Career Advancement, higher income potential,
increased mobility in the workplace, self-fulfillment –
all valid reasons for pursuing one of the more recognizable advanced
degrees in the country. Whether combining a technical or specialized
undergraduate degree with an MBA, or returning to college to update
previous education in business administration, the pursuit of
an MBA represents an important and necessary investment in one’s
future.
“My veterinary
training prepared me for caring for animals but did nothing
to prepare me for running a business. The University of Montana
MBA Program helped me develop my business skills which made
me a much better practitioner of the ‘business’
side of my practice.”
Jean Allbright
DVM, Heath Veterinary Hospital
Billings, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
Success in business in the emerging, global environment
of the 21st century will require the mastery of skills typically
not acquired at the baccalaureate level of University education.
While classroom instruction is not a substitute for work experience,
the growth of knowledge acquired through the pursuit of graduate
education can stimulate one’s creativity and improve one’s
worth many times over.
“I do not agree
with those who say that an MBA is worth the time and energy
because you will get more money when you have one. It’s
not about money. Obtaining your MBA is about maximizing your
personal worth … about learning and developing new skills
... about deepening your knowledge of how businesses succeed.”
Neil A. Rixe
Assistant Vice President & Project Manager
US Bank
Minneapolis, Minnesota
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
“The Off-Campus
MBA Program in Kalispell provided the skills I needed to successfully
compete for a position on one of the more visible and forward
deployed programs in the Defense Department representing U.S.
foreign policy goals in the newly emerging free market economies
of Eastern Europe.”
Lieutenant Colonel
David Conklin
Deputy Chief / Military Liaison Team
Sofia, Bulgaria
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
The
Education Experience
What’s it like going back to school a dozen
or more years after graduating with a baccalaureate degree? How
will I fit in? Can I rise to the challenge? These and other frequently
asked questions often are raised by those looking at the Off-Campus
MBA Program.
“Attending school
at age 48 is very different than when I was twenty years old.
I am very focused. I weave my lessons of life with my academic
lessons. I can challenge the theories and philosophies presented
or support them because I’ve been there through my own
experiences. What I learn I apply every day in my work place.
It’s exciting and rewarding to be able to do that.”
Sheryl D. Hayden
Controller & Director of Administrative Services
Immanuel Lutheran Corporation
Kalispell, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
Graduate school is different from
undergraduate. Students are expected to demonstrate initiative
and to shoulder the burden of three to four hours of work outside
of class for every hour in class. Expect a lot of research; a
lot of writing; and a lot of group assignments. Be prepared to
make oral presentations (either alone or as a member of a team),
and be prepared to contribute to lively discussions during class.
Your classmates will be just like
you; roughly close in age and experience and for the most part
possessing undergraduate degrees in fields other than business.
But they will have vastly different perspectives, as their work
experience generally will be very diverse. This will be a plus;
use it to your advantage!
“I’ve been
in Agriculture lending for 20 years. My experience in the
UM Off-Campus MBA Program provided a learning opportunity
that added value to my employer and my career. It offered
me an avenue to interact with other individuals that worked
in different industries and brought new perspectives to the
classroom.”
Mike Cleveland
Regional Manager
Farm Credit Corporation
Reno, Nevada
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
Challenge your professors, whether you are enrolled
in a foundation course on the Internet, a required course on TV,
or an elective being delivered over a weekend. And, challenge your classmates; they
will present you with learning opportunities every bit as valuable
as those associated with any college text, any research assignment,
or any instruction from your professors.
The
Value of Work Experience
Off-Campus MBA students typically have worked
for several years prior to enrolling in The University of Montana
program. They are older, more mature, and have “experience”
to share with their classmates. Academic backgrounds run across
all disciplines: from business to the humanities, from engineering
to the sciences. In addition, the range of professional backgrounds
extends from self-employed entrepreneurs to early and mid career
professionals employed with some of Montana’s leading companies.
MBA STUDENT STATISTICS
AVERAGE AGE
36
MEN
51%
WOMEN
49%
FULL-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE
11 YRS
AVERAGE GMAT SCORE
560
MEDIAN UNDERGRADUATE GPA
3.2
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
as a percent of total
BUSINESS / COMMERCE
58%
ECONOMICS
4%
SOCIAL SCIENCE
6%
ENGINEERING
12%
MATH / COMPUTER SCIENCE
5%
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
5%
LIFE SCIENCES
9%
HUMANITIES
1%
GRADUATE OR MULTIPLE DEGREE HOLDERS
13%
Students themselves recognize the value that
work experience brings to the classroom. They oftentimes can apply
what they are learning to their positions of employment, and when
assigned to work in groups, they often benefit from the diverse
perspectives of their classmates.
“One of the more
valuable aspects of the Off-Campus MBA Program had to be learning
from the experience of my classmates, many of whom had years
of work experience prior to enrolling in the program. In addition,
my exposure to some professors with “real-world”
experience contributed to my overall education at The University
of Montana.”
Dianna Tickner
Senior Vice President
Midwest/Southeast Sales
Peabody COALSALES Company
St. Louis, Missouri
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
“Each course I
have taken has had immediate application to the company for
which I work. From an inventory control program to a pilot
employee training program, I have seen significant benefits
to my company and to my career.”
Sheila Rice
Vice President and Marketing Manager
ENERGY WEST, Inc.
Great Falls, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
Recent
Graduates
Successful completion of the Off-Campus MBA
Program can
do more than simply bestow a “credential” that dresses
up a resume. It can fulfill some of the aforementioned reasons
for pursuing an MBA. Featured below are some of the “success
stories” of our recent graduates.
"Completing
my MBA allowed me to fulfill one of my career aspirations.
Recently, I was interviewed for a Regional Manager position
with my company, the first such position to come open in seven
years. Out of 10 that applied, I was one of only two persons
interviewed – and I got the position.” Without
question, my MBA degree from The University of Montana gave
me the edge in the interview, for I had acquired the skills
and knowledge needed to address questions about my understanding
of the company with an insight that I did not possess three
years earlier when I started the program."
Scott Macumber
Field Sales Regional Manager
CCI/TRIAD
Denver, Colorado
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
“One of the reasons
I was hired as a senior manager in an industry in which I
had no prior experience was my completion of an MBA from UM.
Employers today are recognizing the importance of comprehensive
education in business. This allows the individual with an
MBA greater flexibility in choosing (or changing) an industry
or career field in which to work.”
Heidi Wright
Publisher
The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
“The complexity
of today’s business environment requires management
skills and knowledge over and above that afforded by an undergraduate
education, but very few working adults have the option of
going back to school full-time. Following graduation from
The University of Montana’s evening MBA program in Billings,
I moved into a position in an entirely new and different career
field.”
Christopher J. Ellingson
CPA, MBA
Director of Administrative Services
Deaconess Billings Clinic
Research Division
Billings, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
“All in all, I’ve
found that the MBA program enables one to look at the world
of business from the inside out and, just as importantly,
to look at one’s own business and industry from the
outside in. This ability to change perspectives – not
only to see competitors and customers, but also to see one’s
self as seen by competitors and customers – is a critical
skill emphasized over and over again in the program. I’ve
found that gaining that skill is one of the more beneficial
outcomes of my participation in the program.”
David Ottolino
Director, Enterprise System Implementation
MPC
Butte, Montana
(Off-Campus MBA Graduate)
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