We’re excited to let you know about an innovative program at Mendoza — the Silicon Mod-Away program for our MBA students. For the past seven weeks, 14 Notre Dame MBA students have been living and studying in Silicon Valley as part of a pilot program with Notre Dame California.

The Silicon Valley Mod-Away reflects the MBA program’s growing commitment to the technology field and an expansion of our analytics training in the program. Last year, more than one-third of our MBA students took jobs at technology companies, and others chose jobs in technology or data-related roles in other organizations, such as consulting firms.

Courses in the Silicon Valley Mod-Away are focused on product management, technology and innovation. All four classes are being taught or co-taught by tenured Mendoza faculty. Sarv Devaraj, the director of ND California, is teaching a course on Data and Digital Innovation. Xuying Zhao, who also lives in area, is teaching a course on Smart Supply Chain Innovation. Nick Berente and Jan Poczobutt (an ’83 alum and a senior executive at Amazon) are co-teaching two of courses — one on Digital Product Management and one that connects our students with tech companies in Silicon Valley to develop new digital innovations.

Although most Silicon Valley tech firms are still working remotely, limiting onsite visit opportunities, Silicon Valley faculty, as well as Ryan Retartha and John Rooney, stepped up to both bring speakers into the classroom and students out to some firms each week. The students had the opportunity to spend time with leaders from Google, Facebook, Amazon, IDEO, LinkedIn, Adobe, VMware, JD.com and several others. The Mod-Away also offered a range of opportunities to interact with alumni, such as happy hours, tailgating at the ND-Stanford game and visits to alumni-connected organizations. The visits included a trip to a Napa Valley winery (Silver Oak) and a professional soccer organization (San Jose Sharks), among other field trips to California’s abundant tourist destinations.

Beyond organized events, many students individually connected with alumni in the area throughout the term and found those alumni to be quite available for grabbing a cup of coffee and helping with networking. Most students lived in an apartment complex across the street from Stanford University, and took classes in a temporary facility on-site. ND California is working to identify a more long term classroom facility in Palo Alto for next year.

Overall, indications are that this Mod-Away in Silicon Valley was a successful pilot. Over the Stanford-ND weekend, we spent time asking the students for their reflections about their experience so far. They expressed overwhelmingly positive reviews of their experience, noting the lifelong bonds they have formed together, and deep appreciation for the opportunity to learn, network and immerse themselves in the culture of Silicon Valley. They are eager to help recruit first year students to participate in the program next year.

We look forward to building on this success and continuing to both build and strengthen opportunities for Notre Dame MBAs in the Bay Area.

In Notre Dame,

Nick Berente

Viola D. Hank Associate Professor of IT, Analytics, and Operations

Mike Mannor
Associate Dean for the MBA Program
John F. O'Shaughnessy Associate Professor of Family Enterprise