The MBA Insider's Blog

Representatives from MBA Admissions, the Parker Career Management Center and students from UCLA Anderson visited the great city of New Orleans last week to participate in the 31st Annual National Black MBA Association Conference.  The event drew over 5000 attendees and over 300 corporations. The conference is focused on stimulating discussion about education, diversity, professional development and career advancement for MBA's.  The conference provided a great opportunity for students of the African American Students in Management to network with their MBA peers from other institutions and also potential recruiters.   

 

East Coast recruiting for UCLA MBA

Many strong candidates have turned out for our recruiting events on the East Coast over the past weeks.  We always like to see such interest from those who understand that the UCLA Anderson MBA can empower graduates to go anywhere, whether returning to opportunities back east or exploring new ones out west or abroad.  And there is a lot to be said for expanding one's global network by doing an MBA in an international city like L.A. 

Next up for me is a trip to Israel and Europe to find great international students to add to the next class, to complement the nice mix of Americans we will invite...

 

 

MBA recruiting in the Middle East

Dubai was the venue for our first joint Information Evening with the UCLA - NUS Global Executive MBA Program and we had interesting candidates there to learn about both MBA programs.  Since Dubai is a global city, attendees hailed from all over the world, and they expressed strong interest in expanding their international knowledge and network through UCLA opportunities.  Prospectives from Arab countries were also happy to learn about fresh MBA sponsorship possibilities from the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Foundation.  Shiny new developments outside the window provided a fitting backdrop for these discussions about the promise of the future.

      

My last stop was down the road in Abu Dhabi, for another Access MBA event.  This was a hybrid affair, where one-on-one interviews with candidates in the morning were followed by an open MBA fair in the afternoon.  Once again plenty of prospectives took our materials to learn more about the UCLA Anderson MBA as well as regional sponsorship programs.  Then after a wonderful dinner on the seaside corniche with fellow school representatives, I started on my 24-hour-long journey home to Los Angeles.  Now we are reading all the applications that we helped to generate on our global recruiting travels, and it is a pleasure to meet some people again on paper, with more to come in our Rounds 2 and 3 early next year.   

-- Craig Hubbell

 

Global MBA recruiting in South Africa / Middle East

 

We are reaching out farther than ever to recruit interesting international students for our MBA program, as November finds me on a long trip to Johannesburg / Riyadh / Kuwait / Dubai / Abu Dhabi.   Jo'burg was beautiful with its springtime weather reminding me of California, and the people there were just as warm and friendly.  Their diversity meshes well with our community too.  As the only American two-year program represented, UCLA Anderson's table was quite popular at the Access MBA event, and we hope that some of these prospectives will come to L.A. next fall to add more voices from Africa to our MBA class.

 

Next up was Riyadh -- another city where we have never recruited before.  Evidently there is pent-up demand for MBA information in the Saudi Arabian market, since the event was busy all day with candidates from a variety of backgrounds.  Their English fluency was encouraging, as was their determination to get a strong graduate education abroad then return home to help the region develop further.  Government sponsorships seem quite extensive there so this is an example of public policy which will have great long-term benefits for all.  The same was true in Kuwait, where the crowd overflowed with motivated applicants.  Many thanked me for coming all the way to the Middle East to share information in person, and my comments in the panel presentation about applying to MBA programs were enthusiastically received too.

               

Later this week comes our first joint Information Reception in Dubai with the UCLA - NUS Global Executive MBA program.  That program combines the forces of UCLA Anderson and the National University of Singapore in modules spread across several cities, and we expect strong interest in that opportunity as well as in our own full-time MBA program in Los Angeles.  All of this is part of our international strategy that is building the global awareness of UCLA Anderson students while building appreciation for our strengths in all corners the world.

-- Craig Hubbell

 

Russia and Turkey provide new highlights

The last legs of my big Oct. MBA recruiting trip took me to St. Petersburg then Istanbul then home.  In about 18 hours on the ground in SP I enjoyed a brief walk to the river and a whole new student recruiting model from the AccessMBA organizers.  Candidates are briefed on the programs attending then go on "speed-dates" from table to table with the right schools.  Some brilliant people there are clearly ready for their MBA's in America, and others were just exploring long-term options.  A variety of perspectives came out in the panel I did at lunchtime, on executive MBA's vs. full-time programs, and European vs. American MBA's.  We all agreed that students should sharpen their global thinking by taking a good look at all schools with strengths in resonant areas of interest and geography.

Istanbul was a first for me, and the sun shined brightly on the narrow Bosporus separating Europe and Asia.  Students at the QS World MBA Tour panel there asked what we hope Turkish students bring to each class.   I answered that it was just this crossroads understanding of interacting continents and cultures that is so important for all our students to hear.  Los Angeles is another crossroads, and we appreciate the social facilitation that the Turks always do so naturally.  There is plenty for us all to learn from each other on mixing modernism with tradition, religion with secularism, tolerance with hospitality.  Fortunately there was a big interest in our school there, as our gracious alumni and I spoke for hours with prospectives.  Many were college students planning for the future, which we always encourage, and also some good candidates are in this year's pipeline.  I think I saw one again later as we went out for dinner near Taksim Square, along with tens of thousands of others enjoying the warm evening in a happening city.   

