Brochure

the

McCOMBS

A D VA N TA G E McCOMBS MBA 2004-2005

TA B L E

O F

C O N T E N T S

Education for Leaders Who We Are / Deans Letter . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Culture of Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Learning Environment McCombs Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The University of Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Academics in Practice Curriculum and Specializations . . . . . . . 10 The Plus Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Global Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Guiding Principles Hands-on Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

McCombs Community Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Faculty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Careers Career Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Recruiters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Jobs and Internships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Alumni Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

How to Apply Admissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Costs Program Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

WHO WE ARE in private equity, energy finance, corporate finance and real estate don’t just track changes in industry, they anticipate them.

an innovative series of mid-semester seminars focusing on communication, leadership, teamwork, and the art of business in the real world

THE MBA INVESTMENT FUND, L.L.C.,

THE CUSTOMER INSIGHT PROGRAM,

the first legally constituted, private investment company managed entirely by students

housed in our marketing department, teaches students to use customer knowledge and technology to drive value creating business processes.

INNOVATIVE FINANCE SPECIALIZATIONS

THE PLUS PROGRAM,

MOOT CORP®,

the original and most lucrative student business plan competition in the world An ever-expanding NETWORK OF ALUMNI, stretching from New York and San Francisco to São Paolo and Shanghai

through sixteen research centers and a wide assembly of distinguished guest speakers PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESS

DIVERSITY,

with a #1 ranking for Hispanic business students and a commitment to the future of business leaders from all walks of life

A CULTURE OF TEAMWORK AND INITIATIVE,

with nearly 40 vigorous student organizations AUSTIN,

a thriving business center that’s also a great place to live

E D U C AT I O N for L E A D E R S | 1

a

MESSAGE

from the

DEAN

At the McCombs School of Business, our mission is to educate the leaders of tomorrow while creating ating knowledge that has great significance for industry and society. Here, you will have the opportunity to benefit from a program that, already one of the finest in the world, has its sights set on becoming the best public business school in the country by the end of the decade. Following a new strategic plan, the McCombs School seeks to win national recognition in all core business disciplines. We are more fully aligning our MBA program with the placement markets in finance, consulting and marketing that have long served as the primary employment opportunities for our students. We are building more strategic partnerships with industry and alumni, creating initiatives that differentiate the school from our competitors. We are designing new strategies to increase diversity in order to improve the educational experience for all our students. And we are enhancing our research environment, a key attraction for the top-flight faculty that are the mark of a truly first-rate school. I invite you to explore the McCombs School of Business. This is clearly an exciting time to become a part of the McCombs community; it’s an environment of constant change and improvement where new faculty, new programs and new opportunities present themselves at every turn. Today’s McCombs students not only benefit from an 80-year tradition of business education at The University of Texas at Austin shared by more than 75,000 alumni world-wide, they are helping to define a new era of possibility for the school.

G e o r g e W. G a u

2 | McCOMBS MBA 2004-2005

a

C U L T U R E of S U C C E S S A truly remarkable collection of individuals, our

incoming MBA class includes a classical violinist, an

It’s no surprise that, with such eclectic backgrounds, our students envi-

engineer responsible for repairs on the Hubble Space

sion success very differently. That’s why McCombs graduates have done

Telescope, and the liaison to former Speaker of the

everything from heading corporate energy giants to producing the Austin City Limits Music Festival. But regardless of how our graduates define their

House Newt Gingrich. We have a selection of teach-

future, the McCombs experience provides the tools and resources to put

ers and artists and enough finance professionals to

their most sought-after professional ambitions within their grasp: a world-

run a $13 million investment fund (which we do).

renowned faculty, a relevant curriculum, exceptional hands-on experiences, a collaborative atmosphere, and countless opportunities to build on leadership skills. It is an environment that encourages students to follow their passions and gives them the resources to become successful leaders throughout their careers.

A Clear Path KIM GOODWIN, MBA ’87 Chief Investment Officer-Equities, State Street Research Few people are as in touch with the world of in-

“I credit my education at the McCombs School with my success in

vestment and financial services as Kim Goodwin.

the investment business,” says Kim. “While I was senior vice presi-

Among her long list of industry credentials are

dent and senior portfolio manager at American Century Growth, it

senior executive positions at American Cen-

was awarded a 5-star rating from the Morningstar for the trailing

tury Investment, Putnam Investments, Pru-

3-year period.”

dential Investments, Mellon Bank, and

Kim makes frequent appearances in the financial press, and has

State Street Research, where she now

been featured in Time Magazine, USA Today, Investment News, and

serves as Chief Investment Officer of

Barron’s. Additionally, she can be found on CNBC’s “Morning Call,”

Equities (one of the country’s old-

“Market Watch,” “Business Center,” and “Closing Bell,” and is a regu-

est investment management firms).

lar panelist on “Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street.”

E D U C AT I O N for L E A D E R S | 3

A New Direction TONY ROGERS, BBA ‘90, MBA ’97, Director of Marketing for Tostitos, Fritos, and dips, Frito-Lay After earning his BBA at Texas and working for KPMG and

are very intelligent, very creative, but also very grounded.

Brinker International, Tony Rogers decided to return to Mc-

I think there are fewer prima donnas and more people

Combs to make a change. “I worked in accounting and fi-

who are willing to just roll up their

nance, and while they were great jobs and great companies, I

sleeves and get the job done. At

remember looking over the wall so many times and seeing the

Frito-Lay we need folks that are

marketing guys having so much fun, and I thought, you know,

willing to get in and be very entre-

that job would suit me.”

preneurial and do whatever it takes

Tony found a good fit in marketing, landing a position

to get the job done, even if it’s

with Frito-Lay as an associate product manager for Tostitos.

outside the traditional definition of

Today, Tony is director of marketing for Tostitos, Fritos, and

their job. We find that kind of stu-

dips, and until recently led Frito-Lay’s efforts to recruit Mc-

dent at McCombs.”

Combs’ marketing grads. Says Rogers, “McCombs students

A Global Perspective RYAN POLLOCK, MBA ’04 For a student like Ryan Pollock, MBA ’04, the global experi-

Global Business Association. He also led forty classmates

ence is nothing new. He was born and raised in South Africa,

to South Africa for Plus Global, the branch of the Plus

educated at both the University of Cape Town and Oxford, and

Program that gives McCombs students an opportunity to

spent several years working for an investment management

learn about life and business in another country.

group in London before making the move to Texas. It’s unsurprising, given the extent of his travels, that Ryan

Ryan recently recruited several of his classmates to help him launch Starfish Charity USA, an organi-

takes a hard line on the importance of global business to the

zation that helps South African children orphaned

curriculum of any business school. “Modern business is unmis-

by HIV/AIDS. This is in keeping with the Mc-

takably global,” he argues. “Understanding the complexities

Combs ethos as he sees it. Ryan says, “In

and opportunities this poses the modern manager should be a

my experience, people in the McCombs

critical learning objective for any MBA. McCombs offers that.”

program are outstanding people, with

To that end, Ryan serves as the academic co-chair of the

intellect and integrity.”

4 | McCOMBS MBA 2004-2005

Finding the Right Fit

Creating Opportunity DAISY ORTIZ, MBA ’95 Vice President, Marketing

EDUARDO SOTO, MBA ’04

and Sourcing, Bank of America

When Eduardo Soto was researching MBA pro-

Daisy Ortiz, a New York City native, began her career

grams, he wanted a school with strong programs

at JP Morgan & Co. on the foreign exchange trading

in marketing and information technology; how-

desk on Wall Street. But these days, after receiving her

ever, his decision to choose McCombs ultimately

McCombs MBA and holding exciting positions at 3M,

came down to a more subjective criterion. He says,

Harrah’s Casino, and Ford Motor Company, Daisy

“McCombs was the best fit for my personality.”

can be found in Charlotte, North Carolina where she

Eduardo describes the prototypical McCombs MBA

works as the vice president of marketing and sourcing

as “a laidback, loyal, friendly, solid kind of person,

for Bank of America. Says Daisy, “Getting an MBA at

not pretentious, not cutthroat—but hard-working,

Texas changed my life. The McCombs MBA differen-

talented, and competitive.” A perfect fit for Edu-

tiated me because Texas is known for the influence

ardo, whose people-oriented personality has led

high-tech start-ups have on the program. It gave me

him to become president of the Hispanic Graduate

the management tools and skills to always be ready

Business Association (HGBA).

for ‘change,’ be flexible, and above all, to always look

One of the primary goals of the HGBA, 135 members strong, is to facilitate recruitment of McCombs MBAs to Latin America. Eduardo esti-

for opportunities that enhance my skills. It opened doors I never thought possible.” Along her journey, she developed a special com-

mates they’ve made twenty contacts with the in-

mitment to the advancement of young

ternational offices of big-league companies such

Hispanics through the National

as Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Pfizer—and

Society

they’re all interested in hiring MBAs. For his part,

(NSHMBA). She is the co-

Eduardo will accept an offer from Johnson & John-

founder and president of

son in Mexico City. After completing their training

the organization’s Detroit

program, he will be a brand manager in the phar-

Chapter. In recognition

maceutical department—a path he’s prepared for

of her efforts, Minority

after his summer internship with Pfizer.

MBA Magazine named

of

Hispanic

Eduardo, however, is in no rush to end his Mc-

her one of the “Next

Combs experience. “I’ve loved it,” he says, with a

Generation of Minority

laugh. “I would stay one more year if I could!”

Business Leaders.”

MBAs

E D U C AT I O N for L E A D E R S | 5

An Expanding Skill Set E D I A N N E L S O N , MBA ’05 Edian Nelson did her undergraduate degree in mechanical

community as the co-chair of the Explore McCombs

engineering. “I pretty much knew, coming out of the under-

Program, a diversity initiative that was started two

graduate program with my engineering degree, that I really

years ago. After McCombs, Edian plans

wanted to strengthen my business acumen and that getting

to start a marketing career as a brand

an MBA was the best way to do that.” Accordingly, after sev-

manager, eventually at a Fortune 500

eral years as a production supervisor and product engineer

company.

for Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson company, Edian returned to Austin to begin her career switch to marketing. “My favorite aspect of the program is definitely the collaboration between the students,” Edian says. Edian gives prospective students a window into the McCombs

A Sa m p l e o f D i s t i n g u i s h e d Gr a duates

McCOMBS MBA ALUMNI PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP Jim Mulva, MBA 1969 President & CEO ConocoPhillips

Gary Crum, MBA 1972 Co-Founder & Retired CEO AIM Capital Management

Kenneth Jastrow, MBA 1971 Chairman & CEO Temple-Inland, Inc.

Don Evans, MBA 1973 Secretary of Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce

Allan Hirst, MBA 1979 President Citibank, Russia

Robert Graham, MBA 1973 Co-Founder & Chairman

William Johnson, MBA 1974 Chairman, President, & CEO HJ Heinz Company

Jack Furst, MBA 1984 COO & Partner Hicks Muse Tate & Furst, Inc.

Ron Harris, MBA 1992 General Partner Southwest Capital Partners

Tim Arnoult, MBA 1976 Executive, Technology & Operations

Bryan Stolle, MBA 1987 Chairman & CEO Agile Software

Bill Gurley, MBA 1993 General Partner Benchmark Capital

Osvaldo Setuain, MBA 1988 President & General Manager AOL Argentina

Shane Brisbin, MBA 1994 Managing Director Smith Barney

Satish Mansukhani, MBA 1991 Director & Head of MBS Strategy Bear, Stearns and Company

Amelia Miller, MBA 1994 Owner & Operator Amy’s Ice Creams, Inc.

Darrell Swank, MBA 1990 CFO Purina Mills, Inc.

John Wilder, MBA 1994 President & CEO TXU Corp.

Bank of America

AIM Management Group Ellen Keszler, MBA 1987 President Travelocity Business

Michael Lynch, MBA 1976 Managing Director Goldman Sachs Elaine Agather, MBA 1979 Chairman & CEO Chase Bank, Dallas Gerard Arpey, MBA 1982 Chairman, President & CEO American Airlines

McCOMBS MBA PROGRAM RANKINGS U.S. News 2004 #2

Accounting

#3

Management Information Systems

#8

Entrepreneurship

M c C O M B S S C H O O L of B U S I N E S S

LEARNING

at a

#12

Marketing

#13

Quantitative Analysis

#13

Productions/Operations Management

A three-building complex of 350,000 square feet, the

#16

Finance

#16

Supply Chain/Logistics

Education houses classrooms, offices, research centers

#17

International Business

#18

Management

#23

Overall

Wall Street Journal 2003

features a three-story

Carpenter Family MBA Leadership Center

atrium and cafeteria, a

Created strictly for McCombs MBAs, the Carpenter Center,

state-of-the-art multi-

penter family, is an expansive student lounge and leadership

made possible by a $1 million donation from the Ben H. Car-

#3

Accounting

#3

Most Nominated for Recruiting Minorities

media service center, and

#3

Information Technology Favorite School of Technology Recruiters

one of the best corporate

tralizes MBA student organizations, houses a “business center”-

#5 #9

Entrepreneurship

interviewing centers in

and boasts a conference room and lounge, providing students

#13

Worldwide

Business Week 2002 #21

Overall

Financial Times 2004 Top 10 Salaries in Consulting Top 10 Salaries in Industry Top 10 for Entrepreneurship Hispanic Business 2003 #1

Best Graduate Business School for Hispanics

Business 2.0 2003 Top 25 Talent Hunter’s Guide to Business Schools America Economia 2003 #13

Latin Americans Searching for MBAs

the country. Our students also enjoy updated cohort rooms, the Carpenter Family MBA Lounge and Leadership Center, and suit lockers and changing rooms for on-campus recruiting.

center complete with the latest office equipment, communications infrastructure, and computer technology. The center censtyle workroom, encompasses numerous small study rooms, with an on-campus haven away from the classroom. Technology Infrastructure: McCombs Unwired The McCombs community enjoys networking capabilities, servers, and IT resources that are nothing short of state-ofthe-art. While all MBAs are required to own notebook computers, 300 workstations are also available for student use in the buildings’ laboratories. The MBA Leadership Center and Lounge offers a high-tech conference room and both wired and wireless network access. Nine group study rooms are equipped with electronic whiteboards, speaker phones, and network connections. Our always expanding wireless network will soon stretch to a renovated outdoor plaza, providing the freedom and flexibility for study groups, team meetings, and group presentations that characterize the intense collaboration of the McCombs MBA program.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | 7

S M A R T E R PA C E McCombs School’s Kozmetsky Center for Business and computer laboratories. The main building Ford Career Center

EDS Financial Trading and Technology Center

More than 500 corporate recruiters come to the UT campus

This three-room complex consists of a multi-media classroom

each year to interview our MBAs. They come for the students,

equipped with real-time data feeds from Bloomberg, Bridge,

but they also love our Ford Career Center, a board-room qual-

and Reuters, and a conference room and trading room used

ity interviewing suite comprised of 43 beautifully designed

by the graduate finance students who run the MBA Invest-

interview rooms and a recruiter lounge and work area fully

ment Fund, one of the few private investment funds wholly

equipped with phones, fax machines, and data ports. Im-

managed by students. The trading room, housed in the AIM

mediately outside the facility, a bank of changing rooms and

Investment Center, is a replica of a Wall Street trading room

suit lockers make preparation for interviews hassle-free for

with the hardware, software, and data feeds that enable the

students.

