Você está na página 1de 36

Corporate Connections. Career Results.

MBA
www.smeal.psu.edu/mba

Penn State Smeal

1 Get to Know Us

Learn more about the career opportunities that the Penn State Smeal MBA Program unlocks. Discover the strength of our network, the unique aspects of the Smeal academic experience, and the next steps on the path to enrollment. Hear from members of our communityfrom the recent alumni who are leveraging their MBAs to faculty and administrators. We hope you are inspired to reach out and connect with us as you consider your MBA future.

6 Career Opportunities

12 Network Strength

Connect with Smeal


Reach out and learn more about the Penn State Smeal MBA. Phone: 800-379-6445 / 814-863-0474 Email: smealmba@psu.edu Web: www.smeal.psu.edu/mba Facebook: Penn State Smeal MBA Program Twitter: @SmealMBA LinkedIn: Penn State Smeal MBA Prospective Students Pinterest: Penn State Smeal MBA Google+: Penn State Smeal MBA Program Instagram: pennstatesmealmba

20 Educational Experience

32 Next Steps

Get to Know Us

Your Career is Our Focus

A driving reason for your commitment to an MBA program is to position yourself for the future. The Penn State Smeal MBA Program connects you with top companies. We equip you with the knowledge and skills to land and thrive in that perfect post-MBA job and prepare you for success across the arc of your career.

The Penn State Smeal MBA


The internationally ranked residential MBA Program at the Smeal College of Business starts in August and spans two academic years on the Penn State University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. Focus on fundamentals at the start of the program. As you progress, begin to personalize the Smeal MBA experience to align with your career aspirations. Flexibility abounds from the end of the first year, through your summer internship, and across the second year of the program.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 1

Get to Know Us
About the Smeal College of Business
The Smeal College of Business is at the heart of business education and research at Penn State. In addition to its MBA Program, Smeal offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and executive education opportunities to more than 6,000 students. Since its inception in 1953, more than 74,000 students have graduated from Smeal, annually adding to the colleges vast alumni network.

Close to Business Hubs


Boston New York Baltimore Washington, DC Raleigh

Buffalo Cleveland Louisville Nashville Charleston

About Penn State


Esteemed graduate and undergraduate programs bolster Penn States reputation for excellence across countless disciplines. The University features a network of campuses across Pennsylvania, leading law and medical schools, diverse online degree programs, difference-making industry and government research initiatives, and the largest alumni organization in the nation.

State College
Pittsburgh Philadelphia

About State College, Pennsylvania

State College ranks among the top college towns in the nation for being student friendly and accessible. Offering vibrant nightlife, theater and concert performances in a variety of venues, spectator sports galore, and ample opportunities for outdoor activities across the region, State College is also centrally located within easy driving distance of major regional business hubs.

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
Highly Ranked

The Penn State Smeal MBA ranks among the top 15 public MBA programs in the nation according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
Typical Student Profile

Penn State Smeal Voices Our goal each year is to welcome an incoming class that represents a variety of perspectives and experiences. This diversity strengthens the culture and community at Smeal and enhances the learning environment. Were looking for intelligent, hardworking candidates with a story to tell; individuals who will make a great contribution to their classmates and the program.
Carrie Marcinkevage Managing Director, Penn State Smeal MBA

Average GMAT Range

640650
Mid 80% GMAT Range

560720
Average Undergraduate GPA Range

Recruiter Voices We depend on Penn State Smeal as a source of MBAs with technical capabilities and global aspirations; leaders with the skills to bridge cultural gaps and position us for success in new markets around the world. From supply chain management to business-to-business marketing, our recruiting efforts at Penn State have consistently yielded positive returns.
James R. Steiner, Corning Inc.

