The Weekly Update – Professional & Online MBA: Nov. 25, 2015

Program News & Announcements

Help Us Help You!

The Student & Academic Engagement team – Claire Jefferies, Sarah Pickel, and Deborah Waller Wilkins – would be so grateful if you can take five minutes to let us know how we’re doing and where we can improve. We’re also collecting data on areas of emphasis and study abroad trips, which will help our faculty better plan for course offerings in future semester. Please take a moment to fill out the survey – and please be honest, your responses are anonymous. Thanks and have a terrific Thanksgiving holiday!

Scholarship Opportunity – Professional & Online MBA Student Leadership Board

This spring, the Jenkins MBA Program will launch the Professional & Online MBA Student Leadership Board. The goal of this board is to provide an outlet and voice for professional and online student feedback in an effort to continually improve the quality of the student and academic experience. Four students will be selected to serve a one-year term (January – December), and in exchange, will receive a $500 scholarship in addition to other perks listed below. In order to qualify, students must have completed at least 6 credit hours in either the Professional Evening or the Online MBA program, and must be able to serve for a one-year term (i.e. cannot be planning to graduate in May 2016). Students must be in good academic standing (cumulative MBA GPA of a 3.0 or higher).

Description: 

• Time commitment:  Approximately 10 hours per month
• Work with the MBA Student Association Leadership Board to provide input on student clubs and professional/social networking events
• Meet on a monthly basis to discuss student ideas and concerns, suggest program improvements, and provide feedback to administration
• Manage a budget dedicated to  professional development opportunities for professional/online MBA students and determine how to allocate funding to best support the student experience
• Serve as an advocate for prospective and incoming students by participating in at least one recruiting event with the admissions team per semester

Benefits/Perks:

• $500 scholarship applied toward MBA tuition
• Leadership experience
• Opportunity to directly impact and shape the student experience
• Special swag throughout the year, priority invitations to VIP events, and a dinner with the dean

Interested students should apply online by December 1st, 2015 in order to be considered. Questions should be directed to Claire Jefferies at claire_jefferies@ncsu.edu. Applicants will be notified by December 8th, 2015 whether or not they have been selected.

Another Scholarship Opportunity! – MBA Student Speaker Scholarship for Jenkins Professional & Online Students

The Jenkins MBA program is looking for one Professional Evening and one Professional Online MBA student to attend prospective student recruiting events with the Admissions Team and speak about their experiences in the program and as a student.  This opportunity comes with a $500 scholarship, and will be awarded on a semester basis.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current student enrolled in the Jenkins Professional Evening or Online MBA program
• Completed 9 or more NCSU MBA course credit hours
• Student in good academic standing (cumulative MBA GPA of a 3.0 or higher)
• Comfortable speaking in public and has reliable transportation

For more information and to apply, please go to the Jenkins MBA Assistantships and Scholarships page.

Summer Study Abroad Course in Munich – Registration Deadline is December 1st

The deadline for Innovation and Marketing Systems in Munich is December 1st. Dr. Jon Bohlmann is leading this trip and is faculty instructor for this 3-credit course. More information about Munich can be found on the MBA website and the NCSU study abroad website.

Academic Advising

Late Registration Has Begun

If you have not yet registered for Spring 2016 classes, please do so as soon as possible.  Students who register after November 17 will be assessed a $100 non-refundable late enrollment fee.  Please review this page for important details on Spring 2016 registration.

For information on advising holds,  individual appointment availability, drop-in advising hours, course schedules, and registration information, please visit the Spring 2016 Advising and Registration page on our website.

Student Clubs & Events

Meet a Jenkins MBA:  The Weekly Spotlight

NAME:   Debra Mehta
TITLE:   First-year Jenkins full-time MBA
HOMETOWN: Morrisville (originally from Long Island, New York)
PREVIOUS DEGREES:  Master’s in Education, UNC; B.S. in Anthropology, SUNY Geneseo

Q:  Tell us something about you that we might be surprised to find out!
A:  I studied abroad in France for a year when I was 16. I lived with a family in a little castle (manoir) called Le Valciot. I went skiing for ten days in the Alps and stayed with a family in Italy on an exchange with my French school. I remember that first day, getting off of the train in Cherbourg, Normandy and meeting my family for the first time. I said, “Hey! How are you?” and there was a blank stare. I did not realize that my new host family did not know any English at all …

Q:  When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?  Did that wish play a role in shaping your career? – if so, how?
A:  I wanted to be a lawyer, an actor, and a social worker at different times. Law interested me because it seemed like fun to read, argue, and piece a story together. I loved acting because it was creative and I enjoyed improvisation. I wanted to be a social worker because I care about making people’s lives better. I was a teacher for many years and I often had to advocate for my students, help them through difficult times, and find ways to teach them creatively. My new future also involves creativity and persuasion.

Q:  What’s the most fun or enlightening experience you’ve had in the MBA program so far?
A:  I really enjoy my Consumer Behavior class with Dr. Stacy Wood. The class has changed the way I think. She taught us about pricing and I applied this concept to my online lesson store.  She taught us about schemas and it made me understand why the “Face on the Milk Carton” missing child campaign was so successful, but jarring. We relate milk to mothers, love, comfort and childhood; to place a picture of a missing child next to these in our minds makes us emotionally connect with the campaign. Everyone should take this class.

Q:  What’s your favorite song to cheer you up, get you pumped up, or ready to face the day?
A:  Taylor Swift, in general. Not ironically. Yes, I blast pop music and sing in my car. You do, too!

Q:  What’s your dream job / career goal?  How is the MBA helping you get there?
A:  I want to be a brand manager. I am a career switcher, so there is still a lot to learn, but there are so many leadership, mentorship, networking, and volunteer opportunities in this program. I am trying to take advantage of everything. For instance, volunteering at the Innovative Women’s Conference was such a great opportunity for us to expand our network. I am thankful for this program because I know we will all get where we want to go.

Dates to Remember/Upcoming Events

December 1 – Deadline to register for Summer Study Abroad in Munich
December 4 – Last day of classes
December 4 – MBASA end-of-semester party (see e-mail invite to RSVP)
December 7-8 – Supply Chain Resource Cooperative Semi-Annual Partners Meeting
December 17 – MBA Graduation Celebration, 5:30 – 7 pm, 1887 Bistro, Talley Student Center
December 18 – Fall 2015 Graduation