Starting this spring semester, we decided to locate a number of MBA classes in the Stayer Center. Our aim was to accomplish three objectives by increasing the opportunities for our MBA and executive students/learners to share the Stayer space:
- To more intensively and intentionally use our most beautiful building.
- To create positive interactions between these two important student groups—perhaps especially for MBA students who can learn about professionalism first-hand through the example set by our executive students/learners, but also to facilitate mentoring by EMBA students (who have greater career experience) of MBA students.
- To provide our growing specialized master’s programs with more space in the main Mendoza building.
There were a number of considerations that went into making this decision. First, the Stayer Center is one of the most beautiful buildings on campus with first-rate classrooms and collaborative spaces. Utilizing it as a resource for our MBA program will add to our competitive advantage, especially as many of our peer schools have recently opened state-of-the-art facilities for graduate students.
Second, we saw an opportunity to have more students benefit from the Stayer Center as EMBA classes generally happen around the end of the workweek and on weekends, and MBA classes usually do not meet on Fridays and weekends. Additionally, we are expanding our specialized master’s programs, including adding a second MSBA cohort. This change will free up more space in the main Mendoza building for the increasing number of specialized master’s students.
And third, in meetings with both EMBA and MBA students, I commonly hear them express a desire to form a stronger community between the two programs. Our MBA students see great opportunities to connect with the executives who are about 10 years further along in their careers and could provide professional insights and mentorship. Our executive students, who spend much less time physically on campus, wanted to be more integrated into the University community as a whole and specifically with our MBA students.
Our current plans to integrate MBA and Exec Ed programs include:
- Offering five MBA classes in Stayer during Mod 3 (our current mod).
- Continuing to scale up the number in Mod 4 so that by fall 2020, all of the MBA core courses that meet on Monday and Wednesday will be located in the Stayer Center.
- Constructing a joint MBA-Exec Ed student/learner lounge on the third floor that will encompass the existing Executive Lounge, the common space outside of it and a recently renovated area on the south side.
Along with these changes to physical space, we also are developing opportunities to bring together our alums, executives, the companies and organizations we serve in non-degree, and MBA students for social and career-related interests.
Please note that, for the foreseeable future, our MBA program primarily will operate out of its current location in Mendoza’s southwest wing and Exec Ed will continue to operate out of Stayer Center as its base.
I realize that the changes bring disruption to staff and faculty, who are the front-line ambassadors for our programs, and that there is a need for transparency as plans develop. Kelli Kilpatrick, Robin Kistler, Mike Brach and Doug Franson are establishing an implementation team, composed of both Exec Ed and MBA staff members, to help with the transition operationally.
As we continue to grow in our mission to the College and the University, we must shift our paradigm from programs exclusively housed within certain buildings to serve all of our important audiences in all of the buildings that encompass the Mendoza College of Business. This includes our team and impressive facilities in Chicago on Michigan Avenue.
I ask for your patience and grace, which you demonstrate every day, in working together to achieve these goals. Your insights and experience are very important, and I encourage you to share your feedback with associate deans Walt Clements, Mike Mannor and Kristen Collett-Schmitt; program directors Kelli Kilpatrick, Mike Brach, Robin Kistler and Angela Logan; and Doug Franson and Kara Palmer from my leadership team, as well as myself. You can send comments via this form or arrange to talk with any one of us directly.
In Notre Dame,
Martijn