alumni network of 1800 across 60 countries.
Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles
The Mount Saint Mary’s MBA program is designed to create effective global leaders who are trained in value-based decision making to bring real and impactful change to the businesses they lead. And the best part? The program takes just 18 months to complete. One of these semesters consists of “Foundations” courses for business leaders just starting out, and may be waived for candidates that have taken similar courses during their undergraduate studies, which may even further reduce the program’s length.
The Mount Saint Mary’s fast MBA is a unique program that centers itself around theme-based models, combining business disciplines like marketing, law, or finance, to give students a broader view of the interdisciplinary nature of business. The 18-month program also includes a final project that will require teams of students to partner with a “real world” organization to solve their business problems.
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The Professional MBA program at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business allows students to customize their degree and move through the program at their own pace. For dedicated students, the program can be completed in as little as 21 months. The class schedule is flexible, which allows students the chance to move at their own pace throughout the program, choosing between both evening and daytime courses. Students may also choose a specialization in which to focus their degree, such as marketing analytics, entertainment, and global business, among others.
Even though the Chapman Professional MBA is flexible and at times fast-paced, the university does not compromise in quality and students will have the same benefits available to them as those in more traditional programs. Students in the Chapman MBA program will be taught by professional and renowned faculty, have access to the university’s career services department, and even have opportunities to travel around the world.
CHECK THIS OUT: Here are the Los Angeles Internship Opportunities You Need to Know
California State University, Long Beach College of Business Administration
The Accelerated MBA program at California State University, Long Beach is designed for young professionals with little experience in the business world. Focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation, the program will train these up-and-coming business leaders in how to bring new products to the market, identify business opportunities, and manage small business ventures.
The Accelerated program at CSULB can be completed in as little as 13 months, allowing students to jump back into work with an MBA on their resume just over a year after they start. The program is also heavily centered around internship experience, which will allow students to gain crucial hands-on experience while earning their degree, and get closer to the school’s objective of ensuring every student has a job offer by graduation.
Anderson School of Management – UCLA
The UCLA-NUS Executive MBA, offered jointly through UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and the National University of Singapore Business School, can be completed in just fifteen months and results in two fast MBA degrees from two of the world’s top business schools.
If you are looking for a truly global degree—and the international experience to back it up—this could be the perfect degree for you. Every three months, your cohort of students from around the world will gather for two weeks at locations from Los Angeles to Shanghai and anywhere in between.
MBAs: Here are the Los Angeles Internship Opportunities You Need to Know
If you’re looking for lots of sun, beautiful beaches, and a bustling business headquarters, Los Angeles is likely your city. So, it’s no surprise that it’s also a top location for earning an MBA. Not only is Los Angeles home to many top business schools—such as UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and the USC Marshall School of Business—but it’s also a central hub for tech startups and Fortune 500 companies.
Of course, this means is that Los Angeles is also an excellent city for MBA internships. There are a wealth of opportunities and companies where MBAs can start their careers. We’ve outlined some of our favorite Los Angeles internship opportunities below.
Los Angeles Internship Opportunities You Need to Know
21st Century Fox is an American multinational mass media corporation headquartered in New York City, but with a large office in Los Angeles. It’s the fourth largest media conglomerate in the U.S.
Both USC Marshall and UCLA Anderson have sent MBA students to intern at 21st Century Fox in the last year, according to their latest employment reports. These MBA students have the unique opportunity to participate in a summer internship program, which typically includes 20-25 hours per week of work.
More than 600 internships are offered each year in a range of divisions from film to television and sports. In addition, 21st Century Fox interns can work in a broad range of departments from marketing to finance, production, information technology, legal, digital, human resources, and business development and strategy.
Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, Amgen Inc. is a multinational biopharmaceutical company with a keen interest in MBA talent. Last year, Amgen hired 10-15 students out of UCLA Anderson, according to the school’s employment report. They were also a top hiring company at USC Marshall for full-time employment and internships.
As the world’s largest independent biotechnology firm, Amgen is the ideal company for MBA candidates interested in working in the biotech industry. MBA internships are offered in a variety of fields including finance, operations, marketing, or commercial leadership. According to the Amgen website, internships for first-year MBA students serve as the primary source of talent selection for the company’s full-time positions.