3.23.4
Mid 80% GPA Range

2.63.8
Mean prior work experience

45 years
Corporate Connections. Career Results. 3

Alumni in Profile

Annie Guzek 07, Pfizer Director / Team Leader, Strategy and Portfolio Management New York, New York Annie Guzek knew what she wanted from her Penn State Smeal MBA experience: access to corporate finance opportunities with larger companies. Prior to enrolling in the program, she built her postundergraduate career around finance and operations positions with small- and mid-sized firms. She thought it was time to go bigger. For a lot of MBAs, its about determining the functional area that they want to pursue, says Guzek, who already knew what she wanted to do. Guzek spent a lot of time while at Penn State determining where to focus by learning more about the top one or two companies in the industries that interested her most. Her research led her to Pfizer, where she landed a summer internship with the companys Corporate Finance group between her first and second year of the Smeal MBA. My internship project was to evaluate vendor consolidation opportunities for one of the pharmaceutical groups, Guzek says. Within my final presentation, I suggested a series of recommendations and next steps to the Procurement leadership team and was invited to continue leading the project throughout my second year of the MBA Program. After graduation, Guzek joined Pfizer full-time as part of the companys Finance Leadership Development Program. The rotational opportunity exposed her to other areas of the multinational corporation. Today, Guzek acts as an internal advisor focusing on Pfizers oncology investment decisions. Her pre-MBA goal of being part of something bigger has been met again and again as she continues to rise at one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
A Home for Business

The Business Building on Penn States University Park campus opened its doors in 2005 and has been ranked as the best business school facility in the nation by The Princeton Review. For MBA students, it features dedicated classrooms, more than a dozen conference rooms, and a centrally located MBA commons. Take a tour at www.smeal.psu.edu/building.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 5

Career Opportunities

Top Firms Recruit Here


Recruiters from a diverse array of companies, non-profits, and governmental agencies annually turn to the Penn State Smeal MBA for talent. Over the past five years, hundreds of organizations have hired Smeal MBAs for internships or full-time opportunities.

In Focus

Class of 2012 Employment


Full-Time Employment by Region

Penn State Smeal Voices Our mission is to make it as easy as possible for leading companies to connect with Penn State Smeal MBAs. Because of the size of our program, we have the ability to work with individual companies in highly tailored ways, providing an environment where organizations are sure to get what they need and students are ideally positioned to stand out.
Paul Poissant, Director of Employer Relations, Penn State Smeal MBA

Mid-Atlantic: 32% Southwest: 21% Midwest: 16%

Northeast: 15% West: 10% South: 6%

Full-Time Employment by Industry

Recruiter Voices We find that Penn State MBAs possess the critical-thinking abilities, communication skills, global insights, and teamwork experiences necessary to be successful in todays business environment.
Bob Ward, ExxonMobil

Technology: 27% Manufacturing: 13% Petroleum/ Energy: 11% Pharmaceuticals/ Biotech/ Healthcare: 8%

Consumer Products: 6% Financial Services: 6% Real Estate: 2% Non-Profit: 2% Other: 15%

Penn State Smeal MBA

Full-Time Hiring Firms: 20082012


Organizations that have hired multiple Penn State Smeal MBA students for full-time positions

Accenture AccuWeather Air Products and Chemicals Apple Bristol-Myers Squibb Carlisle Companies Chevron Colgate Palmolive Corning, Inc. Cummins Dell Deloitte DuPont Endo Pharmaceuticals Ernst & Young ExxonMobil General Electric Hewlett-Packard

IBM Intel Johnson & Johnson JPMorgan Chase & Co. Kimberly-Clark Mars Niagara Bottling Nike Novartis Oracle Pfizer PNC PricewaterhouseCoopers QBC Diagnostics Sears Holdings VWR International Wesco International

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 7

Career Opportunities

A Career Development Team Working for You

The Penn State Smeal MBA Career Services team provides individualized guidance throughout the program to help you best position yourself to recruiters. You will be backed by the insights and expertise of our team and our unique and proven Personal Career Strategy framework. With your dramatically deepening reservoir of business skills and knowledge, you will be poised to successfully pursue internship and full-time opportunities with top companies.

