Two Questions ODU. My occasional post with a business school dean, where I ask two questions.
On Friday, November 11, 2022 I met with Kenneth B. Kahn, Ph.D., Dean at Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business. After hearing about his plans for the Strome College of Business including improving student services, the in-person classroom experience, the online MBA, and his interests in the Strome Entrepreneurial Center, I asked him two questions.
Here are my two questions for ODU and his replies.
Question 1: Why Invest in yourself for a graduate business degree at ODU?
The three levels of university degrees give you different answers to these business questions. The undergrad degree answers the “what do I need to know” about business. The MBA degree trains you to be a manager in order to answer the “how do I address this challenge?” question. The Ph.D. answers the “why” question. The graduate business degree elevates your undergrad degree and opens doors for you. “Work experience is valuable” said Dean Kahn, “but experience plus an MBA is not additive it is multiplicative”.
Question 2: Main tip for being successful in graduate school?
For MBA and Ph.D. students the key is to come open minded. Education is not a transaction. It is a relationship of the individual, the learning experiences in a co-curricular experience. This builds a relationship with your peers and the faculty. “Learning is a social endeavor so be open minded to it,” said Dean Kahn.
Many thanks to Dean Kahn for meeting with me!
Butch M. Sarma is an alumni of ODU BA ’85 and MBA ’91. Go Monarchs!