The Smeal Executive MBA program uniquely fosters one-on-one interaction between students and faculty because of its small class size and meeting schedule. Our faculty are especially focused on helping you gain the knowledge you need and help you implement it immediately.

For example, when Mike McCalley, an Executive MBA alumnus, changed jobs mid-way in the program, he faced a new challenge. He had taken over as global brand manager for a large tool supplier. When he started, he was told to clean up the product line, eliminating specific items that weren't performing.

After investigating, he was convinced that products targeted by Senior Management were actually successful. However, that was hard to see because of skewed accounting and reporting. This put him in direct conflict with his new boss.

He took this up as a class project. He sat down with one of the marketing professors over one class weekend and reviewed with him the marketing and accounting data. The professor confirmed his analysis.

This gave Mike the confidence to keep the products and make his case to management. At the end of the quarter, the strategy proved successful. He had exceeded his goals and is positioned well for the future at his new firm.

Smeal Executive MBA professors stay overnight on class weekends with the students and are accessible and approachable. When you go home, they are ready to talk over the phone or via e-mail. Not only does the program encourage one-on-one interaction, but also our faculty expect it.