Penn State Smeal Voices We provide a step-by-step roadmap to help students understand themselves, develop a career plan, and achieve their goals. It is a journeyone that requires a lot of hard work and personalized attentionbut as weve seen again and again, the results can be transformative.
Michael Brown, Director of Career Services Penn State Smeal MBA

Penn State Smeal MBA

About the Smeal Personal Career Strategy


Even before you arrive on campus as a first-year MBA, the Career Services team reaches out and begins guiding you through the development of your own Personal Career Strategy (PCS). This framework provides a powerful tool to map where you want to go in your career and how you are going to get there. The framework provides step-by-step guidance for: Understanding what is truly important to you: your strengths, passions, and convictions Exploring a wide range of industries, companies, concentrations, and job roles Narrowing your consideration set Developing a proactive and reactive job-search strategy Employing networking and outreach tactics aligned with your strategy; effectively managing interviews, follow-up, and offer negotiations Leveraging your internship to maximize the potential for a full-time offer and managing your first 90 days on the job as a full-time employee following graduation

Career Management Self-Exploration Implementation Market Research Planning Focus Focus Planning Market Research Implementation Self-Exploration Career Management

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 9

Alumni in Profile

Peter Oliver 11, Ernst & Young Senior Consultant, Advisory Services Charlotte, North Carolina Peter Oliver came to the Penn State Smeal MBA Program from military service as a supply officer for the U.S. Navy, and through the two-year program, he developed a clear sense of the career for him and the connections to make it happen. In the summer between his first and second year, he landed a consulting internship with Ernst & Young, where he was one of only five MBA interns nationally. It was a great experience, says Oliver. I had never had a corporate job before. They put me on a project as if I were a full-time team member, and I got a sense of what the job would really be like. Olivers summer internship turned into a full-time job offer. He currently works for Ernst & Young as a senior consultant, where he advises global companies on largeteam management issues, process efficiency, and on how to improve problem-solving and business performance. Though Oliver started out unsure of how he would leverage his Smeal MBA, conversations with the Career Services staff in the program helped him see where he might fit best. I met with the career counselors a lot and started to figure things out, he says. Having those repeated touchpoints helped me to realize maybe I wasnt asking the right questions. More than any one subject, I realized I liked change. Consulting came as a natural progression from that.

10

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
Executive Insights

The Smeal College of Business regularly brings high-profile business leaders to campus to connect with students. The colleges signature speaker seriesExecutive Insightsrecently welcomed GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt to the Business Building Atrium for a Q&A session about global competitiveness.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 11

Network Strength

A Vast Alumni Network Supporting You


Penn State has the largest Alumni Association in the country. In whatever organizations you join as an MBA intern or full-time hirein whatever industriesthere will undoubtedly be a network of Penn Staters there as well, ready to lend a hand and open doors to future opportunity. Our graduates engage with students in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program in a myriad of ways, from participating in our MBA Alumni Advisory Board mentoring program to returning to campus to recruit students for internships and full-time opportunities.

A Future of Alumni Connections


Penn State Alumni Chapters
Alumni and friends have created hundreds of chapters in the United States and around the world as a way to network with other Penn Staters located in their area.

Smeal Alumni Groups


The college features several alumni groups for Smeal graduates including the MBA Alumni Advisory Board and Smeal Business Clubs in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

Networking Resources
The Penn State Alumni Association provides numerous ways for graduates to stay connected: its online alumni directory, one of the largest university-related LinkedIn Groups in the world, frequent networking events around the country, and the LionLink professional networking program.

12

Penn State Smeal MBA

Penn State Alumni Where You Live


Penn State graduates live across the country and around the world. Internationally, the largest concentrations of alumni are in China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and Canada. The map provides a snapshot of the states with the largest Penn State alumni populations in the continental United States.
300,000+ 10,00030,000 5,00010,000 3,0005,000 1,0003,000 1001,000

In Focus
Alumni Association Mission

Penn State Smeal Voices An MBA alumnus actually helped me get my current role. His door is always open. He is a testament to how open of a community we are and how much we want to help each other.
Terrance Kim 11, IBM

The Penn State Alumni Association is charged with connecting alumni to the University and to each other, providing valued services to members, and supporting the Universitys mission of teaching, research, and service.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 13

