June 15, 2005

Rady School Inaugural FlexMBA Class Finishing Their First
Academic Year With A Sense Of Accomplishment And High Hopes
No Rady Graduates Yet, But 2005 MBA Grads
Are Entering Best Job Market in Four Years

By Keri Minehart

The Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego is abuzz with students taking final exams and preparing for summer coursework. For a school that welcomed its first students in fall 2004, it is amazing what a difference a year can make.

As the newest business school in the University of California system, the Rady School faced a unique challenge from day one. Not wanting to be just another MBA program, Rady focused on industries driven by innovation, particularly science and technology.

When the admissions committee read through applications last summer, they were impressed with the caliber of applicants who were interested in being part of the new program. Of the inaugural FlexMBA class, 43 percent already hold advanced degrees— including 11 with Ph.D.s, four with M.D.s and 11 with graduate level degrees in engineering or science disciplines. Given their backgrounds, no one was surprised when shortly after arriving on campus, students created social and study groups, and began networking in the community on behalf of the school.

Rady students have made their mark not just on the local community, but on the world. Two Rady students, Sam Kim and Jan Tuttleman, joined the Beyster Institute at the Rady School as volunteers for a business women’s summit they conducted in Tunisia, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Three more students are working on a project for the World Bank, examining the innovation economies that surround major universities in San Diego; Austin, Texas and the Research Triangle area of North Carolina; to determine how developing similar regions in other parts of the world could be beneficial to their local economies. Rady student Niall O’Donnell recently traveled to Singapore to present some of the findings.

“I’d been considering going back to get my MBA for some time,” said FlexMBA student Robert Welborn. “I never imagined that I’d experience so much in the first year. We’ve had a Nobel Prize winner speak to our class, the founder of QUALCOMM is one of our biggest supporters and our sense of camaraderie is unparalleled. This first year has been amazing.”

“The motivation of these students never ceases to amaze me,” said Rady School Dean Robert S. Sullivan. “These are people who work full-time in high-level jobs, then come to campus every other weekend to participate in a rigorous academic environment. Yet they still find the time to care for their families, do volunteer work and study. We’re very proud of the work they’ve done in this first year.”

Students are encouraged by a recent study that showed job opportunities increased for 2005 MBA graduates. Although the FlexMBA students already have employment, it’s comforting to see that the value of their degree is being recognized by the job market.

The study, developed by the MBA Career Services Council (MBA CSC), surveyed 68 U.S. business schools. 92 percent of the schools reported an increase in recruiting activity compared with the previous year, and an average of 58 percent of their graduating MBAs had one or more employment offers by mid-April. Of the 68 schools that participated in the survey, 57 percent were public institutions, 46 percent ranked in a Top 25 business school listing in the past two years and 31 percent were in a 26-50 ranking. The survey was conducted by Randy Williams, MBA CSC Board member and director of career services at UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business.

The Rady School’s Career Connections office is seeing ample evidence of this booming MBA employment market. The office is receiving regular inquiries from San Diego businesses interested in identifying MBAs for projects and internships and is actively making contacts in the corporate world. These contacts will lead to enhanced internship and job opportunities for Rady students. Among FlexMBA students, projects and internships which complement their education are of high interest. When the Rady School matriculates its first Full-Time MBA class in fall 2005, these students will certainly be interested and available for both internships during their academic program and for career employment upon graduation.

The Rady School at UC San Diego offers a revolutionary MBA program that grows innovators into successful business leaders. Situated in San Diego’s globally recognized hotbed of innovation, the school is uniquely poised to offer access to both cutting-edge research and a fully engaged business community. The Rady School presents an integrated approach to business and technology and emphasizes cross-boundary collaborations and joint degree programs with UC San Diego centers of excellence in science, engineering, medicine, economics and international relations. The Rady School draws upon UC San Diego’s tradition of risk-taking and breakthrough innovation to recruit the top educators and students in the world.

Media Contact:  Keri Minehart, (858) 534-0855