EMBA Programs Newsletter - November 2014
Greetings, EMBA and GLEMBA Alumni!
Let’s begin this newsletter with a little bit of UT Dallas history.
Did you know that in 1961, Eugene McDermott, Cecil Howard Green and J. Erik Jonsson established the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest? In 1964, the research center was relocated to the Founders Building – the first facility built on the campus that would officially become The University of Texas at Dallas in 1969.
On October 29, UT Dallas celebrated Founders Day, the fiftieth anniversary of the Founders Building dedication. Our 50-year celebration included a ceremony with family members of the founders and an unveiling of the busts of McDermott, Green and Jonsson. Later, members of the Legacy Society joined the UT Dallas leadership for an evening under the trellis in the plaza at the center of campus. Events included comments from UT Dallas President Dr. David E. Daniel and a spectacular fireworks display along both sides of the five reflecting ponds that extend south of the plaza toward the Jindal School of Management. Henceforth, each year we will celebrate Founders Day on October 29.
UT Dallas is still considered a young university but growing quickly and strategically. Enrollment topped 23,000 this fall with more than 7,400 students now taking classes in the Jindal School. Once known as a commuter school, UT Dallas is now home to 5,000 students living on campus. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the newest dormitory on campus — affectionately named “Big Daddy.” It includes 600 beds and a dining room that can seat 700, and on an average day 3,500 meals are served there. And there is a waiting list for 600 more students.
I imagine that campus has changed significantly since some of you attended classes. I hope you’ll stop by for a visit during one of these beautiful fall days. If you let me know you’re coming, we’ll be happy to give you a tour — and a parking pass!
I look forward to seeing you at the annual holiday party. (Please note the change in venue.)
Happy holidays!
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In this issue:
- Upcoming Alumni Events
- From the Desk of Dr. Springate
- Upcoming Recruiting Events
- Alumni Updates
- Class Snapshots
- Capstone Field Projects Needed
- Past Events
Upcoming Alumni Events
Gain beneficial new connections and reconnect with former classmates. Hope to see you!
The Wall That Heals, Thursday, November 20, at sunrise, through Sunday, November 23,until noon
UT Dallas
Outdoors, Eugene McDermott Library East Lawn, Drive G
A traveling 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be on campus and open to the community. A special welcome ceremony will take place on Friday, November 21, at 10 a.m. to remember those who died serving in Vietnam and to honor all Armed Forces personnel who served there. U.S. Congressman, Sam Johnson, retired U.S. Air Force colonel who was a POW for nearly seven years in the Hanoi Hilton will be our guest speaker. There will also be a flyover by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum (weather permitting). RSVP suggested for the welcome ceremony at: visitthewall@utdallas.edu.
This exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information about The Wall, please visit: www.vvmf.org/twth.
JSOM New Addition Opening Ceremony, Monday, December 1, 3:45 p.m.
The new wing of the Jindal School will officially debut in a grand opening ceremony with ribbon cutting scheduled in the first floor atrium of the new facility. UT Dallas Provost Hobson Wildenthal, Vice President for Administration Dr. Calvin Jamison and Jindal School Dean Dr. Hasan Pirkul are scheduled to speak.
Artists whose works recently have been acquired by the school have been invited to attend.
Jason’s Deli, which has opened a location in the new facility, will provide cake, snacks and a “signature drink” for students and guests.
Tours of the new addition will take place from 3:45 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Jingle and Mingle
Annual Executive Education Holiday Party, Friday, December 5, 6:30 – 11 p.m.
Brookhaven Country Club **NEW LOCATION**
3333 Golfing Green Drive
Farmers Branch, TX 75234
Join us for a fun-filled evening with executive education alumni and current EMBA and GLEMBA students. Holiday attire.
Please RSVP by November 24.
Are you Ready to Return to School – Spring Semester 2015?
