| Ted Holthaus: Regional Business
Manager - Central Life Sciences |
 For the past twenty years, I have had a goal of
getting my MBA to advance my career in international
business and to continue my commitment to life-long
learning.
The weekend cohort program at Wright State's Lake
Campus offered the perfect opportunity to keep up with my
aggressive travel schedule throughout my business
region. And I also had enough time to excel in my
MBA program. Meeting every other weekend in a
supportive, cohort environment helped me to maximize my
learning in each of my MBA classes. Taking a few
additional classes at the Dayton campus allowed me to
earn a dual-MBA degree. I would recommend Wright State's
MBA program to any business professional in any stage of
their career.
Ted was selected to speak at the Lake Campus, 2011 MBA
Graduation Ceremony.
Read excerpts from
his insightful speech. Highlights include: What does
it mean to earn an MBA? Where do we go from here? What is
the importance of the MBA degree to our careers?
Ted Holthaus, Regional Business Manager
Central Life Sciences
2011 MBA, Dual Concentrations in International Business;
Management, Innovation and Change
2011 Outstanding Graduate Student Award recipient,
Department of Management and International
Business
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| Belva M. Hodge : Director
of Operations - Anthrotech |
 I've been with my company over 26 years,
and I have wanted to obtain an MBA for at least 10 years. I
wanted to learn to be better prepared to handle the many
issues that a position in a small company entails. I also
felt I needed the credentials behind my title and position.
The timing was right and WSU met all my needs, both
financially and academically.
The WSU MBA weekend cohort program is perfect for someone
like myself who travels quite a bit for work, has a very
active family, and many other life commitments. The weekend
program allowed me to be able to focus on all those aspects
of my life. WSU is conveniently located and easily
accessible.
I would definitely recommend the weekend cohort program to
anyone, especially if you are like me and have been in the
work force for a long time and are worried about going back
to school. The students in these programs are in the same
boat. I just can't say enough about the professors I have
had, they are there to help you better yourself and learn
and apply this to your current workplace. Most of them have
been in the work force as well as in education for quite
some time. |
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| Amanda Wasem McMahon:
Consultant and Trainer |
 Wright State's MBA program gave me the
confidence to leave a job I was unhappy in and take a risk and start a new adventure on my own. I've gained knowledge and power through
the program's meaningful and rich learning
experiences both here and in Europe.
Dr. Dewett's "Managing
Creativity" class taught me the most because it
is not your average "sit and get" kind of lecture class. He
forces to think in ways that most managers you've had never
would. We need more professors like this. I learned how to
become a better manager and creative thinker and to become
excited about business again.
I traveled every other weekend from the Cleveland area
because I loved the cohort program so much. In the weekend
cohort, you get to know your classmates very well, you
network and you begin to count on each other and your
professors like a family. It's a learning style that is
unique and helps you grow as a professional as it supports
all areas of your life. It was well worth the trip. |
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| Angela Hampton: Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA Dayton) |
 Working as a civilian in government
contracting, I found the MBA concentration in Project
Management provided me with coursework in Fundamentals in
Project Management and Project Contract Management that
supplemented my career education, experience, and
skills. The professors teaching the courses in the
Project Management concentration have years of experience
working in the government or private sectors and they
incorporated their real world experience into our classroom
discussions, lectures, and assignments.
I found personal and professional growth to be the most
valuable aspect of the MBA program. The professors
worked with students balancing school, work, and family
life. And, the classrooms were filled with other
working professionals too. The part-time, full-time,
and weekend MBA program at various campus locations allows
students to select the best option in completing their
degree requirements. |
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| Damon Daniels: Technology
Engineer -The Kroger Co. |
 The greatest quality of Wright
State’s MBA program is its accreditation. This became
an essential factor as I narrowed my choice of
schools. Having an MBA from an accredited institution
that’s branded internationally speaks volumes to your
professional achievement and credibility. Wright State has
given me the business acumen and confidence to advance my
career opportunities that support and solidify my
leadership skills.
Pursuing a Masters of Business Administration
has always been a personal and professional
goal. Wright State's Raj Soin College of
Business offered me a quality education from an
accredited institution at an affordable rate. The day and
time of the weekend cohort worked well with my personal
life and professional career. It allowed me to maintain an
adequate workload with my employer, even taking on
additional responsibilities while maintaining the ability
to spend quality time with family. |
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| Kari Toth: Area Manager -
AT&T |
Getting my MBA from Wright State ’s Raj Soin College
of Business gave me a competitive edge in the job market
because I gained greater knowledge and versatility in all
aspects of strategic business management. I actually
recommended the program to my supervisor who took courses
alongside me. For my colleagues, I quite often encourage
them to invest in themselves and their futures by
continuing their education. WSU's MBA program offers
an affordable and flexible program that I am quite
confident fits most working professionals' schedule and
budget. |
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| Brent Ginn:
Research Scientist – J.M. Smucker
Company "Fortune Magazine's Top 100
Employers to Work For" |
 “Leading Teams and
Organizations” has been one of the most useful
classes that I have taken at Wright State’s weekend
MBA program. The course really strengthened my
leadership and management skills, and made me more
effective at leading and managing diverse teams.