Network Strength

Unparalleled Faculty Access


The Penn State Smeal MBA offers a faculty that ranks among the top 20 in the world for academic excellence. Our professors are awardwinning teachers, researchers, consultants, and authors. Our small class structure ensures you have full access to these leading business minds throughout your experience. The Penn State Smeal MBA faculty includes: Keith Crocker: Former economist at the Federal Trade Commission and an expert witness in cases involving antitrust and insurance concerns. Wayne DeSarbo: Former member of the Nobel Prize Nomination Committee and a marketing research consultant to firms such as Pfizer, General Motors, Merck, and Motorola. Fariborz Ghadar: One of Businessweeks Top 100 Stars of Finance and a recipient of AT&Ts prestigious 5.0 award for teaching excellence. Dennis Gioia: Chair of the Smeal Department of Management and Organization with previous roles on the Apollo lunar program and with Ford Motor Company. Terry Harrison: Part of the nations top supply chain management program with expertise in supply chain modeling, large-scale production and distribution systems, and the management of natural resources.

14

Penn State Smeal MBA

Faculty Pictured: Left page: Keith Crocker (top), Fariborz Ghadar (middle), and Terry Harrison (bottom). Right page: Donald Hambrick (top left), Albert Vicere (bottom left), Linda Trevio (top right), and Chris Muscarella (bottom right).

Donald Hambrick: Past president of the Academy of Management and author of the widely noted worldwide study of executive leadership Reinventing the CEO. Chris Muscarella: Former senior financial economist with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with expertise in corporate finance, initial public offerings, limited partnerships, patents, and venture capital. Ralph Oliva: Longtime marketing executive at Texas Instruments and the executive director

of the Institute for the Study of Business Markets, a Smeal research center focused on helping address business-to-business marketing challenges. Linda Trevio: Leading ethics expert and author of Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right. Albert Vicere: Leadership consultant to numerous firms including BASF, Cisco Systems, McDonalds, Samsung, and Unilever, and the author of the books Leadership by Design and The Many Facets of Leadership.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 15

Network Strength

Collaboration Drives Growth

Work sessions with your fellow students are a key part of the learning process and culture at Smeal. During our orientation sessions in August, you will join a small team of other firstyear MBA students. As individual personalities mesh and skills develop, Smeal student teams learn to work together more effectively to complete a variety of group-based projects. Student-run organizations at Smeal offer additional opportunities to hone team and leadership skills.

Penn State Smeal Voices Being part of the tight-knit Smeal community is one of the greatest benefits of our MBA program. Each year we welcome select individuals from around the world to Penn State. Its exciting to see them come together as teammates and embrace the Smeal culture while also sharing their own beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences in business.
Erik Orient, Director of Student Services, Penn State Smeal MBA

16

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
Class of 2014 Profile

Alumni in Brief

Brad Updegrove 08
Johnson & Johnson Procurement Manager New Brunswick, New Jersey
Background: Updegrove joined the recruiting process with Johnson & Johnson during his second year in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. He was able to secure a full-time position with the company when Johnson & Johnson came directly to the Smeal MBA Career Services team to recruit. He is now responsible for managing and providing procurement support to business partners in marketing, sales, and other commercial organizations for the company. In His Words: One of the strengths of the Penn State Smeal MBA Program is the size and cohesiveness of the class. I built great friendships with both my peers and the faculty, who I still call on to this day for advice. Johnson & Johnson hires from a lot of universities, and I think Penn State stands out among the rest in terms of having folks who are best equipped to thrive in a collaborative work environment.

Students

80

Represented Countries Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iran, Taiwan, Turkey, United States, Venezuela Undergraduate Major Distribution Business

49%
Science and Engineering

35%

Humanities and Social Sciences

16%

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 17

Alumni in Profile

Sofia Teixeira 12, Kimberly-Clark Associate Category Manager Atlanta, Georgia Graduating from a small college in Boston, Sofia Teixeira sought an MBA program that combined the community setting from her undergraduate experience with the scale of a bigger university. When she visited Smeal, she remembers feeling instantly at home. Coming from such small class sizes, it was important that I felt comfortable both in my learning environment and with my peers, Teixeira says. Everyone at Smeal was welcoming and really took the time to honestly answer my questions. Teixeira is currently part of Kimberly-Clarks Leadership Development Program, which offers high-potential candidates a unique opportunity to customize a twoyear rotational program within the companys various functions. Upon completion of the program, she will be positioned to take on a full-time marketing role. Teixeira credits her ability to thrive at Kimberly-Clark to the diversity of the Smeal MBA academic community, from an ethnic and geographic perspective, as well as in regards to age and career experience. The classroom space within the Smeal MBA Program was filled with unique opinions, thoughts, and ways of contributing to business challenges, Teixeira says. It really forced me to stretch my mind and try on new lenses when analyzing business cases. We not only learned from our rigorous coursework and exceptional professors, but also from each others skills and experiences. Now part of a global company, the relationships Teixeira built while part of the Smeal MBA Program equipped her with the solid foundation necessary to confidently work both cross-functionally and cross-culturally.