Fund managers to research companies in a realistic environment using the same information services relied upon by

Cohort Rooms

their New York counterparts.

McCombs students take their core courses in some of the most technologically sophisticated classrooms in the coun-

The Reliant Productivity Center and AIM Reading Room

try. All student seats have power and network access to enable

A technology-enhanced study area utilized predominantly

the usage of laptops during lectures. An audiophile speaker

by MBAs, the Reliant Productivity Center has 246 seats wired

system allows for superior sound during presentations. And

with 100MB switched Ethernet ports and electrical power.

the front of each room is equipped with two full-size, side-

This facility, open seven days a week, provides students with

by-side projection screens that allow for simultaneous use of

individual workspaces and group areas to work on team proj-

computer and overhead projectors.

ects. And, for those looking to escape the hum of group study and the beeps of laptops, the neighboring AIM Reading Room provides a quiet alcove to delve into the latest case study.

8 | McCOMBS MBA 2004-2005

the

U N I V E R S I T Y of T E X A S

at

AUSTIN

Though prominent in its own right, the McCombs School benefits further from its association with The University of Texas at Austin, the largest single-campus university in the nation. For more than 120 years, UT Austin has been the educational powerhouse of the Southwest. The campus is comprised of 16 schools and colleges that rank largely among the top 20 in the country. The University annually awards more doctoral degrees than any other U.S. institution. Internationally distinguished graduate programs include the McCombs School of Business, the College of Engineering, the School of Law, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the College of Communication, the School of Architecture, the School of Information Studies, and the Institute of Latin American Studies.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | 9

The Ransom Center is considered o n e

UT FACTS

o f t h e w o r l d ’s most prestigious rare book and manuscript l i b r a r i e s , with more than 36 million manuscripts, one million rare books, five million photographs, and 100,000 works of art and design, including the Gutenberg Bible (c. 1450), the world’s first photograph (c. 1826), and the Daniel O. Selznick film archive.

UT is ranked a m o n g

the top five U.S. campuses in terms of performance arts facilities.

The Blanton Museum’s permanent collection includes o n e

of the largest and most significant collections of 2 0 t h C e n t u r y L a t i n A m e r i c a n a r t in the U.S.

l a r g e s t u n i v e r s i t y in the nation with students representing a l l 5 0 U . S . s t a t e s and more than 1 2 2 f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s . UT is the

Texas is ranked “ B e s t

The campus is home to the f i f t h

largest p u b l i c a c a d e m i c l i b r a r y in the U.S.

Overall Athletics P r o g r a m i n t h e C o u n t r y, ” Sports Illustrated 2002.

10 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

THE CORE A LASTING FOUNDATION The McCombs core curriculum prepares students to lead, build, and

Our goal is to give all MBAs the same grounding in the

manage enterprises that create value for stakeholders and constituen-

fundamentals of business and to endow them with general

cies in a dynamic, global economy. The hallmarks of the McCombs MBA

management competence. Through the core, the faculty seeks to instill these essential business skills and values:

include a common educational experience that prepares all students for success, abundant opportunity for practical work with companies and organizations, a collaborative rather than competitive learning environment, market-driven concentrations, and program flexibility.

• A contemporary, real-world managerial perspective • Business ethics • Teamwork and leadership skills • Cross-functional problem solving • Effective written and oral communications • The ability to manage change, risk, and crises • The ability to manage human resources and diversity • Personal presentation skills Unlike many programs, our students are not required to choose a concentration. Each person has the option of customizing the program based their unique strengths and interests, perceptions of what employers want, and their own conclusions about how best to prepare for a successful career. And whether or not a student chooses to pursue one of our established concentrations, our MBA academic advisors can help chart the course of their degree program.

A C A D E M I C S i n P R A C T I C E | 11

F I R S T Y E A R , FA L L SEMESTER

FIRST YEAR, SPRING SEMESTER

Statistics/Decision Analysis (3 Hours)

Strategy (3 Hours)

Presents a unified approach to basic concepts in collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, emphasizing capabilities of different statistical methods and business applications.

Examines topics like the role of the general manager, formulating business and corporate-level strategy, managing strategic change, strategy implementation, and developing general managers. The focus is on the function and responsibility of the general manager, whose primary tasks include developing and managing an overall strategy.

Financial Accounting (3 Hours) Covers concepts and issues in the preparation and interpretation of financial statements and the use of financial information in evaluation and control of an organization. Finance (3 Hours) Examines the theory and practice of corporate finance. The focus of the course is on investment and financing decisions. Major topics include risk and return, valuation, asset markets and market efficiency, capital budgeting, capital structure, dividend policy, agency considerations, and derivative securities. Microeconomics (1.5 Hours) Provides an understanding of how to use models to explain how individuals make decisions and how individual decision makers interact with markets. The course gives the student the basic tools for understanding questions about consumer behavior, competition among firms, and government policy. Operations (1.5 Hours) Provides an introduction to the issues and decisions involved in the production of goods and services. More specifically, the course focuses on designing, operating, controlling, and improving the systems that accomplish production. Plus a choice of one of the following courses: Information Technology Management (3 Hours) Provides an introduction to the ways managers use information technology to gain a competitive advantage. Designed to provide a managerial understanding of IT in a business context.

One of the following core courses not taken in the fall semester: Information Technology Management (3 Hours) Marketing (3 Hours) Plus a choice of three elective courses (9 hours) SECOND YEAR, FALL SEMESTER

Managerial Accounting (1.5 Hours) Presents the essentials of managerial planning and control through the system of profit planning and control with an emphasis on improvement of the management and decision-making processes through a systematic, flexible, and comprehensive study approach. Examines topics like long-range planning, annual profit planning, coordination, and dynamic control. Macroeconomics (1.5 Hours) Examines the agents, instruments, and institutions that make up the financial system of a modern economy. The course also covers economic tools required for basic analysis of how the financial sector works and how finance affects the rest of the economy. A choice of one of the following “managing people” courses (3 hours): Art & Science of Negotiation Creating & Managing Human Capital Managing People & Organizations: Consultant’s Perspective Plus a choice of three elective courses (9 hours)

Marketing (3 Hours)

SECOND YEAR, SPRING SEMESTER

Studies three distinct marketing issues—market analysis, devel-

A choice of five elective courses (15 hours)

oping a marketing strategy, and constructing the appropriate marketing mix for a product. The course highlights the develop-

ETHICS CERTIFICATION

ment of action strategies, development of products and services,

In the course of their studies, all students must complete an ethics require-

establishment of effective pricing, determination of distribution

ment. This requirement is generally filled through Plus events such as the

intensity, and promotion of business solutions.

Executive Challenge (p. 23).

12 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

M A R K E T- D R I V E N S P E C I A L I Z AT I O N S D E F I N I N G Y O U R PAT H AREAS OF SPECIALIZ AT I O N

ACCOUNTING

Financial Reporting & Control FINANCE

Corporate Finance, Investments & Financial Services Real Estate Finance Private Equity Finance

While there are no majors for McCombs MBAs, a student may choose to concentrate in an academic discipline, such as marketing or finance, by taking at least 15 hours of elective coursework within that concentration. Students may also choose a specialization, which is a specifically planned set of courses. Our market-driven specializations are designed to position graduates for outstanding employment prospects. About half of our students choose to tailor their course of study to follow a specific concentration or specialization. While optional, a concentration can offer an advantage in today’s challenging workplace.

Energy Finance MANAGEMENT

Entrepreneurship Operations Management MARKETING

Market-Based Consulting Customer Insight MSIS

Information Management

Innovative Finance Specializations Almost half of all McCombs MBAs work in finance after graduation. Innovative specializations—in private equity, energy finance, corporate finance, investments, financial services, and real estate—don’t just track changes in industry, they anticipate them. Outside the specializations, students benefit from participation in the MBA Investment Fund, L.L.C., or simply from the breadth and depth of the Finance Department. Operations Management By focusing on the development of higher-level decision-making skills, McCombs produces Operation Management students that are equipped to become leaders in today’s informationand technology-intensive global market environment. Ops graduates have any number of career opportunities available to them and frequently take industry positions as project managers, supply chain analysts, logistics planners, or managers of manufacturing or service operations. The flexibility of the specialization allows the student to take a strategic and application-oriented view of operations, while the wide array of electives creates the opportunity to mold the coursework to the individual. A practicum course is also offered that affords students an opportunity to interact with the industrial partners of the University of Texas Supply Chain Consortium to solve real-world business problems.

Customer Insight A unique offering, the cross-disciplinary Customer Insight specialization utilizes techniques from management, marketing, and information management to explore and understand consumerbased markets. By linking information and technology, students better understand customer needs and requirements—leading to business-changing insights. The practicums and internships that are integral to the specialization’s curriculum leverage the school’s connections to corporate sponsors such as 3M and FritoLay. Among other things, students with a Customer Insight specialization can expect to study methods of utilizing technology, collecting and processing marketing information, predicting consumer behavior, and understanding customer and channel relationships as market-based assets that increase shareholder value. Information Management In 1999, when ComputerWorld coined the phrase “TechnoMBA” to describe IT-oriented MBA programs, it ranked McCombs #2 in the country. In 2004, U.S. News & World Report recognized McCombs as the #3 program for Management Information Systems. The Wall Street Journal ranked us the #5 Favorite of Technology Recruiters and #3 for Information Technology. No matter who does the ranking or how they describe it, McCombs consistently emerges as a leader in this core competency of the information age.

A C A D E M I C S i n P R A C T I C E | 13

E L E C T I V E S : TA I L O R I N G Y O U R M B A IN A WORLD OF OPTIONS McCombs offers a wide array of electives for MBA students. This variety provides a flexible curriculum that allows students to tailor their education. Below is a representative list of electives: Accounting Accounting Standards & Analysis Advanced Accounting Family Tax/Estate Planning Financial Statement Analysis Intermediate Accounting Introduction to Assurance Services Issues in Accounting & Control for Nonprofits Management Auditing & Control Managerial Accounting Strategic Control Systems Finance Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance Asset Pricing Financial Markets & Institutions Financial Risk Management Financial Strategies Financial Management of the Small Firm Global Finance Harvest, Finance & Negotiations Investment Theory & Practice Portfolio Management & Security Analysis Real Estate Finance Real Estate Investment Decisions Seminar in Real Estate Analysis Seminar in Real Estate Finance MSIS: Legal Environment of Business Cyberlaw Energy Law Intellectual Property Law of Commercial Real Estate Finance & Development Security Regulations Social & Ethical Responsibility of Business

Management Advanced Venture Development Praticum Art of Leadership Art & Science of Negotiation Business in Emerging Markets Corporate Governance Creating & Managing Human Capital Economy of Competitive Strategy Enterprise of Technology Entrepreneurial Management Entrepreneurial Growth Gathering Resources & Launch Global Business Management International Strategy Managing & Marketing in the Global Arena Managing People & Organizations

Marketing Business Spanish Brand Management Community Development Practicum Consumer Behavior Customer Insights Customer Relationship Management Customer Strategy: A Partnership between Ford, Dell, Motorola, Frito-Lay, and UT Data Mining in a Marketing Environment Global Business Management Innovations in Business Marketing Marketing Analysis Marketing Communications Marketing High-Tech Products Marketing & Customer Insight Practicum

Managing Projects New Venture Creation Operations Practicum Operations & Marketing Strategy Opportunity Creation for Entrepreneurs Opportunity Identification & Analysis Perspectives on Public Policy Supply Chain Management Supply Chain & Operation Strategy Service Management Strategic Quality Management

New Product Design & Development Service Management Strategic Marketing

“I’ve complemented my marketing concentration with classes in other strong disciplines like management and finance. McCombs has given me a broad, overall business understanding.” Juan Carlos Loredo, MBA ’03

MSIS Data Mining Decision Support Modeling Digital Economy & Commerce E-Business Change Information & Knowledge Management Managing Complexity Managing Digital Commerce Managing Information Managing Systems Strategic Analysis for High-Tech Companies Supply Chain Management Tech. & Bus. Infrastructures for Competing in a Networked Economy Valuation of Real Options

14 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

(Left to right): A student-led Plus project presents to a Hedge Fund on Wall Street; Plus Global Study Tour participants visit Shanghai; MBAs work the room at a “Pitch Party,” competing for best elevator pitch; student prepares for the sales showcase.

the “We got a chance to see Dell consumer marketing personnel in action, find out what their immediate concerns are and how they obtain information about the competition. We helped them validate, and in some instances, disprove some of their assumptions about their retail competitors’ merchandising, pricing, and promotional tactics.” Anastasia Cardozo, MBA ’05

PLUS PROGRAM At McCombs we believe that success depends on leadership skills as well as academic excellence. That’s why we created McCombs Plus – a professional development program that lets MBAs build a bridge from the world of academics to the real world of business. The program takes students outside of the classroom, allowing them to reconnect with the world of work and take advantage of executive-level leadership coaching. Plus workshops let students improve their executive presence and demonstrate initiative, collaboration, and integrity. A Plus academy explores career interests and builds job related skills. A Plus project can connect to an internship – or even a dream job.

