The word is spreading about the substantial advantages of the innovative Executive MBA program at Florida International University (FIU).
FIU’s Chapman Graduate School of Business relaunched the program in January 2013. The initial class enrolled 21 students. One year later, the class that started in January 2014 has 28 students—a 33 percent increase.
“I did nine months of research before selecting the program I wanted and FIU’s EMBA, with its strong emphasis on leadership, is what I need,” said Bianca Veloso, global sales process manager at Ecu Line, a global Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier. Veloso, with 12 years of experience in direct sales of a wide range of logistics services, runs the design, implementation and execution of sales processes at the global level.
“I consult in 90 countries,” she added. “FIU’s focus on international business is very important to my future.”
The FIU EMBA’s interdisciplinary, experience-driven curriculum is organized around four key decision-making areas: navigating in a global environment; building a high-performance organization; creating economic and social value; and developing and implementing strategy.
“Teaching us what a global executive should be and how to view business decisions in an ethical, worldwide environment is why I selected FIU’s EMBA,” said Joseph Sinicrope, who retired after 22 years in the U.S. Marines as an Intelligence officer. “The curriculum is operationally relevant and immediately applicable to today’s world.”
Sinicrope described his cohorts in the Class of 2014 as “a phenomenally diverse, international group with strong backgrounds in many different sectors.”
“Quite frankly, I like discussing issues with people of maturity and experience,” he said. “In classes, we’re not just scratching the surface. We’re digging deep.”
Erin Dowd, associate director, Marketing & Recruitment, MBA & MIB Programs, pointed out that the majority of the people in the Class of 2014 are at a director level or higher.
“These professionals have on average 18 years of experience in different business and industry sectors, private and public,” Dowd said.
Lilliam Folgueira (BBA ’96) commented that the age and experience of the participants is making for an exciting environment. She said her decision to enroll was based largely on her future plans as served by a curriculum designed for today’s business leader.
“I carefully looked at the courses at other schools and discovered that FIU’s EMBA will deliver the skills and tools I need to take my company to the next level,” said this entrepreneur, co-founder of Projectability, a marketing firm that develops and manages more than 50 communication strategies and stakeholder analyses for a number of organizations.
“I graduated 17 years ago and, quite frankly, I don’t need to take courses that re-teach skills,” Folgueira said. “I need on-target insight and knowledge about today’s globalized business environment. That’s exactly what FIU’s EMBA program offers.”
Many students also praised the supportive staff and skilled and acclaimed professors as being instrumental in the decision-making process.
Immersion gets the group on the road to EMBA success.
In early January 2014, the 28 enrollees got together for an immersion week in the Florida Keys.
In addition to getting to know their cohorts, faculty and staff, the getaway included teambuilding activities and a range of presentations covering innovation, leadership and public speaking skills.
The EMBA program follows a hybrid format that includes online coursework and face-to-face classes held twice monthly at FIU Downtown on Brickell.