18

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
Personal Attention

Our tight-knit community with its small class size allows you to build stronger, one-on-one connections with professors, career coaches, and alumni mentors. With our focus on student teamwork, you benefit from the wisdom and talent of your colleagues rather than simply competing against them.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 19

Educational Experience

An MBA to Meet the Needs of Business


The focus of the Penn State Smeal MBA educational experiencedesigned and modified with the input of corporate recruiters and alumni advisors in top organizationsis to arm students with both functional expertise and broad business perspective, preparing you with the knowledge and skills to thrive as a principled leader in an increasingly globalized business world. Adapt your Smeal MBA experience to suit your aspirations. After focusing primarily on business fundamentals throughout your first year, take advantage of enhanced flexibility in the second via our concentration opportunities.

Penn State Smeal MBA Educational Experience


Principled Leadership Develop and communicate a sound strategic vision with integrity and character. Establish partnerships and alliances to guide teams and organizations. Our Focus Functional Expertise Build fundamental business skills and functional depth in areas such as corporate finance, marketing, and supply chain management.

Integrated Perspective Span business silos to innovate and collaborate across and outside of the corporation.

Global Mindset Address the complex challenges of conducting business on the international stage in the shadow of global economic upheaval.

20

Penn State Smeal MBA

Penn State Smeal Concentration Opportunities


Work with the Penn State Smeal MBA team to choose one or more concentrations based on your interests. Finance: Builds expertise in financial analysis and planning, management of financial assets, and capital markets. Marketing: Builds expertise in product development and market expansion with specialization tracks in consumer or businessto-business marketing. Supply Chain Management: Builds expertise in sourcing, procurement, conversion and logistics management, and collaboration with channel partners. Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Builds expertise in identifying, initiating, and growing new opportunities within an existing organization or as a new business. Strategic Leadership: Builds expertise in organizational assessment and design, strategy development and implementation, and development of organizational leadership capabilities. Sustainability and Social Innovation: Builds expertise to act as a change agent in established organizations or in developing new, sustainable business models.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 21

Educational Experience

Curriculum: Year 1
Penn State Smeal Voices You cannot operate in the business world, let alone succeed, without a good knowledge of accounting and financial reporting. Accounting, after all, is the language of business. This is how managers communicate.
Dan Givoly, Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting

Orientation: The first year begins with an intensive two-week program designed to help you prepare for your future in the program.

Fall: Module 1
Financial Accounting Leadership Communications Management Statistics Team Processes and Performance Career Immersion: Workshops, individualized coaching and mentoring sessions, and opportunities for alumni and executive interaction.

Penn State Smeal Voices Too often people just focus on, Well, lets just throw this team together, Im sure theyre a bunch of smart people, things will work out just fine. Totally wrong. There are so many factors in how you put that team together, what kinds of coaching and process facilitation needs to be done to make sure that team works well.
Glen Kreiner, Associate Professor of Management

Fall: Module 2
Economics Finance Leadership Communications Marketing Risk and Decisions

22

Penn State Smeal MBA

Spring: Module 3
Global Business Environment Global Perspectives Leadership Communications Managerial Accounting Supply Chain and Operations Management Global Immersion: Visit a pivotal global business region. Past students have traveled to destinations such as Chile, China, the Czech Republic, India, and Turkey.
Penn State Smeal Voices For MBAs to make an impact in their first jobs, they have to know what they want to achieve and get there quickly. We cant get there unless we systematically start to understand ourselves and what it is that makes us successful or unsuccessful. In our course we get the opportunity to be videotaped five times individually, about four times on a team basis, and countless other times we receive feedback about how were seen through the eyes of the audience.
Andy Gustafson, Assistant Professor of Business Administration