P l u s G l o b a l : C o u r s e s a n d B u s i n e s s Tr i p s A b r o a d “I can sum up my trip experience as follows: wonderful, perfectly executed, life-changing. Thanks again for all your

In the spring, McCombs offers a limited number of students the opportunity

amazing efforts on our behalf.”

international-business projects prepare students for the Plus Global business trip

William Sprauer, MBA ’04, India Trip

where they meet with local and multinational companies, connect with Mc-

to truly globalize their MBA. “Plus Global” combines six weeks of class with a two-week business trip during the Plus period. Guest speakers, case studies, and

Combs alumni, and collaborate on projects with MBAs from a partner school in the region.

THE

HUMAN

ART S OF BUSINESS BUSINESS STUDENTS STEP OUT OF THE

CLASSROOM FOR

LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

W

A C A D E M I C S i n P R A C T I C E | 15

In addition to completing projects with companies and organizations, students participate in intensive seminars like “The Art of Sales and Persuasion,” and “Big Picture Business” and sets of learning activities with a common theme, called academies. Academy topics change as student interests evolve and have included new technology, film and TV production, managing a professional sports team, doing business in Mexico, and operating a restaurant. Plus projects give student teams a chance to explore career possibilities, perform community service, or connect with people who are important to their future plans. Students might create a brand strategy for the Ford Escape hybrid SUV, analyze product innovation in the malt beverage industry, survey the tech community in Austin, or strategize how the Hispanic Scholarship Fund can gen-

hen four MBA students took their first kickbox-

face of graduate business education. Business schools typi-

erate non-restricted operat-

ing class last semester, they could honestly say

cally take students out of the working world and put them

ing cash. The possibilities

they were sweating for the cause. The students were work-

in the classroom to hone their analytical and problem-solv-

are endless. And students

ing with Power Kickbox, an Austin-based small business,

ing skills. Plus takes them out of the classroom and puts

themselves lead the projects,

to help the owner set up her financial systems and position

them back in the world.

defining a topic they’re pas-

“I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to industries and ideas that I never would have had an opportunity to see. The program has allowed me to take great strides in bettering myself, both personally and professionally.” Ryan Nelson, MBA ’04

her company in the market. They’d learned that to really

“Every business school has this challenge,” says Dr.

sionate about, recruiting

help a business, you need to understand the business from

Steven Tomlinson. “The traditional academic curriculum

team members, and engag-

the inside out. In this case, it started with a punch.

gives students excellent tools; but effective leadership re-

ing the people, companies,

This type of direct business experience is a key element

quires skills, habits and attitudes that are fundamentally

or institutions who will partner with the team.

of Plus, a new program at McCombs that is changing the

‘extra-academic.’ How can we help our MBAs become

In the final semester, the Plus Program organizes trips

more powerful communicators and more effective collabo-

to South America, Germany and Central Europe, China,

rators? How can we help them sharpen their ethical reason-

and Southeast Asia where students spend two weeks visit-

ing skills and gain global perspective?”

ing companies, meeting with government officials, doing

Those extra-academic skills may be the very reason new graduates find a job, especially in a tight economy. A Wall

market research, and representing American businesses interested in connecting with foreign markets.

Street Journal/Harris Interactive survey found that the

Practical, experiential, and interactive, Plus helps Mc-

most important attributes recruiters seek in business school

Combs students gain a broad perspective of business and

graduates are “communication and interpersonal skills”

become adept at the “soft” skills our recruiters say are so

and “the ability to work well within a team.”

important to achieving success on the job.

With Plus, professional development does not stand outside the business school curriculum. It is central to it. A group prepares its presentation for the Showcase Challenge.

By Vivé Griffith, edited and reprinted with permission. Texas—The McCombs School of Business Magazine, Spring/Summer 2003. Photos by Marsha Miller.

16 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

BUSINESS WITHOUT BORDERS Globalization is a great buzzword, but we have the connections to back

The McCombs global network includes active graduate alum-

it up. With 25 percent of our 750 MBAs coming from foreign countries,

ni in 74 countries, ties to the world’s top business schools

the school has a distinctly international flavor. In addition to gaining

outside of the U.S., and strategic strengths in Latin America. Globalization infuses the curriculum—cutting across all ma-

insight into global business practices and building personal relationships

jor disciplines to prepare McCombs MBAs for the expanding

with international peers, McCombs students have an array of opportu-

frontiers of the 21st Century economy.

nities to explore world business themselves through international ex-

Plus Global Study Tours and Practicums

change and double-degree programs, the Spanish Language Track, and

All McCombs MBA students will have the opportunity to par-

the Plus Global study tours and practicums. “The McCombs double-degree program offered me a unique opportunity to not only differentiate my international experience from other executives but even to differentiate myself among MBA peers. After immersing for a full year in Brazil, studying and interning through Fundação Getulio Vargas, a University of Texas partner school in São Paolo, I can readily demonstrate proven global credentials—operating within business, cultural, and language challenges of the largest market in Latin America.” Patrick Herde, MBA ‘04

ticipate in the McCombs’ unique Plus Global Study Tour and Practicum in their second year. They’ll gain in-depth knowledge on how to conduct business in various international regions. A semester-long program that combines a two-week study tour to a region of interest, in-class lectures and workshops, and a global business-related practicum, Plus Global equips students with practical global management skills.

P L US GLOBAL DESTINATIONS 2005 CHINA

INDIA

RUSSIA

TURKEY

HUNGARY/CZECH REPUBLIC CHILE/ARGENTINA SOUTH AFRICA

F O R INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WASHINGTON D.C. NEW YORK CITY

A C A D E M I C S i n P R A C T I C E | 17

Double Degrees & Exchanges Australian Graduate School of Management Sydney, Australia China Europe International Business School Shanghai, China Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Copenhagen Business School Copenhagen, Denmark Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados (ESAN) Lima, Peru

Global Study Tour, Santiago, Chile.

Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ESADE) Barcelona, Spain Fundação Getúlio Vargas São Paulo, Brazil

Latin America

HEC School of Management Paris, France

UT Austin, home of the country’s top-ranked Institute for

activities. In addition to overseeing the school’s study abroad

Latin American Studies, is a leader both in educating Latin

activities, CIBER promotes faculty research, sponsors confer-

American students and in teaching North Americans about

ences, and fulfills a mission to enhance U.S. global competi-

the region. Latin American students comprise between 10

tiveness by globalizing business education.

Instituto de Altos Estudios Empresariales (IAE) Buenos Aires, Argentina

Combs School has exchange and double-degree programs

Spanish Language Track

with all of Latin America’s top-ranked business schools, any

The Spanish Language Track is designed to provide students

Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM-EGADE) Monterrey, Mexico

student with an interest in the area has plenty of opportuni-

with the opportunity to gain Spanish language proficiency as

ties for cross-cultural experiences.

part of their MBA. Students choose from an array of courses,

and 15 percent of each incoming MBA class. Because the Mc-

options, and activities that assist in achieving individual goals CIBER-McCombs

for Spanish proficiency. Through a sequence of courses and

UT’s Center for International Business Education and Research

activities students learn to communicate comfortably in nor-

(CIBER) offers students the resources of a central, nationally-

mal business and academic situations, and at the same time,

funded research center for promoting international business

gain an understanding of economic structures and business practices of Spanish-speaking countries.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L S T U D E N T R E P R E S E N TAT I O N T O P 1 0 C O U N T R I E S

CHINA KOREA

INDIA ARGENTINA

THAILAND BRAZIL

JAPAN MEXICO

PERU VENEZUELA

Helsinki School of Economics Helsinki, Finland

Manchester Business School Manchester, UK McGill University Montreal, Canada Melbourne Business School Victoria, Australia National University of Singapore Singapore Pontificia Universidad Católica Santiago, Chile Rotterdam School of Management Rotterdam, Netherlands The University of St. Gallen St. Gallen, Switzerland Warwick Business School Coventry, UK WHU Koblenz-Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management Koblenz, Germany

18 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

“3M is becoming increasingly committed to leveraging the McCombs MBA talent. We’ve sponsored almost a dozen practicums over the last couple of years and intend to continue. We consider the practicum students part of our extended team

McCombs

– consultants that provide insights and

to summer internships

experience on improving processes to serve our customers.” Stacy David, Six Sigma Black Belt, 3M Electro & Communications Business

While many McCombs MBAs land internships around the world, others find their best opportunities right here in Austin, either working for major regional employers such as Dell, Motorola and Samsung or, like Erin Bouck and Simon Threlfall, at emerging firms like Motive.

MBAs meet with the owner of Gene’s New Orleans Style Poboys & Deli to help plan an expansion of the popular East Austin cafe. While McCombs MBAs routinely work on projects for Fortune 500 firms, through Plus and other initiatives they also contribute to non-profit organizations and small businesses throughout Central Texas.

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S | 19

HANDS-ON LEARNING Hands-on experiences complement, extend, and continually refine the curriculum. MBAs have an array of opportunities for hands-on learning—from independent studies to research projects with our business partners. Students initiate some of the best experiences, like the Graduate Consulting Group, an organization that introduces McCombs MBAs to globally recognized management and technology consultancies. It makes sense that recruiters routinely tell us our graduates are ready to work from day one— their experience shows.

CHALLENGES INCLUDE:

MOOT CORP® Whether you’re serious about launching a

of start-ups to profitability, including Isochron Data and the

International Challenge

new venture or just want to understand all the steps it takes

InfoGlide Corporation.

Marketing Challenge National Real Estate Finance Challenge

to get there, the MOOT CORP new venture competition is a great place to start. Since UT is home to the competition,

Academic Challenges While annual case competitions and

Deloitte Consulting Challenge

students can take a MOOT CORP class and participate in the

other academic challenges may appear to be mere simula-

Finance Challenge

preliminary round of competition. What began as a small,

tions, they provide valuable practice and exposure. The stu-

Information Management Association/

local and purely academic competition in 1984 has become

dents who participate get a crash course that teaches team-

Excellence in Operations Challenge

an exciting forum that showcases the most promising new

work, how to survive in high-pressure work environments,

businesses coming out of top-tier business schools around

and highly-evolved presentation skills. Getting a chance to

the world. Winners of the competition earn $100,000 in seed

hob-nob with the competition judges—executives from top-

funding and a year’s office space and overhead costs in the

tier companies—is just icing on the cake.

Austin Technology Incubator (ATI). ATI has nurtured dozens

N AT I O N A L R E A L E S TAT E F I N A N C E C A S E C H A L L E N G E

H

osted by the McCombs School’s Center for Real Estate

in a 20-minute, polished presentation to judges from financial

Finance, this case-based competition is the largest grad-

institutions such as Banc of America Securities, Bear Stearns,

uate real estate finance challenge in the country, drawing stu-

Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo. “These students did in two

dent teams from Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, UCLA, Harvard,

days what professionals may have taken several months to

Columbia, and other schools around the U.S.

do,” said Todd Williams, managing director of Goldman Sachs

The 2003 case, provided by Goldman Sachs, cast students as managers of a global real estate opportunity fund presented

in Dallas. “This is the best way for graduate students to experience what it’s like to be a real estate professional.”

with a retail strip mall center suffering from multiple problems.

First place in the 2003 challenge went to the Haas School of

In two days, teams had to decide whether to sell, reposition

Business at University of California at Berkeley. The McCombs

or redevelop the neglected property, then defend their choice

School’s team came in second place and Harvard took third.

20 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

Texas MBA Hedge Fund

J

ust a month after coming to the McCombs School,

Holly Goodrich co-founded the Texas MBA Hedge

Fund Organization to facilitate direct interaction between MBAs and top industry professionals. The organization is one of the first in the country to offer MBAs more direct access to the ever-changing,

A FINANCIAL FOCUS Year after year more than forty percent of our graduates pursue careers in finance. They’re drawn to McCombs by programs like the Venture Fellows and the MBA Investment Fund—hands-on opportunities that move our students outside of the

intricate, and sophisticated asset management strategies of hedge funds. By March, Holly and the group’s other cofounders had organized the first-ever MBA Hedge

MBA Investment Fund: Real-world Investment The MBA Investment Fund, LLC is the nation’s first and

classroom and in front of the learning curve. Venture Fellows: A Capital Investment

Fund Symposium, which attracted students from

largest student-managed investing company, with over $13

Duke, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and other business

million in assets. As one of

In recent years, Austin has made a name for itself as a hotbed

programs in the U.S. and Canada. Students came to

only a handful of real-money

of entrepreneurial activity and a mecca for venture capital-

hear and meet industry professionals from Goldman

investment funds managed

ists, consistently ranking among the top five regions in the

by students, the Fund offers

country in sheer volume of venture capital investment. That

players in the securities exchange business who had

graduate

profes-

level of activity alone is enough to draw the attention of most

accepted Holly’s invitation to speak at the event.

sional experience managing

VC-oriented MBAs, but Austin has the added benefit of being

investment portfolios, run-

home to the McCombs Venture Fellows program, an organi-

ning a business, and devel-

zation that offers select students the chance to learn from,

oping client relationships,

and work with, some of venture capital’s luminaries.

Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Salomon Smith Barney, Bank of America, Bear Stearns Securities, and other key

“Our goal is to educate members through the sharing of ideas, information, and experience,” says Holly. “Importantly, we offer an opportunity to interact with individuals working in the hedge fund field.” Now beginning its third year, the Texas MBA Hedge Fund is gaining both momentum and attention as it lays inroads into this increasingly important sector of one of the security exchange industry’s most esoteric branches.

