Business Week and The Princeton Review have ranked UTC’s College of Business among the best in the nation. These rankings were based on surveys of current students, a review of the college’s business programs and career services, and other measures. The college was commended by students for overall preparedness upon graduation to compete in the job market and perform well in the business world; the many opportunities to meet alumni and network for business connections; assistance in career planning; and its ties to the business community to help students entering the job market.
The following students and alumni offered to share specific thoughts about the business school at UTC:
Q: How do you feel UTC’s College of Business has prepared you for the work force?
Krystal: The College of Business played a tremendous role in shaping my values, goals and ambition. I was prepared for the professional expectations I would soon experience as a marketing analyst at a leading consumer products manufacturer. The professors at the College of Business provided more than just course work. With both Ph.D. and work-related experience, I learned the value of research; in-depth analysis and conclusion of findings; core business etiquette, including meeting deadlines and working as a team in group projects; the culture of corporate America and the world abroad; and, most importantly, the drive to succeed.
Blaire: The program is designed to be practical. Our projects deal with the current economic crisis and other practical implications of the material we are covering. We have group projects, presentations, reports, research - all of which you can expect in the work force. And if you feel like you are lacking in any area, faculty members are readily available. The faculty wants you to succeed as much as you do.
Shamya: The College of Business helped to transform me from a callow college student to a desirable prospective employee. I left the business school with the ability to meet work force situations and challenges head on. It has been a great training ground for cultivating a strong work ethic and a tenacious Moc spirit.
Benjamin: UTC does a fantastic job of arming students with the skill set to evaluate information and data to make informed decisions that produce positive results. I was hoping that the EMBA program would give me a broad understanding of the business environment in general, and I can honestly say that UTC has delivered. I am much better equipped to make informed decisions for my company. I can now evaluate each decision based on the required resources - time, finances, people, equipment, etc. - and translate that into the expected value in the long or short term.
Q: Why did you decide to
pursue the EMBA program
at UTC?
Christian: The Executive MBA program at UTC was the best choice for me because of my obligations and the focus of the program. Quitting my career was not an option, so I reviewed several local programs, including Emory, Vanderbilt and Alabama; once I factored in tuition costs and travel time, UTC seemed to provide the best return on investment. Likewise, I wanted to attend a program that provided a strong core curriculum, along with classes in entrepreneurship.
Jackie: I am a UTC alumnus who previously earned an undergraduate and graduate degree in nursing and felt confident about the quality of the educational programs provided at the university. I wanted to obtain an MBA because of the responsibilities of my position at work. I chose the EMBA program because I believed being in a program with other adults who were in leadership positions in various work environments would broaden my learning experience. I also choose UTC because they were the only area school that was AACSB accredited for the MBA program.
Q: What have you been able to use, almost immediately, from your studies in business?
Benjamin: After starting the EMBA program, I was promoted and given the challenge of developing a new position within the company that deals with work sharing between offices in the U.S. and offices in other countries. After defining the new position, I then had to travel to each office and provide training on managing virtual teams and cultural differences. I was able to take some of the exact concepts that Dr. Mendenhall teaches in global management classes and use that in my training sessions; overwhelmingly, the feedback I received was that the cultural training was the most valuable and enjoyable part of the training. In fact, I have been able to use bits and pieces of every class I have taken almost immediately.
Rajul: I would ask what I haven’t used. Since my job is implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, I am constantly exposed to a variety of business situations. It’ll be tough to pick favorites. I have actually used teachings from every single course to date: statistics, finance, global management, entrepreneurship, legal and accounting. Regression analysis I used in software testing. Finance gave me insight on foreign currency hedging. Global management articulates abstract concepts very well. I would say that 80 percent of what I learned in class has direct application for me, for two reasons: one, because Arch (my company) is a global company with offices worldwide, and two, I work in SAP, which is used to conduct all aspects of business throughout the company.
Q: What was the biggest
surprise about the business program at UTC?
Christian: This is my second graduate degree. Prior to studying at UTC, I received my MFA in English from Penn State, a school recognized as a top 20 school in that field. As such, I’ve spent a lot of time in the classroom environment, and I can honestly say that the professors in the MBA program are among the strongest I’ve studied under. The UTC EMBA program has a top-notch faculty.
Blaire: How personal it is. I got my undergraduate degree at UT Knoxville. You were a face in a crowd. It was difficult to cultivate relationships with faculty and peers. This program is the exact opposite. I know everyone by name, and they know me. I’m also pretty sure they could even tell you my dog’s name!
Jackie: To learn and really understand that the world IS flat. The international focus on finance and management has been rewarding and is needed to understand global concepts for success in the business world today.
Q: What do you want people to know about the business program at UTC?
Christian: Chattanooga has a great resource in the UTC EMBA program; local businesses and individuals should continue to embrace it. The program is convenient, affordable and, above all, an academic asset to our business community. I am 100 percent satisfied with my decision to attend the UTC EMBA Program, and I would strongly recommend it to prospective students.
Benjamin: The business program at UTC offers a superb education and does a great job of preparing students for positions of leadership. There is no doubt in my mind that the business program offers the best value of any program in the surrounding area. There are programs that push their prestige or their size, but you can be assured that at UTC you get the personal attention you want in a business program. You are not just a number, nor are you a dollar sign. You will form bonds with your classmates and your professors that you will, no doubt, carry with you throughout your entire career. If you are a professional in the Chattanooga area and you are considering an MBA, your first consideration should be the UTC College of Business.
Krystal: Attending the College of Business at UTC is setting up a future for success. From day one, my professors engaged in our eagerness to learn and made our course work come alive with interaction. The professors and deans always had their doors open for students to talk about school, life or simply to get advice about what comes after college. From marketing and entrepreneurship professors to finance and statistics, every professor cared and wanted us to succeed. The College of Business works just as hard for their students as the students work for them.