Spring: Module 4
Ethical Leadership Leadership Communications Strategic Management Concentration Introduction Courses Executive Panel: Present your teams business strategy to a panel of senior alumni and corporate partners in this first-year capstone case competition. Summer Internship
Penn State Smeal Voices The course focuses on developing ethical leadership. That means trying to get students to look at themselves and reflect on themselves as ethical decision makers, people who are going to serve in high-level positions in organizations and handle the really ambiguous tough ethical issues that come with those higher-level positions.
Linda Trevio, Distinguished Professor of Organizational Behavior and Ethics

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 23

Educational Experience

In Focus
Global Immersion

All first-year Penn State Smeal MBA students take part in a global immersion experience, with past trips to business hubs in countries such as Chile, China, the Czech Republic, India, South Africa, and Turkey. The immersion includes visits to corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities and meetings with executives and government officials to learn about international business from those experiencing it firsthand in the country. As part of a recent immersion trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, for example, students connected with business leaders at companies such as Accenture, Coca-Cola, MTN, Sibanye Gold, Wal-Mart/Mass-Mart, Pick N Pay, and UTI Pharma. Meeting with

a wide variety of companies, from large multinationals to smaller non-profits, provided a clearer view of the intricacies of South African business. South Africa is a fascinating example of a country rich in natural resources, whose political struggles set their economy back at least 30 years, says Penn State Smeal MBA Managing Director Carrie Marcinkevage. Our students saw first-hand South Africas potential to emerge as a major world economy. The global immersion trip is a quintessential part of the Penn State Smeal MBA experience. We think its crucial for our students to get a sense of how differently businesses can be operated in other countries.

24

Penn State Smeal MBA

Alumni in Brief

Arjaree Keeratiprapa 09
Dell Senior Merchandising Manager Austin, Texas
Background: Keeratiprapa moved to the United States from Bangkok, Thailand, to pursue her MBA with a focus in product and market development and strategic leadership. Through her experiences at Smeal, including an internship at KNEX Industries, she secured a business-to-consumer marketing role at Dell post-graduation. She has since transitioned into a business-to-business role marketing laptops and tablets to the public sector, which includes schools, universities, health care providers, and government agencies. In Her Words: I grew up between the U.S. and Thailand, but I spent most of my twenties in Thailand. I had been exposed to other cultures, but the Thai culture was mostly what I knew. When I came to Smeal, it opened my eyes to the culture and the business etiquette here in the U.S. I think that really helped prepare me for the corporate world, and that helped set me up for success.

Past Global Immersion Locations

Prague, Czech Republic Istanbul, Turkey Shanghai, China New Delhi, India

Santiago, Chile

Johannesburg, South Africa

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 25

Educational Experience

Curriculum: Year 2
Penn State Smeal Voices How do you build strong marketing programs when your customer is another business, when there is a team making the buying decision, when the transactions can be hugehundreds of thousands or millions of dollarswhen the buying process can be very complex? Thats the sort of thing were covering in the classroom.
Ralph Oliva, Professor of Marketing

360-Degree Assessment: Analyze feedback on your leadership behaviors from fellow students and internship colleagues.

Fall: Module 5

Concentration courses such as: Business-to-Business Marketing Strategic Financial Management Starting and Growing a Business Strategy Implementation and Change Negotiation Immersion: Discover, practice, and critique new negotiation concepts such as the Zone of Possible Agreement and the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Contract.

Fall: Module 6
Penn State Smeal Voices Lots of people think they have good ideas, but the ideas that are going to get implemented are going to be a function of peoples ability to understand and ethically utilize the power dynamics and issues within any organization.
Tim Pollock, Professor of Management

Concentration courses such as: Financial Engineering and Corporate Strategy New Product Development Power and Influence Strategic Procurement

26

Penn State Smeal MBA

Applied Professional Experience (APEX): A cross-functional business project conducted by student consultant teams for client firms.

