Manderson enrolls largest full-time MBA class ever

Manderson enrolls largest full-time MBA class ever

The Manderson Graduate School of Business MBA Program enrolled its largest class ever this fall, with 78 students enrolling in the Class of 2010.  Expectations are high that these students, hailing from 9 countries and 29 different undergraduate institutions, will bring a wealth of diversity, work experience, and academic excellence to the Manderson MBA program.

“Our mission in the MBA program is to increase the value of the degree with every passing day,” says Susan West, Assistant Dean for the Manderson Graduate School of Business and Director of MBA Programs.  “As we continue to attract the best and the brightest, in order to gain more national attention our strategy has been to grow in terms of the size of the program.  As we grow, we have also attracted more out-of-state and out-of-region students, which can lead to a multiplier effect – when they graduate, these students typically want to return to the region from which they came.  By going back to these areas, it helps in our brand awareness and effectiveness.”

Typically growth comes at the expense of quality, but that hasn’t been the case with the MBA program.  In fact, quality has increased; GMAT average, GPA, average work experience, and minority/international representation all increased with the Class of 2010. Says West, “As we grow in quantity, it is obvious why we would strive to demand equal growth in quality.  The better our students, the more competitive we can be on a national basis, which again reflects what we are trying to accomplish in building our brand.”

A larger class size can also mean better job opportunities for students.   Angelia Knight, Coordinator of Career Services for Manderson, remarks that “recruiters tend to visit schools with larger MBA classes because of the larger talent pool.   More students mean more opportunities to fill multiple positions from a single visit.  Companies are feeling the impact of gas prices, so the concept of ‘one-stop shopping’ is very appealing.”

The Manderson staff is excited that the momentum gained from this class will contribute to future growth in the program.  Prospective students can contact Blake Bedsole, the Manager of Admissions and Student Services for Manderson, at bbedsole@cba.ua.eduor 205/348-9122 to ask questions or schedule an on-campus visit.  Prospective students are also encouraged to visit http://www.MandersonMBA.comfor information.