Our MBA Investment Fund managers work hand in hand with professional money managers to learn the business (above, Fund managers, class of 2004).

students

which makes for one of the

Now in its fifth year, the student-created and student-

exceptional

run program supports 18 members. While many of them will

learning experiences in asset

ultimately find careers in the venture capital industry, a grow-

management.

ing number of aspiring entrepreneurs have also joined the

nation’s

most

Each year twenty students are selected from the first-year

ranks to reap the insight the group offers into the venture

MBA class to serve as student portfolio managers who oversee

capital process. Regardless of their reasons for joining, each

the Fund’s three different investment products: the growth-

of the Fellows must make it through a competitive applica-

and value-oriented equity portfolios, which are managed for

tion process before being placed in a semester-long internship

individual and institutional clients, and an endowment port-

with the venture capital firm, private equity fund, or portfolio

folio, which supports the activities of the AIM Investment

company that will allow them to gain real-world experience

Center that houses the Fund.

while earning credits toward their degree. Supplementing the

Student managers are advised by investment counselors

internship are weekly classes taught by prominent guest lec-

from J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Fayez Sarofim &

turers like Bill Gurley of Benchmark Capital. Access to oppor-

Company, and an advisory committee of 41 financial profes-

tunities and resources as substantial as these have left many

Vice President, Private Funds Group,

sionals. Fund graduates have gone on to build careers at some

of the fellows citing the program as the defining aspect of

Guggenheim Partners

of the most prestigious firms in the financial industry.

their McCombs experience.

Holly Goodrich, MBA ’04

Home Town: York, England Previous Experience: Prime Brokerage Relationship Manager, Bear Stearns & Co. New York, NY

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S | 21

INSIDE THE MIND OF BUSINESS

Closer To Business: McCombs MBAs at Frito-Lay

M A R K E T I N G A N D C U S T O M E R S T R AT E G Y

W

ith an annual revenue of roughly

One reason for the relationship between

$10 billion and annual profits of

Frito-Lay and McCombs is simple geogra-

over $2 billion, Frito-Lay North America

phy—being a Texas company, Frito-Lay

ented research center unique to McCombs, the Customer

boasts a commanding sixty percent of the

has had good luck attracting and retaining

Strategy program offers MBA students a 360-degree view of

salty-snack market in the United States.

McCombs MBAs. Other foundations of

To accomplish this, Frito-Lay uses five bil-

the relationship include the ability of the

lion pounds of potatoes and one billion

Frito-Lay Company to prioritize personal

pounds of corn each year.

creative development, while maintaining

Offered by the Center for Customer Insight, a market-ori-

the strategic, organizational, informational, logistical, and financial factors that drive successful business relationships and lead to customer satisfaction, market share, and profits.

Such numbers would catch anyone’s

For our corporate partners, the program also serves as a

eye, but they are of special interest to Mc-

and

Combs MBAs, as the school has strong ties

feature to graduates of a school that is of-

to the Texas-based company. Around 20

ten cited as an example of how a competi-

percent of the members of the marketing

tive spirit is not mutually exclusive with

team at Frito-Lay North America’s head-

an ability to work well with others.

proving ground for potential new employees. The Internship The Customer Strategy program consists of two parts: a summer internship followed by a specialized case-based course. During the summer following the first year, Customer Strategy students participate in a 12-week internship

making it a welcoming environment for

ships are cross-functional and expose the students to a wide variety of projects

the many McCombs students that find

that are both challenging and rewarding. Some areas where Customer Strategy

themselves taking part in the practicums

interns have added value are supply chain analysis, marketing, customer business

and internships offered by the company

development, logistics, corporate finance, budgeting, and business planning. Each

each year.

Customer Strategy students’ recommendations are often implemented within the following year. As an added advantage, Customer Strategy interns gain exposure to top-level managers of the company through such events as organized breakfasts, special lunches, happy hours, and team sports.

The Class In the fall of the second year, the Customer Strategy course exposes

consensus-building—an

attractive

quarters in Plano are McCombs graduates,

with one of the sponsoring companies: Dell, Frito-Lay, or Motorola. These intern-

of the internship projects has a true impact on the company’s business, and the

a corporate culture that prizes teamwork

In recent years, the flow of McCombs graduates to Frito-Lay has accelerated, and the company is now among the top ten recruiters of McCombs MBAs. “In the last five years or so, we’ve really started to get a sense of a McCombs community,” says

students to a learning environment that brings together students, faculty, and ex-

Brian Graham, a senior product manager,

ecutives in discussions about relevant corporate challenges and problems facing to-

who has been at Frito-Lay since earning his

day’s industries. Each week, executives from Dell, Frito-Lay, and Motorola bring live

MBA in 1998. “It’s a real testament to the

cases—real and current business problems—to the Customer Strategy classroom.

program and to the people we’ve hired.”

Brian Graham, MBA ‘98, Senior Product Manager, Frito-Lay.

22 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S | 23

TEAMWORK

An Executive Perspective

Collaborating Is A Way Of Life For Mccombs Students

As highlighted in the Wall Street Journal ar-

Students spend their first year in cohorts (groups of about 70),

“One of the main reasons I chose UT was the culture of the

taking the same classes across the core disciplines. The co-

students in the MBA program. My experiences here have

horts are created with diversity in mind, drawing on the com-

confirmed that initial impression. I have never seen such a

plementary cultural, professional, and social backgrounds of

group of smart, collaborative, and friendly professionals as I

each incoming class.

have in the McCombs School of Business. The students here

An integral part of the first-year experience is assignment

make the learning experience more productive and fun through

to project teams within the cohorts. These teams, usually five

their great work ethic and collegial attitudes.”

students, bring together a wealth of talent and experience

Brenda S. Haroian, MBA ’04

across numerous industries, economies, and nationalities. Our students are encouraged to take full advantage of this opportunity to share experiences, support each other, expand

projects are taking place 24 hours a day. McCombs

the team’s capabilities, and extend this important future pro-

MBAs all use laptops running on a common operating

fessional network.

environment modeled on the highest corporate stan-

On a technical level, virtually anywhere within the Mc-

dards. Our students don’t have to worry about connec-

Combs School, students can connect via wireless or Ethernet

tivity or software compatibility—they just plug in and

to a virtual learning environment where discussions and team

get on with the business of working together.

ETHICS At McCombs, we view ethics as an intensely relevant aspect of business practice, not a purely theoretical or philosophical matter, and surely not a passing “hot topic” of the times. After years of teaching classes on business ethics, the school integrated the subject into the MBA curriculum in the 1990s with a program that encourages students in all disciplines to explore the complex ethical issues that are vital to the long-term health of organizations. Students encounter ethics in virtually all of their classes, where they address practical considerations relating to such issues as executive compensation, social responsibility, corporate governance, financial disclosure, marketing, and the balance between short-term gain and long-term value.

ticle, “A Delicate Balance,” the fall installment of the McCombs MBA Plus program caps off with the Executive Challenge, an intense three-day simulation of corporate life and leadership in which participants confront the complex challenges that arise in the course of running a multinational operation. The challenge puts students in teams of thirty, each with their own managers, directors, and executives, who must work together in order to face down a complex barrage of challenges from rivers contaminated with toxic PCBs to terrorist threats. As students decide how to face these challenges, they are simultaneously introducing new product lines, maintaining old ones, and balancing the pressure to achieve short-run profitability while trying to maintain their company’s long-term health. Their success in each of these areas is ultimately decided by a board of real-world executives from such corporate sponsors as Dell and H-E-B. The team that survives this examination and performs at the highest level of play wins not only the game, but a cash prize. Students participating in the challenge said they were left with a much clearer sense of how executives were expected to view complicated problems. Corporate sponsors remarked on the enhanced level of interaction they enjoyed with the competition’s participants as a result of the student’s heightened insight into the executive perspective.

24 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

“Building and maintaining strong personal and working relationships is critical for leaders to effectively accomplish organizational goals and objectives. My experience as president of the BGBA will provide a great opportunity to further enhance my leadership and strategic planning skills, which will be highly applicable to my corporate and political career aspirations after I complete my MBA.” Arthur Mills, MBA ’04, President, Black Graduate Business Association

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S | 25

DIVERSITY cha n g i n g t h e f a c e of business The McCombs School offers a welcoming environment for people from all backgrounds—a value confirmed by numerous recognitions, such as being named the number one business school in the countr y for Hispanics (according to Hispanic Business magazine) for the last three years.

The Forté Foundation

Through small study groups, school-sponsored activities, and stu-

McCombs is a founding member of the Forté Foundation—a na-

dent organizations, McCombs MBAs are encouraged to explore

tional non-profit organization designed to increase the number

and exchange their diverse experiences. Active organizations

of women business owners and business leaders. We have joined

such as the Black Graduate Business Association, the Consortium

other educational institutions, businesses, and non-profit groups

Fellows Business Association, and Graduate Women in Business

to build awareness of business education among young women,

call attention to the diversity of the class and promote the trans-

to increase the number of women entering business, and to sup-

formation of the traditional corporate landscape.

port the careers of women through business networks.

The Consortium For Graduate Study In Management

#1 for Hispanic Business Students

The McCombs School is an 19-year member of the Consortium

In September 2003, when Hispanic Business completed its latest

for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM)—a thirteen-univer-

ranking of the best graduate business schools for Hispanics, Mc-

sity alliance that seeks to increase the number of minorities in

Combs ranked #1 for the third time in a row. Said editors, “The

MBA programs and managerial positions. CGSM recruits African

McCombs School of Business offers a welcoming environment

Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans for merit-based fel-

for people from all backgrounds.” The magazine singled out the

lowships. Each candidate admitted to a Consortium MBA pro-

school’s extensive academic and professional support network,

gram competes for a full-tuition fellowship.

ties to Latin America, and it’s reputation with employers as a great resource for Hispanic professionals. The article also noted

To find out more: mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/diversity

McCombs encouragement of organizations like the Hispanic Graduate Business Association, the Consortium Fellows Business Association, and its participation in the conference for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.

“As a Rhode Island native, my first time in Austin was

A U S T I N

when I visited McCombs. I immediately fell in love with the city and knew it would be a great place to spend two years. It offers all of the advantages of a big city:

culture, nightlife, museums, great food,

Austin used to be the big surprise awaiting

and, of course, live music—with the beauty of a small town: lakes, state parks, and hiking and biking trails.”

but even long-time residents are

Mandy Forry, MBA ’05

AUSTIN HAS: BUSINESS

PEOPLE

OUTDOORS

ARTS & CULTURE

Dell, Motorola, IBM, AMD, National Instruments, Tivoli, Samsung, Applied Materials, 3M

680,000 residents

172 city parks

1,300,000 metro area

30 miles of urban hike-and-bike trails along scenic Town Lake and Barton Springs

Professional symphony, ballet, and opera companies

5.8% Income Growth (Forbes 2003)

Ranks third in the country for net migration, at 2.7% per year (Forbes 2003)

#3 city for patenting activity (Forbes 2003)

#5 most educated metro area in the U.S. (Forbes 2003)

3.1% Job Growth (Forbes 2003)

#5 city for initial public offerings per $10 billion of gross metro product (Forbes 2003)

9 wilderness areas

1,200 musical acts annually

26 golf courses

120 live music venues

150-mile long chain of lakes

South by Southwest annual music, film and interactive festival

11,800 acres of greenbelt for recreation 300 annual days of sunshine Mild winter climate and year-round outdoor recreation

Red’s Runners, a student organization, enjoy the hike and bike trail on a weekend morning.

More than 35 art galleries and museums

North America’s largest urban bat population—1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats

M c C O M B S C O M M U N I T Y | 27

prospective students. Today, the secret is pretty much out, surprised by the scope of the city’s economic transformation—from laid-back university town to the technopolis Forbes now ranks as the #1 city in the U.S. for businesses and careers. Demographers call Austin a “City of Ideas,” one of a handful of American regions where a new creative class of entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists and visionaries are reshaping the model for American prosperity. Through its economic changes, Austin remains a city of lakes, hills, live music, and cosmopolitan culture. “On earth as it is in Austin” is a favorite local bumper sticker. Live here a while and you will understand why.

AUSTIN IS: #1

Best City For Singles, Forbes (2003)

#4

Best City For Women, Ladies Home Journal (2002)

#2

Best City For Job Growth, Forbes (2003)

#4

#2

Best People in “America’s Favorite Cities,” Travel+Leisure (2004)

Safest Big City, Morgan Quitno’s 10th Annual Safest/Most Dangerous City Awards (2003)

#2

Educational Attainment, University of Wisconsin (2003)

#4

Friendliest People in “America’s Favorite Cities,” Travel+Leisure (2004)

#4

Hottest Job Market, Business 2.0 (2004)

#5

Cleanliness “America’s Favorite Cities,” Travel+Leisure (2004)

#3

Best Place for Businesses and Careers, Forbes (2004)

#3

City for Hispanics, Hispanic Magazine (2003)

#3

Best City for Mountain Bikers, MountainBike.com (2002)

#3

Best Looking People in “America’s Favorite Cities,” Travel+Leisure (2004)

Top 5

Best Bets Entrepreneurial Activity, Entrepreneur (2003) Named American Capital of Culture, American Capital of Culture (2004)

28 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

“I still skills I learned from terrific professors in running venture fund “I still relyrely on on thethe skills I learned from terrific professors in running mymy venture fund today—a $500 million fund focused on investments in early stage technology companies.” today—a $500 million fund focused on investments in the early stage technology companies.” Armstrong, MBA Managing Director, Clearstone Venture Partners, Jim Jim Armstrong, MBA ’96,’96, Managing Director, Clearstone Venture Partners, Forbes 2003 “Midas List” Tech’s Venture Investors. Forbes 2003 “Midas List” of of Tech’s TopTop Venture investors

Professor Janet Dukerich was chosen by MBA students for the 2003 MBA Faculty Honor Roll

“Professor Dukerich was able to bring our outside learning into the classroom each week in an engaging and fun manner. By the end of her Negotiations class, I had such a great experience, that I didn’t realize how much I learned until I actually had to write it down for our last assignment.” Rachel Gonzalez, MBA ’04

M c C O M B S C O M M U N I T Y | 29

“Professor Hirst was an incredible financial accounting professor. He had the ability to take a complex subject and really relate it to the real world.