Penn State Smeal Voices Historically, innovation has been important for bottom-line growth, but in the 1990s, we kind of lost sight of that and growth came through acquisition. Growth through innovation took a back seat. Most companies have come back to organic growth through innovation. This course provides the intellectual background for the challenges faced by organizations trying to innovate.
Raghu Garud, Alvin H. Clemens Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies

Spring: Module 7
Concentration courses such as: Business, Government, and International Economics Financial Modeling Growth Innovation Strategy Integrated Marketing Communications Leadership Immersion: Practical and hands-on exposure to leadership training and exercises that can be applied in a diverse range of professional environments and business settings.

Spring: Module 8
Concentration courses such as: Business Law Global Finance Global Strategy and Organization Supply Chain Modeling Graduation

Penn State Smeal Voices We really look at how companies have gone abroad, how theyve structured themselves, how they find strategic partners, and, in essence, how they compete in a dynamic global environment.
Fariborz Ghadar, William A. Schreyer Professor of Global Management, Policies, and Planning

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 27

Educational Experience

In Focus
Applied Professional Experience

program, says Doug Thomas, faculty director for the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. Through APEX, our students deliver real value to our project sponsors across a diverse set of projects. Recent APEX engagements include: Partnering for Success with Polk Audio: Polk Audio, a leader in home theater audio and a subsidiary of DEI Holdings, was named the preferred audio partner for the Microsoft Xbox 360 entertainment platform. Students on this project worked with Polk to develop strategies for maximizing the impact of the Microsoft partnership through new, groundbreaking solutions for the entertainment and gaming marketplace. Sustainability in Sourcing with International Paper: International Paper, a global producer and distributor of paper, packaging, and forest products, wanted to build on its extensive history as a leader in environmental sustainability. Students on this project conducted a benchmarking study to identify best practices relative to supply

As part of the Applied Professional Experience (APEX) in the final semester of the Penn State Smeal MBA, student teams collaborate over 14 weeks to address business challenges provided by client firms, ranging from small, family-owned businesses to multinational corporations. APEX allows students to pull together all the leadership, communication, and functional skills they have acquired throughout the

28

Penn State Smeal MBA

Alumni in Brief

Ezra Nanes 12
chain sustainability and developed recommendations for broadening International Papers sustainability practices across its global supply chain. Emerging Market Opportunities with Sealed Air: A world leader in food safety and security, facilities hygiene, and product protection, Sealed Air was looking for innovative strategies and businessto-business marketing solutions to help grow its business in India. Students on this team collaborated with students at the Management Development Institute in Gurgaon, India, with which Smeal has an ongoing relationship. Logistical Supply Network with Team Rubicon: A not-for-profit organization made up of military veterans and first responders, Team Rubicon provides emergency relief services to disaster-stricken communities while enabling the transition of veterans into civilian life. Students designed a logistical supply network for medical and operational gear and supplies to enable Team Rubicons mission. AccuWeather Product Manager, Mobile Applications State College, Pennsylvania
Background: Nanes entered the MBA Program with a background in sales, having worked as director of catering for a number of leading corporations and cultural institutions in New York City. He wanted to leverage an MBA degree into a career shift to the technology industry. A Smeal alumnus helped connect Nanes with his current position as product manager for mobile applications at AccuWeather, where he defines product requirements and oversees product development for the companys mobile applications in domestic and international markets. In His Words: The APEX Program was a valuable experience for me. We worked on a supply chain-focused project for Motorola Mobility, tackling issues related to efficiency in their inventory planning. What made the project so engaging and rewarding was the team component. We held real responsibility on a live project for a major company, and as a team we took that seriously. At the end, we traveled to Motorola to present to a group of senior managers there. They were so impressed, they invited us back to present to the COO.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 29

