Celebrating EMBA Class of 2015 Graduates, Families and Veterans

• May 28th, 2015
• in EMBA Alumni Network, UA EMBA Latest News/Events

May is always a hectic month for our Executive MBA Program. May is graduation month, a time for celebrating the accomplishments of our most recent graduating class. After 17-21 months of academic coursework, team assignments, case discussions, projects, presentations, international travel and very little sleep, our students become graduates. On May 2, 2015, the Culverhouse College of Commerce Executive MBA Program recognized the graduates and families with an Awards Banquet at the North Zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium before the formal University of Alabama commencement at Coleman Coliseum.

This year 27 graduates received their M.B.A. degrees from the Huntsville and Tuscaloosa EMBA classes. We also marked a milestone with our 30th graduating class in Tuscaloosa. Awards were also given to recognize class leaders and MVPs, students earning a 4.0 GPA and outstanding faculty.  This year’s honorees included TEMBA President Justin Merritt and Vice President Ryan Aday, HEMBA President Randy Lewis, TEMBA MVP Neil DiChiara and HEMBA MVP Nate Drees.  Graduates receiving a 4.0 GPA: Mike Brost, Nate Drees, Ashley Erickson, Justin Havrilla, Justin Merrit, Philip Morrison, Ross Swenson, Amy Tucker and Liz Williford.

In addition, the Huntsville and Tuscaloosa classes awarded Dr. James F. Cashman Faculty Awards and EMBA Faculty Excellence Awards. The Dr. James F. Cashman Faculty Award honors the memory of the late EMBA strategy implementation professor whose high standards of integrity served as a pristine example for his students. The TEMBA class bestowed the Cashman Award to Dr. William Walsh, Economics Instructor; and HEMBA recognized Dr. Ron Dulek, the John R. Miller Professor of Management.  The Faculty Excellence Awards went to Dr. William Walsh (TEMBA) and Dr. Rich Houston (HEMBA), Director, Culverhouse School of Accountancy and Hilton Dean Professor of Accounting.

Attending the EMBA Awards Banquet and University Commencement were over 150 family members. It is always a highlight for EMBA faculty and staff to celebrate with the family this great achievement. “We often tell students that they will find doing the program difficult without company support but impossible without family support.

The family’s encouragement and assistance cannot be underestimated,” said Donna Blackburn, director of the Executive MBA Program.

It is also a highlight for our EMBA Program to recognize the many Veterans we have in our program. This year 22% of our EMBA graduating class were Veterans. “During Commencement Veterans were given red, white and blue cords to wear with our regalia,” said Clint Vance. “UA respects and takes care of Vets who wish to attend college. Most have had a rough time and (the EMBA Program and Veteran and Military Affairs office) make it easy, and I never had an issue that was not promptly addressed.” Clint is a U.S. Army Veteran, and is currently AMP Manager with ProEquities in Birmingham.

Thank you to the family, friends and companies that supported our graduates throughout the program. Check out more photos from graduation on our Facebook page. Once again, congratulations to the Executive MBA Class of 2015:

Nancy Acquavella, Yorktown Systems Group, Inc.
Ryan Aday, BBVA Compass Bank
Julia Bobick, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center
Mike Brost, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.
Zac Buchanan, Blue Line Rental
Kathleen Crawford, Department of the Army
Neal DiChiara, The University of Alabama
Nathan Drees, Universal Lighting Technologies
Ashley Erickson, AMRDEC
Justin Havrilla, AAR Integrated Technologies
Jeremy Howe, Columbia College
Matthew Legg, Sterne Agee
Randy Lewis, U.S. Army
Kelly Lindsey, The Golf Associates
Justin Merritt, KBR, Inc.
Philip Morrison, Chip Rewards
Vanessa Pettway, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Sam Price, Nucor Steel Birmingham, Inc.
Adam Ritch, JMJ Associates
Ross Swenson, Regions Financial Corporation
Garett Toflinski, Randall-Reilly
Amy Tucker, Sonoco
Clint Vance, ProEquities, Inc.
Katherine Wayne, SAIC/PFRMS
Lance Will, Honeywell Aerospace
Robb Williams, Lear Corporation
Liz Williford, Southern Nuclear
For more information about the Culverhouse EMBA Program at The University of Alabama, contact Cheryl at caltemara@cba.ua.edu, or call 205.348.4501.

