JAIMIE FRANKLIN
News Assistant
The Education to Business program offered in the core curriculum at Pepperdine’s graduate business school offers free consulting to real companies facing real problems, giving MBA students valuable and rare experience in the business world.
Recently featured in The New York Times, the program is nationally renowned for connecting students with major corporations, providing them the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom.
Education to Business (E2B) was developed four years ago by Professor Doreen Shanahan, who came to Pepperdine after more than 20 years of working in the business world, including a position as vice president of The Coca-Cola Company.
“Students are gaining experience, mentorship, and feedback real time—from senior management,” Shanahan said. The class was designed to do just that; it applies theory in real time.
During one of the first class meetings, senior executives from the selected company meet with the students and present a complex problem their company is facing. Students are then divided into four to six teams, depending on class size. Throughout the remainder of the class, each team works independently to develop a coherent and realistic plan that they present to the executives at the end of the term.
According to Shanahan, this competition model is unique to Pepperdine.
Pepperdine has partnered with major companies in the past, including Starbucks Coffee Company, Warner Brothers, Facey Medical, The Coca-Cola Company and others.
This term, E2B students advising MGM Grand on how to increase casino revenues, the multi-national outsourcing agency PeopleSupport on organizational change and a smaller company Shelley Automotive Group on expansion in wholesale auctions.
Usually, 8 to 13 projects are developed per semester.
“We include small, midsize and large multi-national companies that represent the broadest range of industry and breadth in terms of size,” Shanahan said.
Testimonials on the E2B Web site feature praise from participants
“The Pepperdine E2B program exceeded Hurley’s expectations,” Chance King said, vice president of strategic planning at Hurley International. “They delivered fresh and insightful approaches to strategically capitalize on our opportunities as well as challenging us to think outside the box.”
But the greatest benefits are for students.
“You’re working with a business, not getting theoretical book knowledge,” MBA candidate Michael Lapean said. “The class allows you to hone your skills and determine what level of quality work you need [in the business world].”
MBA candidate David Parker agrees in his testimonial from the E2B Web site.
“It’s very gratifying to get instant feedback from a real company,” he said. “As a business student, much of the time you are dealing with hypothetical issues. In this course, we’ve been able to apply theory to a real-world situation and have it validated because the results are meaningful to the company.”
Professors also recognize the value of real-world application when teaching students business theories.
“The hard part of marketing is learning how to make decisions to help companies within their many constraints,” said professor Carol Gwin. “It forces students into decision-making mode. They have to make decisions the same way they would in a company.”
The projects serve to improve teaching methodology as well.
“The program helps me understand how students are learning with the chance to see their ability to apply something,” professor of management Otis Baskin said. “If its not going as well as it should, I can adjust things as we go along.”
Professors also frequently refer to their class projects during lectures, bringing to life hard facts and ideas.
“As a professor, when you’re talking about concrete theory, it doesn’t resonate or connect until you demonstrate what [students] can do with it,” Shanahan said.
Ultimately, the program will continue to increase the prestige of a Pepperdine diploma.
“Anecdotally, students gain advancements, interviews, and jobs because they have more to display in their portfolios,” Shanahan said.
11-02-2006