Michael Clement, Accounting National Black MBA Doctoral Fellow

I learned so much more than just accounting in his class—it was a great foundation for future classes!” Caren Williams, MBA ’04

Julie Irwin, Marketing CBA Foundation Advisory Council Centennial Fellow

M c C O M B S FA C U LT Y: T H O U G H T L E A D E R S When McCombs MBAs describe their favorite aspects of the school, they often cite the quality and accessibility of the faculty. They are a dynamic, interactive group of knowledge leaders who rank eighth nationally in terms of research impact. Yes, UT Austin is a research university, but that doesn’t mean that teaching comes second.

Stephen Magee, Finance Stephen P. James L. Bayless/Enstar Corporation Chair in Business Administration

Because successful researchers know more about their fields

tants’ 2002 Teacher of the Year, and Michael Granof, one of

than anyone else, they tend to be the best synthesizers of

the nation’s leading voices on accounting reform.

knowledge for students, and that means new knowledge

Other premier scholars and teachers at McCombs in-

reaches McCombs MBAs more quickly than most business

clude Sheridan Titman, one of the country’s most frequent-

students. This strength is evident in every discipline. The

ly cited finance researchers; Robert Prentice, a nationally

faculty will challenge you to consider the business core

renowned expert on securities law; James Westphal, whose

from new perspectives, and you will benefit from your ac-

work in corporate governance and management in the last

cess to the first-hand knowledge they are able to share.

decade has spurred the greatest increase in academic cita-

The Department of Management Science and Infor-

tions for any single scholar in the entire field of econom-

mation Systems hosts world-renowned leaders like Andrew

ics and business; John Doggett and James Nolen, anchors

Whinston and Anitesh Barua, pioneers in the Internet

of the popular entrepreneurship curriculum and two of the

economy. Accounting, which the Public Accounting Report

most highly rated teachers on campus; and Julie Irwin, who

has ranked the number one graduate program for ten years

is one of the prolific scholars in marketing who have helped

in a row, boasts many national leaders, including William

make the department the number two research program in

Kinney, the American Institute of Certified Public Accoun-

the nation according to the Journal of Marketing Education.

Sheridan Titman, Finance Walter W. McAllister Centennial Chair in Financial Services

John N. Doggett, Entrepreneurship Senior Research Fellow, IC2

30 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

ACCESS

to

LEADERS

The McCombs School views business not just as the customer for our graduates, but as a full partner in their education. By bringing students into direct contact with corporate leaders involved in the most pressing concerns of today’s business, McCombs MBAs uncover the truest sense of what it means to push into the frontiers of business knowledge. McCombs School Advisory Council Since 1960, accomplished business people have been sharing their strategic perspectives, industry knowledge, and connections to the wider business community as members of the CBA Foundation Advisory Council (renamed the McCombs School of Business Advisory Council in 2000). Tasked with assisting the dean in achieving and maintaining “best of class” status for the School, the Advisory Council also supports fundraising efforts; provides counsel on strategy, programs, and external affairs; introduces faculty and students to valuable contacts for research, collaborative, and employment purposes; and provides input to the dean, faculty, and staff for assessing the progress of the School and charting its future. With about 100 lifetime and active members, the McCombs School Advisory Council draws on a wide range of talent, and includes such industry luminaries as Herb Kelleher, Chairman of Southwest Airlines; Kenny Jastrow, CEO of Temple-Inland; Jim Mulva, President and CEO of ConocoPhillips; Gerard Arpey, President and CEO of American Airlines; and William Johnson, President and CEO of Heinz.

M c C O M B S C O M M U N I T Y | 31

Tom Hicks, chairman, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst

The MBA Executive Speaker Series The Executive Speaker Series (ESS), tailored to the interests of McCombs MBAs, provides McCombs students with an executive’s perspective on leadership, management, competition, and professional development. Exposure to corporate leaders is a key component of the overall MBA experience, as it enables students to learn from leaders’ past and present challenges and understand real-world approaches to business dilemmas. To find out more: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/news/speaker_series/

RECENT SPEAKERS AT McCOMBS Dan Austin, vice president, Dow Jones,

Michael Dell, chairman, Dell Computers

Rex Tillerson, Sr. Vice President, ExxonMobil

Inc.; Al Bru, CEO, Frito-Lay; Robert Bryce, author, Pipe Dreams; Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron; Michael Dell, chairman, Dell Computers; Marian Wright Edelman, founder & president, Children’s Defense Fund; James Flores, chairman & CEO, PXP; Seth Goldman, president and TeaEO, Honest Tea; Bill Gurley, partner, Benchmark Capital; Tom Hicks, chairman, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst; Gerry Hunsicker, general manager, Houston Astros; William Johnson, president and CEO, the H.J. Heinz Company; Herb Kelleher, chairman, founder and former CEO, Southwest Airlines; James W. Keyes, president and CEO, 7-Eleven; Gary Kusin, president and CEO, Kinko’s; Reginald Van Lee, SVP of Booz Allen Hamilton, New York; Scott A. Lewis, vice president, Merrill Lynch Investment Banking Division; Joe Liemandt, CEO, Trilogy Software; Dr. Richard Lindsey, president, Bear, Stearns Securities; Red McCombs, entrepreneur, school patron, owner, Minnesota Vikings; Bob McTeer, president, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank; David Moross, chairman and CEO, Falconhead Capital; Jim Mulva, chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips; Jim Quigley, CEO, Deloitte; Ross Perot, Jr., chairman, Hillwood Development Corporation; Kevin Rollins, president and COO, Dell Computers; Charles Stanford, Jr., retired chairman and CEO, Bankers Trust; David Steinberger, president of HarperCollins Publishers Adult Trade Group; Todd Stitzer, CEO, Dr. Pepper/Seven-Up Companies; Rex Tillerson, Sr. Vice President, ExxonMobil; Lynn Utter, Chief Strategy Officer, Coors Brewing Company

32 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

MBAs congregate at Hula Hut, one of the more popular hangouts on Lake Austin.

M c C O M B S C O M M U N I T Y | 33

“After four years in the cold weather of Chicago, McCombs was like an oasis! It had the best of everything...great friends, intellectual growth, and fantastic weather. My husband and I have strong connections with McCombs even though we live in Minneapolis. Business trips allow us to keep in touch with our classmates around the country, and serving on General Mills’ recruiting team is a great excuse to return to Austin.” Carla Vernon, MBA ’95, Marketing Manager, General Mills

THE STUDENT COMMUNITY Not only will you learn with your fellow MBAs, you’ll learn from them. Our students say that their classmates are the most impressive group of people they have ever met—that they learn as much from each other as they do from their case studies. Students especially appreciate the culture of McCombs, an atmosphere of laid-back intensity that blends competition and collegiality, social activity and individuality, a sense of community and an appreciation for diversity. Nowhere is the culture more evident than in our graduate stu-

ment a close-knit community. Whether McCombs MBAs are

dent organizations. From the Marketing Network to Red’s Run-

editing the Texas Business Weekly, recruiting CEOs for the

ners, the Entrepreneur Society to the Black Graduate Business

Executive Speaker Series, or organizing the next Women in

Association, our 40-plus student organizations offer a place

Business Leadership Conference, they create a culture that is

for everyone. Students routinely start new initiatives, and

truly distinctive among top MBA programs.

their activities invigorate the school. Many organizations, like the Graduate Real Estate Society, lead to professional contacts. Others, like the Students and Significant Others Network, ce-

B E Y O N D the C L A S S R O O M McCombs MBA Student Organizations

McCombs provides many opportunities for our students to tailor their MBA experience. Student organizations open the doors to relationships, leadership, professional growth, increased understanding, and just plain fun. With so many different organizations to choose from, it’s easy to find your niche at McCombs.

To find out more: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/students/

Women in Business Leadership Conference The 2004 Women in Business Leadership Conference at McCombs brought together one of the greatest concentrations of female executive talent ever assembled in Texas. Through panels, speeches and workshops, the conference aimed to recognize the unique strengths that women bring to corporate America. Participants also considered some of the issues and challenges that still affect women who pursue graduate degrees and careers in business. Speakers such as Ellen Keszler, president of Travelocity Business; Jane Burruss, VP of the AYCO Co., L.P.; and Wanda Bunkers, VP Human Resources at Citigroup’s Citi Cards, moderated panels on topics like “Work/Life Balance (How Do You Fit Everything in Your Backpack),” and “Nontraditional Households.” The annual conference is co-sponsored by the school’s Bureau of Business Research and the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization.

“It is through my activities that I have grown the most in this program. My experience leading the Women in Business Leadership Conference has provided a daily opportunity to apply lessons learned in the classroom. Some ideas work; some don’t, but I can go back to the classroom equipped with a new set of questions. It has been so refreshing to be in an environment where my gender really does not matter. Faculty, students; in the classroom, in small groups; I am respected for my contributions in thought and in action.” Melissa Evers-Hood, MBA ’03, Former Chairman, Women in Business Leadership Conference (WBLC), 2002-2003

M c C O M B S C O M M U N I T Y | 35

Spouses & Significant Others Deciding to attend an MBA program is not an easy choice, especially if a family or significant other is part of the decision. However, the Student and Significant Other Network (SAS) can make the transition easier and much more fun for everyone involved by providing a means for significant others and families to share in the MBA experience. By offering members a wide variety of activities, including Book Club, Game Night, and SAS Outdoors, SAS provides a support network of people sharing the same experiences and fosters life-long friendships. SAS also makes a concerted effort to help answer questions about the types of jobs available in Austin, where you’ll live while your student is in school, and what life is like in Austin. SAS is here to make your move to Austin and into the business school community seamless.

McCombs MBA Student Organizations

“SAS helped welcome our family into the Longhorn

Armed Forces Alumni Association Austin Power Black Graduate Business Association

community. The demanding MBA schedule makes

(BGBA) Brazilian American Business Group Central Charity Challenge China Business

it essential that spouses have a support network;

Association CI.org (Customer Insight) Consortium Fellows Business Association Digital

SAS has provided that for us. Through SAS, our

Entertainment MBA Association E-Business Club Energy Finance Group Entrepreneur

family has been able to participate in the McCombs

Society Excellence in Operations Global Business Association Graduate Business Coun-

community. We have formed foundations of

cil (GBC) Graduate Business Wine Club Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) Gradu-

friendships that will last a lifetime.” Ty Bricker and

ate Circle Graduate Connections Graduate Consulting Group Graduate Finance Asso-

Jude Bricker, MBA ’04, VPs of SAS, Little Longhorns

ciation Graduate Marketing Network Graduate Real Estate Society Hispanic Graduate Business Association (HGBA) Indian Graduate Business Association Information Management Association (IMA) International MBA Student Organization (IMBASA) Jewish MBA Organization MBA Christian Fellowship (MBACF) MBA Golf Association (MBAGA) MBA Hedge Fund Organization MBA Investment Fund MBA Outsource (GLGBN) MBA Rugby Club MBA Soccer Club Mexican Business Association Net Impact (Students for Responsible Business) Quality Management Consortia (QMC) Red’s Runners Sports and Entertainment Management Association Student and Significant Other Network Texas Business Weekly Venture Capital Fellows

36 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

“MBA Career Services provided me with a roadmap for success. They helped me focus my search and prepare for interviews— conducting mock interviews, reviewing my resume, and helping me tell my story in the best possible way.” Todd Haskins, MBA ’04, Associate, Goldman Sachs

CAREER SERVICES: THE NEXT STEP Dedicated to producing results, the MBA Career Services team helps students develop the focus, skills, and contacts needed to achieve their professional goals. In addition to coordinating thousands of interviews each year, our career services team runs seminars in career exploration and job search skills; offers workshops on topics like case and behavioral interviewing, resume writing, cover letters, job search strategies, and salary negotiation; brings in groups of executives to discuss various MBA career paths; and helps to coordinate on-campus career forums. All of our career advisors have extensive recruiting and/or corporate experience from such companies as Booz Allen Hamilton, Motorola, and JPMorgan Chase, and students benefit from their first-hand knowledge. The career services team also works closely with students to

ing the role of career goals in our admissions process, pursu-

find rewarding internships for the summer months between

ing greater alignment of the MBA program with recruiters,

the first and second year. Consequently, most of our students

and hiring additional career advisors and a new MBA Career

work in internships or on company projects that allow them

Services director. The school is also attracting a wider array of

to gain insight about specific companies, industries or re-

national and international recruiters while beefing up rela-

gions, enhancing their long-term career prospects.

tions with key corporate partners.

Starting in 2004, McCombs began enhancing a program

From setting up your first job interview on campus to

that corporate recruiters already place consistently among

facilitating your professional network across industries and

their top schools for new hires. McCombs heightened the in-

continents, the MBA Career Services team doesn’t just talk

tegration of career services within the MBA program, increas-

about exciting careers—it helps launch them.

C A R E E R S | 37

M B A C L A S S of 2 0 0 4 P R E L I M I N A RY S TAT I S T I C S

Salary Average: $79,119 Salary Median: $80,000 Average Signing Bonus: $12,901 Average Guaranteed Bonus: $14,569

DOMESTIC

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Central/South America

3%

43% Out-of-State:

Asia (Other than Japan)

3%

15% West/Southwest

Other International

3%

10% Northeast/ Mid-Atlantic 10% Midwest 8% Southeast 48 % In-State

“Before coming to the MBA program, my

BY FUNCTION

BY REGION

This data is based on 194 useable guaranteed base salaries reported by students as of June 4, 2004. This report complies with MBACSC standards. .