Located in El Segunda, CA, Mattel Inc. is one of the most well-known toy manufacturing companies in the world. They’re best known for brands such as Fisher-Price, Barbie, Hot Wheels, and American Girl. In 2017, the UC Irvine Merage School of Business sent six MBA students to Mattel for an internship opportunity and another four MBAs were hired full-time, according to the latest employment report.
Mattel Inc. offers internships for both full-time and part-time students interested in working in their marketing, finance, supply chain, or human resources divisions. Their Los Angeles internship programs are typically 12 weeks in length and often lead to full-time employment offers.
On Glassdoor, one MBA intern spoke about their experience at Mattel saying, “Mattel attracts diverse talent for various roles with serious intent to hire. Mattel’s summer internship is full of events and speakers that are specifically set up to welcome and educate interns, and the internship provides a great way for MBA students to try out the company before coming on full time.”
It won’t be surprising to hear this, but, Deloitte has a considerable presence in Los Angeles, CA; so it’s no wonder that the company hires many MBA students from the top business school programs in the area. Last year, Deloitte was the third largest employer of MBA students at UCLA Anderson. So, it’s no surprise that Deloitte made Fortune’s list of “25 Top MBA Employers.”
Internship opportunities vary at Deloitte with many options in consulting with focuses on either strategy and operations or business technology. Other internship opportunities include a business analyst summer scholar as well as a tax consultant internship. Depending on an MBA student’s interest and background, they can join various teams at the company.
In 2012, CNN Money ranked Nike as the 9th best company for MBAs to work for, and in the six years since, not much has changed. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the company looks to Los Angeles for many of its internship opportunities, which is currently one of the best ways to gain full-time employment at the company.
Nike internships are offered in almost every division of the company from technology to finance, supply chain, merchandising, legal, marketing, procurement, analytics, and more. MBA students who are chosen for a Nike internship will find themselves working on a team project over the course of 12 weeks with a project pitch at the end of the summer. There are also social events throughout the summer. UCLA Anderson and USC Marshall both sent MBA students to Nike in 2017.
Starting a Franchise, Healthcare Management, and More – Los Angeles News
Let’s explore some of the most interesting stories that have come out of Los Angeles business schools this week.
So You Want to Start a Fitness Franchise? – Forbes
Katya Strombland, Los Angeles-based entrepreneur and MBA graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, was featured this week in an interview with Forbes. Strombland, who spent ten years working for Avery Office Products after earning her MBA, eventually found a way to combine her passion and profession—opening two Club Pilates franchises in the Los Angeles area.
The Forbes Q+A discusses how Strombland got involved with fitness franchising, and the process of investing, opening and ultimately profiting from the process. She also discusses both the rewards and challenges of franchising, as well as offering advice for those looking to get their foot in the door: “If you have the opportunity to work or volunteer at another franchisee’s location to learn the ropes from within, do it. It’s invaluable experience.”
Read more about Strombland and the process of franchising here.
Healthcare Management Students Extend Cal State LA’s Winning Streak – CBE Newsroom
A team of healthcare management students at the College of Business and Economics California State University, Los Angeles, recently placed among the top three winners at the Western Regional Healthcare Executives College Bowl Case Study Competition. The students faced off against eleven teams from graduate schools across five states to take the honor, working for more than 60 hours in three weeks to prepare.
Several of the participating students are already industry professionals, but nonetheless agreed that the competition will help shape their careers going forward. The challenge, which takes place over two rounds, requires students to develop solutions for a problem currently faced by a regional healthcare facility. Judges at the competition include all practicing C-suit executives from the healthcare management industry.
Find out more about the annual challenge and the healthcare management program at CalState LA here.
LMU Business Incubator Showcase to Spotlight Start-Up Companies – LMU Newsroom
The Loyola Marymount University College of Business Administration recently hosted its annual Business Incubator Showcase. Sponsored by the Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship, the event allows Loyola students and recent graduates to share their best business ideas with the community, while the incubator provides the necessary workspace and guidance to turn their ideas into reality.
A wide variety of business ideas were featured at the Business Incubator Showcase at the end of April, including Recupera, a meal service company for those with medical considerations, Influencer Line, which designs and markets products for influencers, and Bristl, a toothbrush that uses light therapy and sonic vibrations to boost oral healthcare.