Now after a long journey home I am starting to read Round 1 applications.  It's nice to meet some people again on paper.  Next month comes an even farther road to South Africa and the Mid-East, so stay tuned to this channel --

Craig Hubbell

It's Information Evening Season!

So far this recruiting season UCLA Anderson admissions officers have been answering the questions of prospective students at MBA fairs and special events around the world.  Right now we're hitting our peak time for Information Evenings.  These events are focused solely on the UCLA Anderson program, and highlight the comparative advantages of our MBA while allowing participants to direct questions to a panel of local alumni.

Last night I met a great crowd of prospective students at our Information Evening in Washington, D.C., where I was joined by five alumni from diverse industries including health care management, finance, and consulting.  Tonight I got the chance to conduct our first Information Evening in Minneapolis for several years, which was held at the General Mills World Headquarters.  We've got a sizeable alumni community in this city, with lots of representation from the consumer packaged goods industry that's so prevalent here.  Tomorrow night I'll be hosting an Information Evening in Chicago, so if you're located in the Windy City please come out and join us!

We may be heading to a city near you soon, so be sure the check out our events listing for all the details.  See you on the road!

Recruiting road to Israel / Eastern Europe

I am on a 19,000-mile (30,000 km) journey to highlight our MBA program for prospective students in Israel, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey.  The first stop was Tel Aviv, where we have super alumni who have helped to build our momentum as applications last year doubled from the year before.  Interest this season is strong too, as seen both at our UCLA Anderson Information Evening and at the World MBA Tour fair there.  It is always great to hear from future students who are so fluent and focused on how a UCLA MBA could change their lives!  Our alumni are a fascinating group too, and at our dinner by the sea they shared their insights on the political and economic prospects for the region from their standpoints as leading investors, high-tech managers and management consultants.

Next up was Kyiv (aka Kiev) in Ukraine where we had never gone to recruit before.  For three hours at the QS World Tour MBA fair we spoke non-stop with candidates who wanted to learn more about doing a challenging but balanced MBA in warm California.  Our alumni there are still overflowing with UCLA Anderson spirit even several years and many miles from their MBA venue.  Once again the alumni dinner was a real treat for me, as these financiers have connections in industry and government that give them keen perspectives on a world that is changing fast.  As one of them said with a calming smile, "cash is king now."

Long ago in 1986 I visited Moscow as a young traveler, so I can appreciate the explosive growth that the city has seen since the last century.  Then as now I have had fun decoding signs from the Cyrillic alphabet into some words with common roots, and there is lots more to read now in this thriving consumer society.  In a restaurant on Red Square after our Information Evening, the alumni had fond flashbacks to L.A. and two of the best years of their lives there, as well as prescient comments on the future.  Last night's MBA fair brought even more interested applicants to our table and I was grateful for alumni help to spread the good news about UCLA Anderson in compelling Russian and in English.

Now it's off to St. Petersburg and Istanbul -- may we be just as popular there too!

-- Craig Hubbell

Time flies when you're jetsetting around the world...

Buenos noches from Santiago, Chile!

For admissions officers, Fall tends to be quite busy with lots of travelling for recruiting events, on top of our regular day-to-day activities.  With this whirlwind of activity, it's hard to believe that the Round 1 deadline is only a few days away. 

Today, UCLA Anderson held an Information Evening at IM Trust, Inc, in Santiago, Chile, which included a packed house full of prospective students and some top-notch alumni with lots of great insight on our program.  Although my Spanish comprehension is rather rusty, I was able to understand enough to know that UCLA Anderson was well-represented here in Santiago tonight, with alumni ranging from high level executives in major financial services companies to those who are more recent graduates of our program in attendance.  It goes to show that UCLA Anderson is indeed a program that's well-respected and recognized all over the world, and no matter where you may end up, your degree from UCLA Anderson will definitely open many doors and forge wonderful opportunities for you.

For those of you who are applying from South America, I will be in Santiago, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, and Lima over the next several days - you can check our events calendar for more details.  I would love to meet you and answer any questions you may have about our program and the application process.  Other admissions officers will be in Israel, Russia, and other parts of Europe this month.  Continue to check back frequently for updates as we document our travels throughout this recruiting season...   

A Common Question in Asia: Majors at UCLA Anderson

As an Associate Director of Admissions with UCLA Anderson I've spent the last two weeks traveling around Asia to meet with prospective MBA students.  I have found that one of the things candidates in this part of the world most commonly want to know is what kind of majors we have in our program.  The answer is actually none.  UCLA Anderson values flexibility and provides students with a fully customizable program of study that is tailored to suit the unique career goals of individuals.  This means that instead of focusing on just one industry or discipline, students may branch out into complementary areas that support their professional objectives.  For example,  a student who wants to build a career in real estate can blend in elective courses in finance, marketing, and even urban planning.  To find out more please visit the Academics section of our website.