Function

Average Salary

% of Accepts

Marketing

77,362

22%

Finance/Treasury

79,933

17%

General Management

77,277

11%

Investment Banking

76,548

11%

Consulting

89,253

10%

Investment Mgmt/Research

77,059

9%

Operations

75,418

6%

Information Mgmt

82,200

3%

Other

79,156

11%

MBA CAREER SERVICES

background was in sales, marketing, and

MBA CAREER ADVISORS are available to help students with all phases of their job

business development, but my long-term

search and career transition. Students are encouraged to have ongoing meetings

career goal is to follow a general management

with the career advisors not only in their job search, but throughout their tenure at

career track. I utilized the resources available through the MBA Career Services, the concepts learned in my finance classes, and the experience obtained in my internship, in

McCombs. RESUME BOOK A book of resumes for each MBA class distributed to hundreds of employers to encourage them to hire our students. EMPLOYER PANELS Each year, MBA Career Services brings select company representatives to campus to talk about MBA career options.

combination with hard work preparing my

WORKSHOPS on a wide variety of career-related subjects from self-assessment to case

interviews, and I got a great job in finance

interviewing.

and business analysis after graduation.” Rodrigo Perez, MBA ’03, Business Analysis Manager, Celanese Chemicals

PEER ADVISORS are 2nd year students who were selected, interviewed, and trained by the MBA Career Services to assist 1st years in key areas like resume and cover letter review, general advising strategy, and videotaping mock interviews. THE INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE assists with marketing and outreach to both international students and employers.

38 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

“I came to McCombs to leverage my business experience in the technology industry with new skills in many areas such as marketing, finance

T H O U S A N D S of

H U N D R E D S of R E C R U I T E R S POSSIBILITIES

to continue in the same industry, and being a

Our real-world approach to education makes graduates of the McCombs School among the

McCombs MBA gave me the opportunity to get

most sought-after in the nation. Each year recruiters from hundreds of the world’s leading

and management. I knew I wanted

my foot in the door of great companies such as Microsoft, IBM, and Dell. During the interviews, I applied the concepts I learned in many of my classes and the preparation sessions with the MBA Career Center. That was the plus that

companies come to our Ford Career Center in search of future leaders and managers. The career center begins marketing students to employers even before classes begin. Employers then get to know students in formal and informal settings throughout the year as employers host informational presentations prior to their on-campus interviews. But on-campus recruiting only tells part of the story. Our key corporate partners en-

helped me get an internship and a full-time offer

gage with the school in dozens of ways—in classrooms, research projects, student organi-

with Microsoft Corp.” Javier Arrupea, MBA ’03,

zations and events. To help firms get the most out of the school, a team of staff dedicated

Product Manager, Microsoft

to corporate relationships cultivates key companies such as 3M, Accenture, ConocoPhillips, Dell, Frito-Lay, and Microsoft, among many others, to leverage internal contacts and strengthen areas of mutual interest. What does this synergy mean for McCombs MBAs? It means they enter a corporate network that is far greater than the sum of its already considerable parts.

ABBOTT LABORATORIES ACCENTURE ADJOINED TECHNOLOGIES ADVANCED ENERGY A.T. KEARNEY ADVANCED MICRODEVICES ADVANCED SOLUTIONS AIM FUNDS AIR LIQUIDE ALCOA FUJIKURA LTD. THE ALEXANDER GROU SURANCE AMERICO RETIREMENT SERVICES AMERICREDIT CORPORATION AMICA MUTUAL INSURANCE AMVESCAP ANADARKO PETROLEUM ANHEUSER-BUSCH APACHE CORPORATION APPLIED MATERIALS AQUILA ENERGY ARC E CORPORATION BANK UNITED BARRINGTON CONSULTING BASF B.D.O. SEIDMAN THE BEACON GROUP LLC. BEAULIEU OF AMERICA BEAR STEARNS & CO. INC. BERNSTEIN PHALON AND CONKLIN BERTLSMANN BLACK & D NSULTING BROADJUMP BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAILROAD BUSINESS SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES CALPINE CORP. CAMBRIDGE ASSOCIATES CAMBRIDGE INCUBATOR CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY CAP GEMINI ERNST STEMS CENSUS BUREAU CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY CHARLES SCHWAB CHEVRON TEXACO CHUBB INSURANCE CIBC WORLD MARKETS CINTAS CORPORATION CISCO SYSTEMS CITGROUP CITICARDS CITIGATE CUNNI MPUTER SCIENCES CORPORATION CONAGRA CONOCO CONSOLODATED GRAPHICS CONTEXT INTGRATION CONTINENTAL AIRLINES COOPER INDUSTRIES CORAL ENERGY CORDIS CORP. COX & LORD COX COMMUNICATI COTIISERHARD INC. DEER & CO. DEFENSE CONTRACT AUDIT AGENCY U.S. GOVERNMENT DELL DELOITTE & TOUCHE DELOITTE CONSULTING DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS DELTA AIRLINES DELUXE CORPORATION DENTS BERTSON AND LAMME DYNAMIC DETAILS DYNEGY E&J GALLO WINERIES EDS EDWARD JONES EL PASO CORP. ELI LILLY EMERGENT TECHNOLOGIES ENFINITE MEDIA ENTERCON INTERNATIONAL ENTERGY ENTERPRISE RENTLLAS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAREER PROGRAM USA FIREMAN’S FUND INSURANCE FIRST AMERICAN BANK TEXAS SSB FIRST SOUTHWEST COMPANY FIRST UNION SECURITIES FISHER SCIENTIFIC FMC CORPORATION FO E SOFTWARE GROWTH CAPITAL PARTNERS INC. GTE DIRECTORIES GUARANTY BANK HALL KININON HALLIBURTON HAMMES COMPANY HANKE GREEN & STEIN PC THE HARBOR GROUP THE HAY GROUP H.E.B. HEALTH MA IOTT INC. HUMANSCALE I2 TECHNOLOGIES IBM IBM CONSULTING INFORMATICA CORPORATION INFORMATION RESOURCES INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES ING BARINGS INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTEL CORPORA HNSON PROFESSIONAL COMPANIES JP MORGAN CHASE & CO. KIMBERLY-CLARK KINZAN.COM KLA TENCOR KOLES DEPARTMENT STORES KPMG CONSULTING KRAFT FOODS-OSCAR MAYER DIVISION KURT SALMON ASSOCIAT ARATHON OIL COMPANY MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL MARSH INSURANCE BROKERAGE MASS MUTUAL MAXIM GROUP MCGEE WHEELER & COMPANY MCKINSEY & CO. MEDIAPLUS THE MEDLEH GROUP MERCK-MEDCO MER SOCIATION NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS NATIONAL MBA SOURCE NATIONAL OILWELL CREDIT NATURAL DATA NAVIGANT CONSULTING INC. NCH CORP. NEIMAN MARCUS NESTLE USA NETWORK ASSOCIATES NEW ENGLAND CIDENTAL CHEMICAL OLDE DISCOUNT CORPORATION PACCAR PG & E ENERGY TRADING PEABODY ENERGY PEACE CORPS. PENNZOIL-QUAKER STATE PEPPERS & ROGERS/MARKETING 1TO1 PERRIER GROUP PETRIE PARKMAN NSULTING THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY PROLOGIS PROVIDIA NFINANCIAL PRUDENTIAL CAPITAL GROUP PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES PUBLIC CONSULTING GROUP PULTE HOMES OF T ERGY REVENEW INTERNATIONAL REXTON INTERACTIVE THE RICHARDS GROUP THE ROBINSON-HUMPHREY COMPANY LLC ROYCE HOMES LP. RUSH ENTERPRISES RYAN & COMPANY RYDER SYSTEMS INC. SABRE INC. SANDERS ICON LABORATORIES SILICON VALLEY BANK SIMMONS & CO. INTERNATIONAL SMITH BREEDEN ASSOCIATES SOFTWARE ARCHITECTS INC. SOLUTIA INC. SOURCENET SOLUTIONS SOUTHERN UNION GAS CO. SOUTHTRUST B NK STONEBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES SUMMIT PROPERTIES SUN MICROSYSTEMS SWS SECURITIES GROUP INC. SYSCO FOOD SERVICE TACTICA TECHNOLOGY GROUP TANGLEWOOD CORPORATION TARGET TAYLORED SYSTEM OLI IBM TMP WORLDWIDE TOWERS PERRIN TOYS-R-US TRAMMELL CROW TRICON GLOBAL RESTAURANTS TRIDENT INSURANCE TRILOGY TRIQUINT SEMICONDUCTOR TRW INC. TUCKER ALAN INC. TURNER BROADCASTING

C A R E E R S | 39

For its 2003-2004 rankings, The Wall Street Journal surveyed 2,200 MBA corporate recruiters—ten times as many as Business Week surveys. T H E R E C R U I T E R S R AT E D M C C O M B S :

13

#

MBA Overall Worldwide

9

#

for Entrepreneurship

5 # 3 #

Favorite School of Te c h n o l o g y R e c r u i t e r s

Most Nominated for Recruiting Minorities

3 # 3 #

for Accounting

f o r I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y

UP ALLEGIANCE HEALTHCARE CORP. AMERICAN AIRLINES AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL ADVISORS AMERICAN GENERAL CORPORATION AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AMERICAN N CON GROUP ARGO DATA RESOURCE CORP. ARTHUR D. LITTLE ASHLAND DISTRIBUTION AND SPECIALTY CHEMICAL CO. AUTODESK AVANTUS GROUP AXA ADVISORS BAIN & CO. BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES BANK OF AMER DECKER BLOCKBUSTER BLUEBELL CREAMERIES B.M.C. SOFTWARE BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM BOOZ ALLEN & HAMILTON BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP BP AMERICA BRANNFORBES BRAUN CONSULTING BRISTOL MYERS SQU T & YOUNG LLP THE CAPITAL GROUP CAPITAL ONE CAPITAL SECURITY FINANCIAL SERVICES CARGILL CARLSON CAPITAL L.P. CARREKER CARTER WALLACE CATAPULT SYSTEMS C.B. RICHARD ELLIS CCI MANUFACTURING CD3 INGHAM CITIGROUP CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK CLINICALWEB.COM CMS ENERGY COASTAL CORPORATION COBANK COCA-COLA COCA-COLA FOUNTAIN COMERICA BANK COMMERCIAL SERVICES COMPAQ CO IONS INC. CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION THE CROSSROADS GROUP CROW HOLDINGS CUNNINGHAM COMMUNICATIONS CUTTER & BUCK D. HILTON ASSOCIATES DAYMON ASSOCIATES INC. DECKER & AS SPLY INTERNATIONAL DEUTSCHE BANK DHL WORLDWIDE DIAMONDCLUSTER INTERNATIONAL DILLON CORPORATE SERVICES DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY DOW JONES & CO. DRW INVESTMENTS DUPONT FLOORING SYSTE -A-CAR EQUIS CORPORATION EQUIVA SERVICES ERICSSON INC. ETHOS GROUP EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION FACT SETRE SEARCH SYSTEM INC. FAYEZ SAROFIM & CO. FCM INVESTMENTS FEDERAL EXPRESS FEDERAL RESERVE ORD MOTOR COMPANY FREIGHTWISE INC. FROST SECURITIES FTI CONSULTING GA SULLIVAN THE GAP INC. THE GARTNER GROUP GATEWAY COMPUTERS GENERAL MILLS GENUITY GRANT GREAT-WESTLIFE GREENHILL & C ANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES HEALIX HEWITT ASSOCIATES HEWLETT PACKARD HILTI INC. HINES HONEYWELL INC. HOAK BREEDLOVE WESNESKI & CO. HOULIHAN LOKEY HOWARD & ZUKIN HOUSTON PRESS HOWARD FRAZIE ATION INELLIMARK INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE INTERNATIONAL PAPER ITU VENTURES JC PENNY. JC BRADFORD JD EDWARDS JEFFERIES & COMPANY INC. JOHNSON & JOHNSON JOHNSON & JOHNSON INTERNATIONAL JO TES LABATT FOOD SERVICE LAM RESEARCH LEHMAN BROTHERS LEIF JOHNSON FORD LIBERTY MUTUAL LOCKHEED MARTIN LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY LOUIS DREYFUS CORP. LUMINANT WORLDWIDE MANULIFE F RRILL LYNCH METLIFE METASOLV SOFTWARE MICROSOFT MILLER BREWING COMPANY THE MINUTEMAID COMPANY MIRANT MORGAN KEEGAN MORGAN STANLEY MOTOROLA NASA JOHNSON SPACECENTER NATIONAL BA D FINANCIAL NEWELL RUBBERMAID NEWS AMERICA MARKETING NISSAN NORTEL NORTHERN TRUST BANK NORTHROP GRUMMAN NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FINANCIAL NETWORK NORWEST FINANCIAL NOVELL NULL-LAI & CO. PFIZER INC. PFSWEB PHILIP MORRIS PHILLIPS PETROLEUM CO. PHOENIX HOMELIFE PINNACLE SOLUTIONS INC. PITTIGLIO RABIN TODD & MCGRATH PRELUDE SYSTEMS PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS PRICEWATERHOUSE TEXAS LP. Q INVESTMENTS L.P. QUINSTREET QUAKER OATS QUORUM BUSINESS SOLUTIONS RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES RAYTHEON SYSTEMS R.B.C. DAIN RAUSCHER REAL NETWORKS RELIANCE STANDARD INSURANC S MORRIS HARRIS AND BROTHERS SAPIENT SATURN CORPORATION SCORE SENSE CORP. SG COWEN SECURITIES CORP. SHELL OIL COMPANY SHOWTIME NETWORKS INC. SIBSON & COMPANY SIECOR SIEMENS ENERGY & AUT BANK N.A. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SOUTHWEST BANK OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN BELL SPEAR LEEDS AND KELLOGG STANDARD & POOR’S STANLEY WORKS STAPLES INC. STATE FARM INSURANCE STEELCASE STEPHENS INC. MS TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEMS TEJAS SECURITIES GROUP INC. TEK SYSTEMS TEMPLE-INLAND INC. TENET HEALTH SYSTEMS TEXAS INSTRUMENTS THE THOMSON CORPORATION TIDEWATER INC. TITAN TECHNOLOGY P G TXU TYSON FOODS UBS WARBURG UNITED CAPITAL UNIVERSITY DIRECTORIES UNUMPROVIDENT US BANK US GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE US WEST USAA VALOR TELECOMMUNICATONS VAN KAMPEN VELOCITY ELEC