“I am so proud of the men and women who, with the incubator’s help, have built innovative and promising businesses that are positioned for success in the marketplace,” commented Kiesner Center director David Choi.
You can read more about the business incubator here.
Listen to MBA Career Advice from These USC Marshall MBA Alumni
How does an MBA fit into your career? What are some steps you should take to ensure that your MBA aligns with your career goals? These are the questions that four MBA alumni seek to answer in the two-part Constructing a Career Podcast from the USC Marshall School of Business.
In the first part of the podcast, listeners hear from Doug Montgomery, the VP of customer insight at Warner Brothers, as well as Regina Leung, the founder of Mayflower Health Consulting. They each take the time to talk about pursuing an MBA no matter the stage of your career, providing tips and lessons learned along the way.
The second part talks about how an MBA can and should impact your job strategy. Advice is provided by Ana Maria Stingi Guemáraes, the audit director of MUFG Union Bank, and Grant Ingersoll, the president of Integrated Oncology Network.
All four are graduates of USC’s IBEAR MBA program, which gives them unique insight into using the USC Marshall MBA in your future career. Below are some of the most pertinent points and insight from both podcasts. Continue reading…
Cal State Innovation Winners Announced, and More – Los Angeles News
Take a look at some of the top business school stories coming out of the Los Angeles metro this week.
Innovation Challenge 2018 Winners – CSULB Newsroom
Artemus Labs, a team of California State University Long Beach College of Business Administration students, were recently named the winners of the 2018 CSULB Innovation Challenge. The competition, available through the CSULB Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, awarded $10,000 in seed funding to Artemus Labs, along with legal and accounting services and space worth up to $40,000.
Artemus Labs is made up of Rae Jillian Rivera, Anna Maria del Mundo, Nikki Escobar, Kimberly Ventura, and Calvin Leung. The company designed a new prosthetic liner based on feedback from amputees, creating a breathable and bright liner that vastly improved on existing models. This is Calvin Leung’s third time on a finalist team, having previously been a part of 1010 Labs, LLC, a mobile app to help caregivers in looking after elderly family members. The app was a runner up in the Innovation Challenge in both 2016 and 2017.
Rae Jillian Rivera, Anna Maria del Mundo, Nikki Escobar, Calvin Leung, and Kimberly Ventura of Artemus Lab / Photo via csulb.edu
Read more about the CSULB Innovation Challenge and Artemus Labs here.
LGBT Awareness Week at UCLA Anderson – UCLA Anderson
April 23 through the 27 at the UCLA Anderson School of Management was LGBT Awareness week, inviting the school’s LGBT community and allies to participate in a week full of events and discussion. Among the events will be the OUTx Conference on Thursday, April 26th, which will take a deep look at the LGBTQ experience in both the professional and personal sphere through workshops, panels and conversations with leaders in the industry. Jessica Kimball, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Mattel, Inc, was the keynote speaker.
In addition to the conference on Thursday, the week was filled with events tailored to allies, advocates and leaders within the community. Also included in the week’s events was Happy Hours, receptions and brunch, giving members of the community the chance to both network and celebrate the work of OUT@Anderson at UCLA.
You can read more about the events of LGBT Awareness week at UCLA Anderson here.
Sustaining Entrepreneurship Research – USC Marshall Newsroom
USC Marshall School of Business professor Noam Wasserman is the recipient of a newly endowed chair in entrepreneurship, thanks to a generous gift from the Lemann Foundation of Brazil in 2017. The gift, which funded the new Jorge Paulo and Susanna Lemann Chair in Entrepreneurship, also supports up to six scholarships for Brazilian students working towards their Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship degree at Marshall.
Noam Wasserman currently serves as professor of clinical entrepreneurship and the founding director of the Founder Central Initiative at USC Marshall’s Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Wasserman was honored with the endowed chair thanks to his ground-breaking research into early-decision making by founders. “[JP and Suzzane Lemann’s] support and encouragement has been invaluable for helping maximize the impact that we can have on our next generation of high-impact founders and startups,” Wasserman said, “on campus, in Southern California, in Brazil, and beyond.”
Read more about the newly endowed chair here.