EMBA Elite Spotlight: Alumni Network President Mike Ross

• January 27th, 2015
• in EMBA Alumni Network, EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

Mike Ross, the Culverhouse College of Commerce Executive MBA Alumni Network President, also serves as Chief Commercial Officer and Eastern Region President of Renasant Bank. After earning his Bachelor of Science from the Culverhouse College of Commerce at The University of Alabama in 1986, he returned just a few years later to earn his Masters from our Executive MBA program in 1989. Mike believes that the program was critically important to his early advancement into senior and executive management. “The additional practice I gained through my course work gave me an early advantage over most of my peers in the industry from an early stage (I was a young 23 years old when I started the program!)” Mike said.

After his oldest son began his freshman year at The University of Alabama, Mike decided to run for UA EMBA Alumni Network President because he wanted to give more to his Alma Mater. As President, Mike plans to focus on enhancing participation and communication from his fellow alumni by hosting additional events for networking and reconnecting.

First up will be the kick off for the EMBA’s 30th Anniversary, a Rooftop Reception at the Renasant Bank in downtown Tuscaloosa on April 17.  “We are extremely excited to have Mr. Ross and Renasant Bank host our 30th Anniversary event at their new bank,” said Donna Blackburn, director of the EMBA Program.  “Showcasing our achievements since 1985, along with our alumni, students and corporate sponsors such as Renasant is an honor and we look forward to a grand evening.”

“To members of the Network,” Mike said, “please consider proactively reaching out to your classmates and encourage them to participate. We would welcome feedback from anyone as to how we can make the Alumni Network more attractive and beneficial to its members. Also, please send us any news as to major events, promotions, and/or career changes you have made. The success of our members in their lives and careers is the best indicator of the value of the program. The more we can help promote the success of our members, the more valuable all of our degrees become.”

“To prospective new students,” Mike continued, “the EMBA Program at the University of Alabama will change your life forever. The skills you will learn, the experiences you will encounter, and the work ethic that you will adopt will serve you and your families well for the rest of your life. If you have a desire to set yourself apart from your competition in the workplace, please consider submitting an application.”

For more information about the Executive MBA Program at The University of Alabama, contact Cheryl Altemara at 205.348.5401 or request information here.

How to convince your company to pay for your EMBA

• August 1st, 2013
• in Helpful Tips and Advice

According to The Executive MBA Council, approximately 60 percent of students receive partial or full funding for their EMBA degree. Although more EMBA programs are offering scholarships or fellowships (46.2 percent in 2012), students may also receive full or partial sponsorships from their employers.

EMBA programs offer many benefits to students, as well as students’ employers. Here are some benefits to point out when discussing your plans to pursue an EMBA degree with your employer and negotiating potential funding and sponsorship options:

1.) Sponsoring an employee’s participation in an EMBA program is a company investment. 
When an employer decides to sponsor an employee’s participation in an EMBA program, they are not only making an investment in that employee, but in the company as a whole. It is an opportunity for the employer to increase retention of top performing employees. By investing in and improving the existing talent within the company, employers will encourage their employees to stay with the company, and ultimately save money by eliminating the need for recruiting outside talent.

2.) Companies receive instant return on investment. 
EMBA students will gain new skills and knowledge from the course content that can be immediately applied to the workplace. Such skills include the ability to think strategically, analyze complex problems, integrate information, and make tough decisions. Students will be able to better identify opportunities for improvement within their company and apply creative and effective solutions.

3.) EMBA sponsorship can improve in-house succession planning. 
While participating in an EMBA program, students will develop leadership and communication skills that will enable them to advance to the next level within their company. Students learn to work well with a team, as well as how to successfully lead a highly performing group of individuals. Employers will feel confident when developing a succession plan, as students will gain a better understanding of business functions from an organizational standpoint.

4.) Companies will gain access to the latest business trends, management strategies and techniques, as well as the experience and knowledge of other business professionals.
EMBA students will broaden their perspective by learning about the latest business management techniques and gaining insight from other working professionals with diverse backgrounds. Students can draw from this information and bring new ideas and strategies into their workplace.