A SAMPLING OF JOBS HELD B Y 2 0 0 4 G R A D U AT E S

A G R A D U AT E P E R S P E C T I V E A L o o k Fo r ward: Life And Ca re e r s A f t e r M c C o m b s

Kimberly-Clark Corporation Strategic Alliance Analyst American Airlines Financial Analyst Gartner Group Senior Consultant Intel Corporation Senior Financial Analyst FedEx Services Senior Marketing Analyst

l

Booz, Allen & Hamilton Associate DuPont Marketing Specialist

Senior Marketing Analyst, FedEx Services M e m p h i s , Te n n e s s e e

DARRIN EARL

JODI ELLIS

Category Manager, PepsiCo D a l l a s , Te xas

My first post-MBA position will be as a senior market-

As a career switcher with an undergraduate degree in

Goldman Sachs Associate

ing analyst with the Customer Management Analytics

finance, I was very excited about accepting a marketing

Dell Computer Software Brand Manager

group of FedEx Services, part of the FedEx corporate

position at Pepsi-Cola. As a category manager, I’ve been

office. Our task is to support and work with deci-

given the responsibility of driving Pepsi-Cola’s volume

sion makers in the FedEx operating companies—like

and profitability at two major retail chains by designing

Miller Brewing Company Manager - Business Analysis

Express, Ground, and Freight—as well as the corpo-

programs and promotions in the Pepsi beverage cat-

Procter & Gamble Assistant Brand Manager

rate office to help quantify and justify their strategies.

egory. For me, the attraction of the position comes from

Pfizer Marketing Manager

There are four separate groups in analytics, nearly all

being given so much responsibility and performance

with MBAs or other advanced degrees. Not only will

accountability immediately after graduating. I also have

Johnson & Johnson Brand Manager

this be a great place to hone a new skill set, but also a

the good fortune of being able to work cross-function-

Black & Decker Product Manager

great entry into a excellent company.

ally with a variety of groups, which will equip me for

Guggenheim Partners Vice President

l

Dell Computer Operations Manager PepsiCo Category Manager

l

General Mills Senior Financial Analyst

General Mills Associate Marketing Manager Johnson & Johnson Senior Analyst

l

Bain Consultant Microsoft Product Manager GE Company Marketing Leadership Program Merrill Lynch Associate ExxonMobil Business Analyst

Vice President, Guggenheim Partners N e w Yo r k , N e w Yo r k

HOLLY GOODRICH

further career progression down the road. CARLOS SORIA

The Guggenheim name represents a worldwide tradi-

Senior Analyst, Johnson & Johnson P i s c a t a w a y, New Jersey

tion of innovation and achievement in business, phi-

After spending my summer internship at Health Care

lanthropy, education and the arts. This legacy is carried

Systems (HSC), the logistics arm for several of J&J’s

forward by Guggenheim Partners, a private wealth

medical device divisions, I was so impressed by the

management firm, where I’ll be working as Vice Presi-

working environment, interesting projects, and ad-

dent, Private Funds Group upon graduation. Owned by

vancement opportunities that I happily accepted their

the Guggenheim family and a small group of founding

offer for full-time employment. As part of their logis-

partners, our firm provides investment advisory and

tics strategy group, I’ll have the opportunity to work

asset management services to our partners and select

on projects including supply chain initiatives, inven-

clients involving $70 billion of traditional and alterna-

tory management and logistics improvement. And

tive assets. As vice president, my primary responsibili-

not only will HCS be an excellent career opportunity

ties will involve marketing and business development

for me, but the New Jersey area will also provide my

of the funds group where I’ll be working closely with

wife with an excellent location to pursue her career in

senior management to plan, organize, implement, and

public health.

maintain all of the group’s client services and marketing-related activities.

»

C A R E E R S | 41

THEN NOW

great classes, meaningful inter nships...

…exciting careers

»

From left Trey Gannon, MBA ’01 to right: Concentration: Information Technology Internship: Diamond Technology Partners (now DiamondCluster) - a technology-focused management consulting firm Current position: Chief Research Scientist, Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College

Emily Bright, MBA ’01 Concentration: General, with a focus on non-profit/ international management, including a semester abroad at ESAN in Peru Internship: “Business Plan Initiative,” Redwood National and State Parks Current position: HR Analyst, North America, Marsh, Inc.

Lane Pollack, MBA ’01 Concentration: Management and International Business, including a double degree at PUC in Chile Internship: Austin Social Venture Partners Current Position: Program Director, Aid to Artisans Shad Driggs, MBA ’01 Concentration: Finance Internship: VTEL—a manufacturer of video conferencing equipment Current position: Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Jaxie Stollenwerck, MBA ’01 Concentration: Marketing Internship: TManage - an Austin high tech firm Current position: Associate Brand Manager, Innovation, Dr Pepper/7-Up Corporation Timothy Tokerud, MBA ’01 Concentration: Operations and Strategy Internship: Coca-Cola Operations Current Position: Finance Manager, Frito-Lay Operations finance group. Jorge Enciso, MBA ’01 Concentration: Entrepreneurship Internship: None-started own company Current Position: Co-founder, Desin-Intertouch

42 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

ALUMNI NETWORK With more than 1 5,000 graduate business alumni in “Getting my MBA at UT was the best career decision I’ve made. Upon graduation, I was

leadership positions around the world, our students enter a net work of exceptional contacts.

recruited to work for American Express in

The experiences McCombs students enjoy during their two years in Austin foster life-long ties

New York City, where I found I was well

with classmates, alumni, and the school. After graduation, alumni stay connected to the Mc-

prepared to manage in a Fortune 500 company. I’m still in New York, now leading

Combs community by attending local chapter events across the country and around the world,

the $140 million e-commerce business for

assisting with MBA recruiting, and participating in class reunions. In addition to the strong

J.Crew. Because of my experience at UT, I

chapters where alumni exchange ideas, socialize, and refresh their skills, the McCombs MBA

was able to establish myself as a leader early in my career. Dave Towers, MBA ’95, Vice President,

Alumni Network provides a vital communications link by keeping friends and classmates in touch as their careers move forward.

CHAPTER LOCATIONS: DOMESTIC

E-commerce Operations, J.Crew NEW YORK CITY

SEATTLE

WHAT WE DO The McCombs MBA Alumni Network seeks to: Provide Reach: Promote McCombs as a leading business pro-

SAN FRANCISCO

gram by providing a dynamic venue for connecting, knowl-

WASHINGTON D.C.

LOS ANGELES

edge sharing, and business advancement on a global basis.

DALLAS

Deliver Value: Deliver value to students, alumni, the MBA pro-

Foster Loyalty: Create and foster the tradition of the lifelong

ATLANTA

AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO

gram, the McCombs School, and the business community.

McCombs MBA community.

BOSTON

CHICAGO

HOUSTON

CHAPTER LOCATIONS: INTERNATIONAL

Encourage Exchange: Build a constructive and strategic channel of communication between alumni

GERMANY

and the school that encourages business exchange

BEIJING, CHINA

and program development.

MONTERREY, MEXICO MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

LIMA, PERU

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

SANTIAGO, CHILE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

SHANGHAI, CHINA

TOKYO, JAPAN

H O W t o A P P L Y | 43

We recognize that the decision to get an

your investment by providing an excep-

MBA is one of the more important deci-

tional, internationally recognized program

sions of your career. At McCombs, we strive

and preparing you to excel academically,

to prepare you for leadership in this ever-

professionally, and personally. We invite

changing, competitive global marketplace

you to become a part of our community.

by maintaining the highest standards for the faculty and staff, the curriculum, your

ADMISSIONS cl ass of 2 0 0 6 (As of June 22, 2004)

—The McCombs Admissions Committee

fellow students, and our alumni. Our goal is to make your time at McCombs worth

ADMISSIONS & APPLICATION Eligibility Requirements » The equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree

All application materials must be submitted directly to the University’s centralized graduate admissions of-

from an accredited institution. International students

fice—the Graduate and International Admissions Center

with three-year degrees should check for further

(GIAC). After processing, GIAC forwards the materials to

information on our admissions Web site (“Common

the McCombs School of Business for review by the MBA

Questions”).

Admissions Committee. The complete admissions pro-

» A minimum of 24 months of full-time post-baccalaureate work experience » Fluency in the English language How To Apply The McCombs School only accepts applications online. Admissions is on a rolling basis, which means that applications are reviewed on a first-in first-out basis and are not batched by deadlines. For the online application visit: mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/. To be reviewed, the application must be complete as defined by the application checklist. Incomplete applications will encounter processing delays, which could affect the admissions decision. It is the responsibility of each applicant to monitor the status of his/her application through the web site at: mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/status.asp.

cess normally requires 10 to 13 weeks. If the application is received between January and March, processing time could take longer. Throughout the admissions process, the McCombs MBA Admissions Office will communicate to applicants through e-mail. Submission of an e-mail address is re-

National Origin 70% Domestic 30% International

Undergraduate Degrees 42% Technical/Science 34% Business 24% Liberal arts

Gender 80% Male 20% Female

quired. Applicants who do not have an e-mail address should take steps to obtain one prior to the submission of their application. GIAC sends official admission decisions to applicants via U.S. first class mail to the listed permanent address. Decisions are also posted online at:

Incoming Class 340 Number of Applicants 1,700

mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/status.asp.

Average Age 28

Applicants should carefully read:

Average GPA 3.40

» The overview of the application process and the criteria that the admissions committee seeks in applicants. » The checklist, which details all materials that must be submitted with the application.

Avg. Years Work Experience 5 Average GMAT Score 673

44 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

Suggested submission dates are: November 1: Suggested early submission for all applicants

Combs and to the career goals as stated in the essays.

Test Scores

Applicants with significant work experience prior to the

UT Austin’s GMAT and TOEFL school code is 6882.

bachelor’s degree are welcome to apply to the program, but they should carefully explain in the essays the circum-

G M AT

stances and nature of the work involved. Due to the vol-

All applicants must submit official Graduate Management

ume of queries, we cannot evaluate work experience prior

Admissions Test (GMAT) scores through ETS. While Mc-

to application, nor do we review a prospective applicant’s

Combs has no minimum score, GMATs are an important

Characteristics Of A Strong Application

credentials in order to provide feedback on the likelihood

component of each application. Candidates should pur-

The admissions committee carefully considers each com-

of admission.

sue this component aggressively, seeking the best possible

February 1: Final date for all international applicants April 15: Final date for domestic applicants

score before they apply. Applicants are encouraged to take

pleted application, with particular attention to personal essays, work history, post MBA goals, undergraduate per-

U N D E R G R A D U AT E A N D P R E V I O U S G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E

the GMAT as early as possible to avoid processing delays.

formance, letters of recommendation, extracurricular and

The McCombs School has no mandatory minimum grade

Applications are not considered complete-and cannot be

community activities, honors and achievements, and test

point average. For admission purposes, the University

evaluated-until official GMAT scores have arrived at UT. If

scores. Personal characteristics that add to the diversity

calculates a G.P.A. using undergraduate, upper-division

an applicant takes the GMAT more than once, McCombs

of the class may also be considered, such as country of

(junior- and senior-level) coursework, and any graduate

will only consider the highest score and does not average

citizenship, gender, family background, multi-lingual

work already completed. McCombs does not require prior

GMATs. GMAT scores are valid for five years. The GRE can-

skills, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic history. Strong

coursework in management or business administration. The

not substitute for the GMAT.

applications convey careful research on McCombs and

ranking and reputation of the applicant’s undergraduate in-

enthusiasm for the program. All of these components are

stitution may be taken into consideration, as will extracur-

considered holistically; no specific weight is assigned to

ricular involvement during one’s undergraduate experience

Educational Testing Service

any criterion, and no formulas are used.

and civic and community service since graduation.

GMAT

P E R S O N A L E S S AY S

L E T T E R S O F R E C O M M E N D AT I O N

Princeton, NJ 08541-6103 USA

Essays are a critical means of assessing an applicant’s rea-

References should be professional in nature and should

(609) 771-7330 (TEL)

sons and motivation for attending the McCombs School

speak to the applicant’s professional work, qualities, ca-

(609) 771-7714 (TTY)

of Business, background and interests, communication

reer potential, and potential to succeed in the classroom.

www.mba.com

skills, and presentation skills.

Recommenders should know the applicant personally

To register for the GMAT, contact ETS at:

P.O. Box 6103

and be familiar with his/her work history, credentials, and WORK EXPERIENCE

career aspirations.

MBA applicants must have a minimum of two years full-

T O E F L ( F O R I N T E R N AT I O N A L A P P L I C A N T S )

Applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have their scores submitted directly from ETS to UT Aus-

time, post-baccalaureate work experience. The admissions

SERVICE, ACTIVITIES, AND RECOGNITION

committee is especially interested in the quality of profes-

Public, community, or military service, travel experiences,

sional skills as evidenced in level of responsibility and chal-

extracurricular activities, hobbies or special aptitudes, and

lenge, leadership, promotion, supervision, and teamwork.

any honors or recognition received are all important in-

The committee also considers the relevance of these skills

dicators of an applicant’s motivation and character. The

both to the applicant’s intended course of study at Mc-

admissions committee looks for these details throughout the application.

tin. Although the McCombs MBA has no minimum score, we recommend a score of at least 260 on the computerbased TOEFL (620 on the paper-based). Applicants will be granted an automatic TOEFL waiver if they have earned an undergraduate degree in a country whose only official language is English, or if they have a 35 or greater on the

H O W t o A P P L Y | 45

verbal section of the GMAT. Questions regarding waivers

MCCOMBS MBA/DUAL DEGREE APPLICANTS

should be sent to [email protected].

Dual degree applicants, whether or not they are currently

TOEFL scores are valid for two years. As there has been a

enrolled at UT Austin, should follow the regular MBA ap-

recent reduction in the number of TOEFL testing sites, ap-

plication procedures using the appropriate dual degree

plicants are encouraged to make arrangements as early as

major code. There are approximately 12 dual degrees

possible. The TSE cannot substitute for the TOEFL.

and each has a unique major code. Only one application

PREVIEW WEEKEND

needs to be submitted for the dual degree. Please select

Candidates who have already been offered admission are

the correct dual degree major as appropriate. Please also

invited to visit campus, typically in early April, to partici-

Educational Testing Service

contact the admissions office of the other department

pate in the McCombs MBA Preview Weekend.

