MBA Refresh Greets Grad Students

A reimagined MBA program has welcomed its first class of students at SNC’s Schneider School of Business. Central to the refresh are a new onboarding process dedicated to understanding each student’s ambitions, more program entry points, and a greater tie-in to the mission of the college.

Under the direction of Dean Dan Heiser, the Schneider School gathered input from MBA alumni, current students and the school’s advisory board. The findings went to the curriculum committee, steered by professors for the MBA program. Heiser says that this collaborative effort helped ensure the program is a true St. Norbert experience.

A personal, professional MBA
Onboarding, which was once treated as more of a networking opportunity, now comprises three main facets and is called the MBA Springboard. First, students will be tested on certain skills, such as using Excel. This ensures students are prepared to succeed in classes where quantitative skills are needed.

Second, they will get a strong introduction to Norbert of Xanten. Heiser says it’s important that the MBA program aligns with other educational pursuits at the college. “We’re trying to carry the mission of the Norbertines,” he says.

Third, students will go through a simulation of a real-life challenge. “We’re looking at left-brain and right-brain skills. That simulation gives us an individualized development plan,” says Heiser. “We use that information when we’re counseling an individual, particularly when they’re selecting their elective courses. … We’re asking what they want to build on to stand out in a crowd.”

Forming relationships
There are six entry points throughout the year, so adult learners don’t have to wait to launch their program. Heiser says, “People are looking for flexibility in their programs and in their life. We wanted to help in a way that makes sense within the St. Norbert construct.”

But while some universities move to hybrid learning or fully online programs, the Schneider MBA is designed for in-person and on-campus interaction. “Face-to-face pedagogy is important and building relationships between teachers and students enhances the effectiveness of the program.” In-person instruction also facilitates a key feature of the St. Norbert program: enhanced opportunities for students to network with other professionals in the program who are working in the immediate area.

Most of the courses are seven to eight weeks long and each year classes are kept to around 25-30 students. At the end of the program, there is a strategic management capstone – a full-semester course. It brings all the core learning together and compels students to put that learning into practice. Heiser says he wants graduates to leave knowing what to do when “things go off the rails.”

The whole person
The MBA’s core courses are designed to help a graduate ascend into a C-suite job. Then the individualized development plan is used, along with further discussions between faculty and student, to decide which elective courses will add value to the student’s education.

Heiser says that the program considers more than professional pursuits: “It’s the whole person. When you graduate from other MBA programs, certainly a lot of them do a great job, but I think we do that, plus. We’re really trying to challenge people to think about who they are and who they want to be. And if those two aren’t in alignment, how to move towards who you want to be.”

Sept. 15, 2022