Have you thought about returning to school to freshen your finance skills or sit in on one of the new courses we offer? EMBA and GLEMBA alumni are invited to audit any of our EMBA classes. (University policy does not allow auditing of online or hybrid classes.) Here are the courses that will be offered this spring. If you are interested in attending, please contact me at (972) 883-4235. You will need to officially register with the university and pay a $100 fee.
Risk and Uncertainty (Statistics) with Dr. Wiorkowski
Organizational Behavior with Dr. Hicks
Managerial Accounting with Dr. Janakiraman
Business Management, Analytics and Technology with Professor Meade Monger (EMBA 1995)
Nova Scotia (America’s Trip) with Pamela and Dr. Springate *
International Business Management with Dr. Springate
Global Economics with Dr. Leblebicioglu
Negotiations and Contracts with Dr. Bolton
International Study Tour (Istanbul and Athens) with Pamela and Dr. Springate *
*Please note that for the international trips, you will also need to cover your trip expenses.
From the Desk of Dr. Springate
This is Homecoming Week at UT Dallas. While homecoming may be hard to succeed in a university that has no football team and was formerly a commuter school, the idea is catching on. The celebrations this week markedly exceed those of past years in number and size. All this parallels the university’s growth and maturity. The Executive MBA programs even have an entry in the Door Decorating Contest, thanks to the EMBA programs’ staff members that wish to express their school spirit. As of this writing date, no decision on the winners has been rendered.
Your university is rapidly growing in intellectual stature and recognition. Tier One eligibility gets nearer. While much news is generated in other areas of the campus, the Naveen Jindal School of Management and Executive MBA programs are among the areas building for success. Increasingly, we have the faculty strength to organize the top-level programs we need. If our school doesn’t, by chance, have the capability internally, we arrange for the help of external practitioners or professors. We have the full backing of our dean.
We do have much to celebrate in our executive programs. Stability and growth have been restored, academic standards are rising, new courses and timely curricula are being delivered. The faculty supports our programs, and we have loyal students and alumni. We have strong program leadership and staff support in the Executive MBA programs. We are more visible externally.
Let’s cheer for all this. It rightfully builds alumni visibility, pride and market value. You should come home when you can and celebrate with us.
Upcoming Recruiting Events
Alumni Updates
Class Snapshots
Below is a snapshot of what each class is doing.
The Class of 2015
In October Alan Plott transitioned the Springate Cup to a very surprised Neil Kier, Class of 2016. Alan presented Neil with How Stella Saved the Farm: A Tale About Making Innovation Happen by (2013, St. Martin’s Press) by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble.
Alan Plott invited the entire Class of 2015 to support him in transitioning the Springate Cup to the first Class of 2016 recipient of the Springate Cup, Neil Kier.
On November 14, Professor Larry Solomon (EMBA 2002), C-Suite Leadership, brought in guest speaker Will McDade, senior vice president of rapid continuous improvement and capital planning for Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG).
The Class of 2016
The Class of 2016 is well under way in its first semester. Class members have taken their Winslow Profile assessment and have met with their executive coaches. Dr. Murthi held two competitions in his Marketing Management class. Rich Cook scored the highest in the class on brand recognition. Team T, comprised of Chris Hawes, Brett Snyder, Neil Kier and Kiran Devaprasad won the MarkStrat competition.
GLEMBA Cohorts
The GLEMBA 2015 and GLEMBA 2016 cohorts have finished Information Technology with Dr. Kelly Slaughter and are taking Global Supply Chain Management with Professor Nick Hassan. When they come back to class in January, we will announce where they are going for their international study tour in June 2015.
GLEMBA Class of 2016
This month members of the GLEMBA Class of 2016 completed their Winslow Profile assessment and have begun meeting with their executive coaches. Each month, class members will meet with their executive coach and explore their soft skills as they relate to strategic self-awareness, executive presence, social intelligence, political intelligence and social networking.
The class is currently taking Risks and Uncertainty (Statistics) with Dr. Wiorkowski.
Capstone Field Projects Needed
Past Events
Please have a safe holiday season. I’ll be back in touch after the holidays!
Best Regards,
Pamela Foster Brady
Director, Executive MBA Programs