TOEFL

included in the dual degree program for any additional

P.O. Box 6151

required application materials.

To register for the TOEFL, contact ETS at:

Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 USA (609) 771-7100 (TEL) e-mail: toefl@ets.org www.toefl.org

» Class visit with current MBA student For instructions on scheduling your visit and specific dates, times, and locations please visit: mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/cam/visit.asp

INTERVIEWS

Both dual degree partner programs must admit applicants

The interview provides more information about the appli-

before they may be considered for admission to the dual

cant’s career background and goals, communication skills,

degree. Applicants admitted to only one program may

maturity, character and “polish.” Interviews at McCombs

choose to pursue that particular program.

are conducted mainly by alumni and current students

Admission to the McCombs School of Business is highly

All dual degree students begin their first year of study in

competitive. The admissions committee reviews applica-

the non-business side of their dual degree program and

tions on an individual basis looking at both quantitative

begin their business studies in the fall of their second year.

and qualitative aspects of an applicant’s professional and

A complete list of available dual degree opportunities can

academic background. In reviewing applications, the

be found on the web site at: mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/

committee seeks to assess an individual’s potential for

students/academics/jointdeg

both off and on campus. While they are evaluative, they are also an opportunity for the applicant to hear firsthand about the actual experience of being a student in the McCombs MBA program, which helps to determine his or her fit. Interviews are by invitation only. Applicants selected for an interview will receive an invitation by e-mail at any

academic success and future professional growth. Interview And Campus Visits

time from the point of file completion until the end of

Special Considerations

The admissions committee strongly encourages all appli-

the review process. For more information, please visit our

R E A P P L I C AT I O N S

cants to visit the McCombs School of Business to learn

Web site.

Most application materials are kept for one calendar year.

more about the school’s offerings from current students,

Applicants reapplying must submit a new online Texas

faculty, and staff. The following options are available for

OTHER MCCOMBS BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Common Application, a new resume, essays, and the ap-

those interested in visiting the McCombs School of Busi-

Among its programs, the McCombs School offers a two-

plication-processing fee. Additional letters of recommen-

ness full-time MBA Program:

year Executive MBA Program (Option II); a three-year,

dation and test scores are not required, but may be submitted if they can be improved upon. Transcripts must be re-submitted only if additional coursework has been taken since the last application. International students must submit an updated statement of financial support.

» Information sessions » McCombs School tour » Lunch with current MBA student » UT campus tour

part-time program known as the Texas Evening MBA Program (TEMBA) in which students continue to work while earning their degrees; Executive MBA Programs in Mexico City and Dallas; and an array of targeted management development programs through Texas Executive Education. For more information, contact:

46 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

Texas Executive Education

» At the end of the admissions season, decisions may be

Should the Green Card arrive thereafter, the applicant

The University of Texas at Austin

rendered on applications that have submitted items

may notify GIAC and the status will be changed to do-

P. O. Box 7337

1-4. Submission of only these four items is greatly

mestic applicant.

Austin, TX 78713-7337

discouraged and, in fact, will delay an admissions

(512) 471-5893 (TEL)

decision to the very end of the cycle when the class is

(512) 471-0853 (FAX)

almost always full.

e-mail: [email protected] www.mccombs.utexas.edu/execed The McCombs School also offers the country’s top-ranked Masters in Public Accounting (MPA). For more information, contact the Department of Accounting: The University of Texas at Austin Department of Accounting CBA 4M.202 Austin, TX 78712 (512) 471-6559 (TEL) e-mail: [email protected] www.mccombs.utexas.edu/dept/accounting/mpa/ FINAL DETAILS A P P L I C AT I O N S TAT U S C H E C K

To monitor the status and location of your application packet, visit the UT Applications Status Check site at mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/status.asp

A P P L I C AT I O N PA C K E T C H E C K L I S T

» The application fee, the Texas Common Application, Everything else should be submitted together in one

9. Two letters of recommendation

MAILING ADDRESS

packet to GIAC (not McCombs) to avoid processing

GIAC

delays. Please do not forget to include your resume.

P.O. Box 7608

Items to be forwarded to the University of Texas at Austin, Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC):

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 78713-7608 USA FAX: (512) 475-7395

1. The online Texas Common Application COURIER ADDRESS

2. Application Processing Fee ($125, made payable to the

GIAC

University of Texas - applicants who have previously attend-

The University of Texas at Austin

ed UT should add $10 for processing their UT transcripts)

2608 Whitis Avenue

3. College/University Transcript(s)-one (1) official copy in

Austin, Texas 78712

its original language plus an English translation if original

PHONE: (512) 475-7390

is not in English. (Do not list on the application or include transcripts from professional development programs, cer-

Note to Applicant: Submission of an application to the

tificate programs, language programs, or workshops that

McCombs MBA program affirms your desire to be part

you have attended.)

of the honorable community at the McCombs School of

4. Photocopy of GMAT score report - official score report must be sent from ETS before application can be

complete application package for admission to both the

processed.

University of Texas and the McCombs School of Business

5. Photocopy of TOEFL (international applicants only)—

throughout the majority of the application season.

official score report must be sent from ETS before application can be processed

and processed the complete application package, and

6. Photocopy of Green Card (U.S. Permanent Residents

the application has been forwarded to the McCombs

Only) Note: Applicants who have applied for U.S. Per-

School. The applicant should track the status of

manent Residency, but who do not yet have the Green

his/her application through the web at

Card in hand, must apply as international students.

mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/status.asp.

8. The three required application essays

and the application essays can be submitted online.

Listed below are the items that collectively constitute a

» Application review will begin after GIAC has received

7. Resume (suggested two-page maximum length)

Business and assures that all information contained in the application is complete, accurate, and the result of your own individual efforts. Submission of false information will justify a denial, withdrawal, cancellation of enrollment, and/or other appropriate University action.

A P P L I C AT I O N S TAT U S C H E C K

To monitor the status and location of your application packet, visit the UT Applications Status Check site at mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/status.asp

H O W t o A P P L Y | 47

PROGRAM EXPENSES FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS

MAJOR SCHOLARSHIPS INCLUDE:

All applicants are automatically considered for recruiting

RECRUITING SCHOLARSHIPS

scholarships during the admission process; no additional

McCombs annually offers close to $300,000 in cash

individual donors and its corporate supporters. Applica-

paperwork needs to be submitted. Scholarships are of-

awards distributed during the admissions cycle as re-

tions are available online at the beginning of the spring

fered to students who demonstrate a superior record of

cruiting scholarships. Cash awards range from $2,000 to

semester of the first year. More than $100,000 will be

academic and professional accomplishment in their ap-

$10,000 and consist of both one- and two- year awards.

awarded through MBA Current Student Scholarships with

plication materials.

In addition, approximately half of these awards are ac-

amounts ranging up to $5,000.

Financial aid usually comes in the form of student loans for first-year students. Applicants can apply for most loans through the University's Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS). To apply for federal and state assistance, students will need the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov

companied by out-of-state tuition waivers, which save the student an additional $15,000 per year. The total amount of tuition differential reduction distributed annually at McCombs currently approximates $600,000. Recruiting scholarships are distributed almost exclusively on the basis of merit.

OFSF's Application Guide: Applying for Financial Aid gives information about the application process. It is available online at www.utexas.edu/student/finaid and by clicking 'Graduates' then 'Applying and Deadlines.' Interested applicants may contact OSFS:

Decisions are made on the basis of merit (academic record during the first semester in the program) and need. A rotating faculty committee determines the recipients each year.

EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Scholarship programs that come to the attention of the MBA Program Office from other sources are posted in the

THE SYLFF FELLOWSHIPS

Applicants seriously interested in the international doubledegree programs are eligible to be considered for the SYLFF Fellowship that pays $5,000 in the first year of the

MBA Program Office. Questions about outside scholarships can be addressed to Cindy Benton, Director of Student Services.

program and a possible $10,000 in the second year of M B A E S T I M AT E D E X P E N S E S

Office of Student Financial Services

(foreign) study. Two scholarships are awarded each year

University of Texas at Austin

during the admissions cycle. All applicants who demon-

Costs

In-State

Out-of-State

International

P. O. Box 7758, UT Station

strate strong interest in the double-degree program in

Tuition & Fees

$14,606

$30,116

$30,767

Austin, TX 78713-7758

their application essays are automatically considered.

$1,400

$1,400

$1,400

$300

$300

$300

Housing

$12,566

$12,566

$12,566

$1,300

$1,300

$1,300

$30,172

$45,682

$46,333

e-mail: fi[email protected] www.utexas.edu/student/finaid

Est. Books McCombs Orientation Fee

MBA CURRENT STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS

The recommended date for the financial aid application is

During the first year, current students may apply for a

Laptop

March 31. Additional information is available through the

number of scholarships and awards given by the Mc-

One-year Costs

school's in-house financial aid officer at (512) 471-7698.

Combs School of Business through generous support of

Tuition and fees are estimates.

48 | M c C O M B S M B A 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

MINORITY STUDENTS

International Students

GOOD NEIGHBOR SCHOLARSHIP

McCombs is a member of The Consortium for Gradu-

All applicants, internationals included, are automatically

Students who are native born citizens and residents of any

ate Study in Management, a thirteen-university alliance

considered for recruiting scholarships at the time of ap-

country in the Caribbean and North, Central, or South

that seeks to increase the number of minorities in MBA

plication and during the admission cycle following. No

America (except the U.S. and Cuba) and who have com-

programs and managerial positions in business. The Con-

special application is needed. In addition, international

pleted one semester of academic study on a valid non-res-

sortium recruits African Americans, Hispanics, and Native

students may apply for Continuing Student Scholar-

ident visa and plan to return to their home country upon

Americans to compete for merit-based fellowships. Each

ships. Scholarship application forms are available in the

completion of the academic program are eligible to ap-

candidate admitted to a Consortium MBA program com-

spring semester in the MBA Program Office. However,

ply for the Good Neighbor Scholarship, which is awarded

petes for a privately funded, full-tuition fellowship. Inter-

such scholarships are extremely limited and should not be

in the second year of study. This scholarship, if awarded,

ested students must complete both a Consortium and

relied upon. Therefore, international students should be

pays for all tuition (not fees) in the second year.

McCombs MBA application.

prepared to meet all expenses for two full calendar years

For more information, visit the McCombs MBA web site, at mba.mccombs.utexas.edu or contact the Consortium for application materials: The Consortium For Graduate Study In Management

from their own resources. We would recommend that you contact the International Office (phone: (512) 471-1211) for more advice on financing your graduate education.

For more information on these scholarships, please visit www.utexas.edu/international/cs/finaid.html. For any additional questions, contact Linda Butler in the International Office at [email protected].

T U I T I O N A S S I S TA N C E F O R M E X I C A N S T U D E N T S

TAMS is a waiver of non-resident tuition for a limited num-

5585 Pershing Avenue, #240

ber of Mexican students who have demonstrated financial

St. Louis, MO 63112

need. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, you must

(tel) 314-887-5500

first be admitted to a degree program. International dou-

www.cgsm.org

ble-degree students from Mexico are also eligible to apply.

TR

IN IT

RT BE RO

Y ST

.

CL

M ED AN

A IT

C JA

H

. DR

N SA

IC W

IN

.

TO

ST

. ST

LV

B . D

U N

H W

TY SI ER IV

Directions from Austin Bergstrom International Airport

TH 27

ST

RD

23

DR

YD

D

.

GETTING to CAMPUS

D

IEL

EF

TL

IT EL

IS IT

E. AV

Plan for a 20 to 30-minute drive from Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABI) to the University . E AV

.

ST

O FR

N

A NT

O ET of Texas campus. Exit ABI onto state highway 71 west and soon thereafter veer onto US 183 north. KE AN

DE

. W Follow it about two miles to Airport Boulevard. Drive north on Airport about five miles and turn left

SP D EE AY W

at the intersection with Martin Luther King Boulevard. Follow MLK for about two miles, crossing over . IH 35. Go through the second light once you’ve crossed IH 35 and turn rightSTinto the Brazos parking TH

garage. Cost is $7 per day.

25

.

ST

U

G

TH

AD

25

U AL

.

PE

H

4T

ST

ST

2 The McCombs School of Business is on the northwest corner of 21st and Speedway. Additional maps

.

SA

N A

ST

ES

IO

EC

N

U

N

TO

N

are available on the web at: www.utexas.edu/maps/main/areas/tower.html. The McCombs School .

ST

.

of Business is in the tower section. For more information on ABI, please visit its web site at: www. TO SE

N

ER ST JE

.

ST

ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport.

ST

.

and follow MLK over the highway. Pass the lights at San Jacinto and Trinity. Then turn right into the Brazos parking garage. Parking is $7 per day. McCOMBS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business MBA Program Office, Admissions 1 University Station, B6004 Austin, TX 78712-0205 Tel: (512) 471-7698 Fax: (512) 471-4243

GRAPHIC DESIGN

[email protected] mba.mccombs.utexas.edu

Mark Rutkowski

Zócalo Design • zocalodesign.com PHOTOGRAPHY

Tommy Kile Marsha Miller Jon Pattillo Steve Schwartzman Texas Department of Transportation

McCombs reserves the right to change any information presented in this publication without notice. Specific degree requirements, policies, tuition, fees, curricula, etc. should be discussed with appropriate advisors prior to acceptance and/or registration. As a matter of policy, The University of Texas at Austin does not discriminate among applicants or participants on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, or handicap. ©2004 The University of Texas at Austin. All rights reserved.

BRAZOS PARKING GARAGE

.

AV E.

ER TH LU IN RT MA

D. LV .B

ST

Take the MLK exit and turn right at the light if you’re traveling south. If traveling north, turn left

E.

JR

ITY

UN IV ER SI TY

G KIN

IN TR

ST 21

LE

E. AV SS RE NG CO

Directions from I-35

RC CI