Alumni in Profile

Kevin Callanan 07, Apple Procurement and Strategic Deals Cupertino, California A chance meeting at a lecture in Philadelphia with Penn State alumnus and former Merck chairman J. Lloyd Huck became the turning point in Kevin Callanans career. Although Callanan was a successful litigation lawyer in New York Citywhere he was the CEO and partner of a law firmhe was looking for something more. Callanan expressed his interest in pursuing an MBA to Huck, who without hesitation suggested the Penn State Smeal MBA. Something about Penn State just resonated. It felt like home, Callanan says. I could see and feel the passion that the students, faculty, and staff had for the school; I witnessed it in talking with alumni, in the world-class facilities, and in the real world expertise that the faculty bring to the classroom. Now leading procurement and strategic deals for Apple, Callanan is involved in billion-dollar new-technology projects. Thanks to his experience in the Smeal MBA Program, he not only feels prepared from a marketing and operational standpoint, but also feels passionate about what he is doing. Passion is what carries you through the tides of business, and that has been the biggest takeaway from my experience at Smeal, Callanan says. I almost stutter when I try to describe Penn State. Its more of a feeling than any adjective I could place on it. I would say to this day, Penn State is the best choice Ive ever made.

30

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
Leadership Communications

Recruiters rate communication and interpersonal abilities among the most critical MBA skills. In the Penn State Smeal MBA, we devote a full year to leadership communications development. Emerge with the skills to present your business ideas in ways that resonate.

Corporate Connections. Career Results. 31

Next Steps

Move Forward with Smeal


Application Submission Dates
The Penn State Smeal MBA features multiple application deadlines throughout the year. Visit www. smeal.psu.edu/mba/admission for more information. October 4: Early decision deadline November 8: Priority deadline for international and domestic applicants seeking aid January 10: Final deadline for all international applicants and domestic applicants seeking aid April 1: Final deadline for all domestic applicants not seeking financial aid
October 2013
S M 6 7 T W 1 8 2 T 3 F 4 S 5

To apply to the Penn State Smeal MBA Program, complete an online application. Along with GMAT and English-language exam results if necessary, you will also be asked to submit a resume, two essays, two letters of recommendation, and educational transcripts. A webcam or in-person interview is required.

9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

November 2013
S M 3 4 T W 5 6 T 7 F 1 8 S 2 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Opportunities to Connect
One of the best ways to learn about all that the Penn State Smeal MBA Program has to offer is to meet in person or virtually with current students, faculty, alumni, and admissions staff. Throughout the year, Smeal offers many opportunities to connect with our community on campus, online, and at events around the country.
Web: Email: www.smeal.psu.edu/mba/ admission/visits visitsmealmba@psu.edu

January 2014
S M 5 6 T W 1 7 8 T 2 F 3 S 4

9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

April 2014
S M 6 7 T W 1 8 2 T 3 F 4 S 5

9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

32

Penn State Smeal MBA

In Focus
MBA for a Day

Alumni in Brief

Chris Thomas 08
General Electric Global Program Manager, Experienced Commercial Leadership Program Atlanta, Georgia
Background: After obtaining his bachelors degree from Penn State in 2003 and working for a few years, Thomas returned for his MBA. Following graduation from Smeal, he was hired by GE Capital as part of its Global Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP). He is now responsible for ECLPs longterm vision and growth. With oversight of day-to-day operations, recruiting, and training, Thomas ensures the strength and quality of the program for future GE sales and marketing leaders around the world. In His Words: The Penn State Smeal MBA curriculum was top-notch and prepared me for my full-time position with GE. I went into my role with a firm understanding not only of core concepts, but also emerging trends and different tools and techniques that were being used. With the confidence I gained through the Smeal MBA, I am able to better manage the scope and intensity of my current role.

One of our signature events is MBA for a Day, an opportunity to join us on campus to learn more about the Penn State Smeal MBA program, the application process, student and career services, and the MBA curriculum. You will also tour the Business Building and sit in on an MBA class. During these pre-scheduled group-visit dates, you will have the opportunity to interact with the entire MBA community, including current students, faculty, and staff. MBA for a Day sessions are held throughout the fall and early spring.
Financial Support

One hundred percent of the Penn State Smeal MBA class of 2015 received merit-based financial aid.

www.smeal.psu.edu/mba
MBA Admissions Smeal College of Business The Pennsylvania State University 220 Business Building University Park, PA 16802-3603 800-379-6445 | 814-863-0474 smealmba@psu.edu Join us on:

This publication is available in alternate media on request. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. U Ed BUS 14-13. LD0813

Você também pode gostar