5.) EMBA students can bring a new global perspective into their workplace. 
Many EMBA programs take an international trip as part of their curriculum. Students will develop a deeper understanding of different economies, businesses, and cultures worldwide. Through company visits, meetings with business professionals and government officials, and tours of cultural and historical sites, EMBA students will gain a new global perspective, and can build an international network that can be very beneficial for the companies they work for.

6.) The actual payback period has been reduced from 23 to 17 months. 
An article in The Washington Post states that reports show the actual payback period for an executive MBA has been reduced from 23 to 17 months over the past year, despite the rising average of program costs. The important thing for employers to remember is that the benefits from sponsoring an EMBA student are long term, reaching far and beyond the time it takes to fully recover the costs of their investment.

When discussing an EMBA sponsorship with your employer, it is important to point out these benefits and demonstrate how funding an EMBA degree is a sound investment in the future of your company.

The University of Alabama’s EMBA program offers an outline to assist students in developing a proposal for corporate sponsorship, which you can access by clicking on the link below:
UA-EMBA Corp Sponsorship Proposal

For more information about the EMBA program at UA, please visit www.emba.ua.edu.

If you read one article about MBA Information Sessions, read this one.

• July 25th, 2013
• in EMBA Program Information, Helpful Tips and Advice

You have been looking at various graduate schools, searching different programs, talking with friends, colleagues, and even random people you meet.  You have narrowed it down to a few schools.  Now is the time to attend an information session or an open classroom.  Before you go, here are some things you should know:

1.) Information sessions generally start off with a check in and a reception with some time to mingle.  This is a good opportunity for talking privately with the staff, faculty, alumni and current students.  For open classrooms, arriving early will allow you to talk to students before they must focus on the class lecture.

2.) During the reception or open classroom, be prepared to talk about yourself.  At the beginning of the session guests are sometimes asked to introduce themselves to the group. Sharing information about yourself, your position, your company and why you are pursuing a graduate degree will be helpful for those who are attached to the school. It will also help them in relating your background and experiences with others who are similar to you and the benefits they received.

3.) Personal interview – you may also want to arrange for a one-on-one meeting with the admissions person either before or after the event.  The personal interviews usually cover the program in more detail and allow you to ask questions pertaining to your own issues and goals. It also gives the admissions officer an opportunity to get to know you.

4.) Be professional! The staff, alumni and students will notice your dress, conduct, and interest, so be prepared and make a good impression.

5.) Check out the campus and classroom.  While at the open classroom take some time either before or after the lecture to check out the campus.  Also note the parking and lodging if you may be staying overnight to attend classes.  How long did it take you to drive to the location, and what restaurants or shops are located nearby?

6.) Questions – go prepared with questions. You will find that during the reception or at any point in the information session, you will have the opportunity to ask a question.  During open classrooms, it is best to hold questions until a break period.
Some typical questions are:

• How has the program benefited you (or your company)?
• Did you receive a promotion, change jobs, change positions while in the program?
• Since graduation, how has the program helped you with your career?
• Is career counseling available?
• How did you juggle work, school and home?
• How much support did you receive from your company (financial, time off)?
• Looking back, what would you say were the best courses in developing your career and why?
• Does the program require team assignments and if so, how often do teams meet outside of class?
• Could you tell me how study teams are formed?
• What is the ratio of individual to group assignments?
• How much time outside of class do you spend preparing for class?
• Is there an international trip involved in the program? How is the country selected? What companies do you visit? Who do you meet with at the companies?
• Is there a masters’ project?
• How did you secure funding? Are scholarships available? Is there a VA office on campus?
• How active are alumni? Are there alumni programs and events?

7.) At the end of the event, be sure to exchange contact information.  You should also receive a follow up email from the University. At this point, feel free to ask for names and contact information of anyone you met but did not secure a business card.  Also, ask additional questions or if you did not have time to set up a personal interview, do so now.

Graduate school is a BIG investment.  EMBA Programs offer many benefits like a schedule that does not interfere with working professionals, a lock-step program where classes are set, a definite graduation date of 17-24 months from the start of program, and classmates who have extensive work and management experience.

Do not take this investment lightly!  Attend an event. Be prepared.

The University of Alabama EMBA has many events throughout the year.  We encourage you to attend an information session and an open classroom. To RSVP, or for more information about upcoming information sessions, open classrooms, or to set up a personal interview, please contact Cheryl Altemara at caltemara@cba.ua.edu or call 205-348-4501.