Finding faith in the Notre Dame MBA program

By: Mary Tomasik

2017 Graduate Business retreatants at the Grotto. (Photo courtesy Mary Tomasik)

One of the most unique aspects of the Notre Dame MBA program is the ability to explore and deepen one’s faith, in addition to searching for a job and studying for classes. Even though Notre Dame is a Catholic university, our MBA student profile consists of diverse faith traditions. As such, the Faith Development Committee (FDC) brings various fun and spiritual experiences that can be enjoyed by all MBA students and their families.  Continue reading “Finding faith in the Notre Dame MBA program”

What is the Notre Dame MBA marketing experience like?

By: Jason Parker

(Photo courtesy Jason Parker)

Marketing is one of the major post-MBA career choices at Notre Dame. If you are interested in pursuing a career in marketing, here is a look at the resources and opportunities you will have at your disposal:

In the Classroom

Marketing is available as one of the Notre Dame MBA program’s academic concentrations. Students are able to select up to two concentrations; for example, marketing and business leadership, or marketing and business analytics are common combinations.

Concentrations and courses selected within concentrations vary from student to student and often depend on a number of factors such as the student’s previous work experience, the type of role the student is interested in post-MBA, and the skills on which the student feels they need to build.  Continue reading “What is the Notre Dame MBA marketing experience like?”

Making Notre Dame *the* vet-friendly business school in America

By: Mark Faldowski

The 2016-17 Notre Dame MBA Vet’s Club. (Photo courtesy Mark Faldowski)

When I was elected as president of the Notre Dame MBA Vet’s Club in December 2015, I had one vision: To make Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business the veteran-friendly business school in America.

With the hard work of my fellow veterans, buy-in from the Notre Dame administration, and the support of generous donors, we have created the best environment for veterans who choose to separate from the military. Each Notre Dame MBA class is made up of about 17 percent veterans, the highest percentage of any B-school in the U.S. Our efforts have raised $400,000 to endow the club, and our goal is for every veteran in the Notre Dame MBA program to attend the program for free.

We have taken a three-pronged approach as our strategy:  Continue reading “Making Notre Dame *the* vet-friendly business school in America”

How an ND MBA student ended up in a boxing ring

By: Zak Pedersen

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Perhaps I’ve taken this advice too literally, but it adequately sums up my aberrant decision to participate this winter in the 87th Annual Bengal Mission Bouts Boxing Tournament at the University of Notre Dame, while balancing a full-time class workload in the Notre Dame MBA program.

Our revered Professor of Management, Mike Crant, has said that avoiding conflict is a natural human inclination. The sentiment is intuitive: Stepping into a boxing ring is an intimidating experience – just ask 16 year-old Mike Tyson who had cold feet the night of his first professional bout.

Why, then, would a guy who is here trying to enrich his brain take part in such a paradoxical activity like boxing? I’ll tell you.  Continue reading “How an ND MBA student ended up in a boxing ring”

Pursuing the common good in Haiti

By: Sylvia Banda

(Editor’s Note: The Round 3 admissions deadline is coming up! In honor of the occasion, enjoy this bonus post from MBA IRISH ECHOES, and be sure to check back over the next few days for more content.)

A beautiful mountainside view during a visit with a community organization in Fondwa, Haiti. (Photo courtesy Sylvia Banda)

What is the common good? While business school may seem like an experience built for honing in on quantitative and financial skills, my experience has continually challenged me to think broader in scope. In fact, as part of my time in the Notre Dame MBA program, I enrolled in a multidisciplinary course offered by the University’s Center for Social Concerns. The course, The Common Good Initiative (CGI), explored ways in which individuals pursue the common good, particularly in challenging situations.

Through the course, I had the chance to travel to Haiti with seven other graduate students from programs in sociology, biology, theology, and law. Haiti being the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere means it is a frequently discussed “failed nation state” case study. While it is oftentimes cited for its struggles, my experience in Haiti illustrated the apparent and inspiring examples of people pursuing the common good. The common good is a phrase used in Catholic Social Teaching to encompass the conditions of social life which enable human flourishing. Our group interacted with Notre Dame’s Haiti Program and a number of organizations seeking to enhance life in areas from Global Health to Education.  Continue reading “Pursuing the common good in Haiti”