I believe that as a PhD scientist in R&D, my MBA
gave me a business perspective that many scientists do
not have, or take many years to develop from
experience.
I chose Wright State ’s program because it is
focused on technology and innovation, and is offered on a
weekend basis which worked well with my schedule. I would
recommend the Raj Soin College of Business’s MBA
program to anyone. The professors are great, and
the program teaches valuable skills.
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Andy Blumberg: Manager Production Control -
Pioneer Automotive Technologies
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 With my background in Engineering and
Lean, I have always been a systems person. When I
was presented with the opportunity to lead a small team,
I jumped at it; but I knew I need to add some new tools
to my tool box. This program gave me those
tools. From new ways of looking at leadership with
Dr. Dewett, to understanding the impact of IT Systems
integration with Professor Hopkins, and gaining an
understanding of the building blocks of business, I've
learned essential leadership and business skills. I
have been able to bring new skills to my organization,
doing things with a new perspective and I am getting
results.
The Raj Soin College of Business weekend MBA was the
right program at the right time. It is a 15 minutes
door to door from my office and from my home. The
class format of alternating weekends allows me to
structure my time so that in addition to doing class
work; I still have time to travel of off
weekends. My wife and I had our fist child two weeks
before classes started. I completed my degree before
my son asked me to come outside and play.
I found my class mates to be diverse and
insightful. Each brings with them experience,
intelligence and an interest in learning.
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| Josh Brown:
Pricing Analyst - LexisNexis |
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 I believe an MBA from Wright State
will allowed me to gain a competitive advantage among
other candidates for future positions. The additional
knowledge that I have gained via the program coupled with
the strength of the Raj Soin College of Business is
definitely be beneficial to me when competing for a
promotion or a new position.
After extensive review of the other programs, I chose
Wright State based on the quality professors as well as
the manageable course schedule. The weekend program
was truly the best fit for me. Also, you cannot beat
the quality education you get for the reasonable price.
Other institutions charge much more for a program that is
this less convenient.
I really enjoyed the French Business and Society in
the Global Economy class in Paris over spring break. It
was an excellent program for individuals, like me that
don't travel internationally all that often. My
experiences allowed me to develop as a student, employee
and as a person. I learned almost as much in the
markets and cafes interacting with people as I did in the
classroom.
I recommend the weekend program every time I get the
opportunity. I have a few people on my team at work, that
are always very excited to ask first thing on Monday
morning what I did in class over the weekend. It is
interesting to see that they are this excited to hear my
stories and hear what new information I learned over the
weekend.
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| Roger Fenner:
Director Command & Control Center - Siemens |
I really see getting my MBA as essential to advancing
my employment status. My undergraduate work was in a
technical field and I have in that area. Having my MBA
extended the versatility in my skill set and created
options for employment outside of my current field. For
example, “Survey of Accounting” has been very
valuable to me. I'm now able to read
and understand my company's financial statements
which helps me better plan and prepare to meet our
corporate challenges.
I chose the Raj Soin College of Business weekend MBA
program because it provided me the flexibility I needed
because of travel requirements for my job. Additionally,
the competitive price of the program, while providing
outstanding academic excellence, was a large
attraction.
I regularly recommend this program to my co-workers
and friends. Meeting only every other week allows
you to have, at least a lit bit of a life. Don't get
me wrong. The requirements are tough and the
workload is strenuous. However, with one full week
between classes, I can focus on my MBA assignments and
get the optimal return from efforts and the excellent
faculty who teach in the program.
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Beth Pepper: Senior Client Sales and Marketing Leader - Alliance Data
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The Wright State Weekend MBA Program has
afforded me the opportunity to broaden my professional
network, learn from professors with real business
experience and attend classes on weekends for a better
work/life balance.
I chose Raj Soin College of Business because of the
value that an MBA from WSU provides and also for the
convenience of taking weekend courses. I also really
enjoy the every-other weekend schedule; I travel a lot
for work so it would have been difficult to commit to
regular week day classes.
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Cheryl Spillman: Assistant to the Director, The Center for Excellence in Human-Centered Innovation, Wright State University
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I chose the WSU MBA cohort program because I am a big-believer in collaborative teamwork and helping others. As a student in the Project Management track I have been most impressed with the exposure to industry experts and members of the Project Management Institute. Dr. Baker arranges for guest speakers from a vast array of industries such as data warehousing, manufacturing, government, and construction to visit our classes weekly. Each speaker brings practical experience and real-life examples to the forefront and also takes time to answer students' questions in-depth. The speakers not only share their successes but also narratives of setbacks and lessons learned. I can think of no other MBA program with a Project Management track which stresses the importance of creating and cultivating industry relationships with proven, successful program managers.
My position at the Ohio Center of Excellence for Human-Centered Innovation at Wright State University allows me to help create, support and facilitate multi-disciplinary research teams. I work with Dr. Jennie Gallimore, Director of the Center, more than 60 affiliates, numerous community partners, and dozens of graduate students. With a multitude of projects to manage, every day is different, exciting, and allows me to help others. As a result of my experience in the MBA cohort program, I am more prepared to add business value to research teams that are solving global problems and producing innovations that have a clear human impact. My MBA coursework has also helped our teams ensure that we are cognizant of excellence in project management in every undertaking for the Center.
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