Mays Business School’s Executive, Professional, and Full-time MBA program have been recognized as a “Top Tier” MBA in North America by CEOMagazine’s Global Ranking 2017, published by the International Graduate Forum (IGF). The Mays Executive MBA program has been listed under the Tier One ranking for Executive MBA programs globally.
The CEO Magazine Global MBA Rankings are compiled based upon key performance indicators considered to be of interest and value to potential students: the learning environment, class sizes, tuition fees, faculty, delivery methods, international diversity, gender make-up and more. The objective of the rankings is to identify schools that marry exceptional quality with great return on investment.
The Mays MBA program was previously recognized by Bloomberg Businessweek and Forbes as a Top 10 public program in the country. The Executive MBA has been consistently recognized by Financial Times among the very best Executive MBA programs nationally and globally.
The complete CEO Magazine Global MBA Rankings 2017 can be viewed in the latest edition of CEO Magazine or online on the magazine’s new website http://goo.gl/l0LM4I
The Mays Executive MBA and Professional MBA programs are offered at CityCentre in Houston, while the Full-Time MBA is based on the main Texas A&M University campus in College Station.
Mays finance professor Arvind Mahajan is one of 10 professors across Texas to receive the Piper Professor Awards this year.
Since 1958, these awards have recognized educators in the state of Texas who exhibit superior teaching. Recipients are selected by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation on the basis of nominations submitted by each college or university in Texas.
Mahajan was recognized at the Mays Business School commencement and at the spring faculty/staff meeting within Mays.
He is the first Mays faculty member to receive the award in more than two decades. The late marketing Professor Jeffrey Conant received it in 1994.
Mahajan said he finds it hard to articulate the level of pride he feels about receiving the award. “I was quite excited to be nominated by the university and humbled to be selected at the state level,” he said. “There is nothing in higher education that is bigger than this.”
A year ago, Mahajan was named a Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence for Texas A&M, and was recognized at commencement.
Mays Dean Eli Jones said he is proud of Mahajan, and that he considers him deserving of the honor. “Dr. Mahajan is one of our most tireless colleagues – always willing to do what is needed to take our students to the next level and to advance the business school’s progress,” he said. “This level of recognition is rare, and long-lasting, as he will retain this and the Presidential Professor titles for the remainder of his career.”
Mahajan has taught at multiple levels in the areas of international finance and corporate finance. He developed and taught one of the first doctoral-level seminar on international finance in the U.S., and has taught various MBA, Executive MBA and undergraduate-level courses.
At Texas A&M University, Mahajan serves as associate dean for graduate programs for Mays Business School. Additionally, he is the Texas A&M University System Regents Professor, Lamar Savings Professor of Finance and director of the CFA Institute Partnership Program.
Mahajan received his Ph.D. from Georgia State University in 1980, an MBA from the University of Scranton in 1975, and a Bachelor’s of Commerce (Honors) degree from the University of Delhi in 1972.
Each semester, the Center for Retailing Studies (CRS) hosts 15-20 industry leaders for the Executive Professor Speaker Series, designed to connect retail students with working professionals as guest lecturers.
“Visiting executives share their personal experiences with students and promote career opportunities within their companies,” said Lauren Osborne ’05, program manager.
“Hearing first-hand from our speakers is the highest-rated learning experiences by our students as they incorporate what they learn from their coursework.”
A group of Mays Business School students attended the annual New York City Market Tour, which the Center for Retailing Studies hosts, immersing students in business tours and dynamic cultural experiences they cannot get in Central Texas.
Open to the M.B. Zale Leadership Scholars and members of the Student Retailing Association, this one-of-a-kind spring break travel opportunity provides students aspiring to careers in retail a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world’s greatest brands and retail flagship stores in Manhattan.
“In preparation, I thought about all the different versions of the city that I had seen from sitcoms and movies and had high expectations going in,” said Allison McGraw ’19. “New York blew my expectations out of the park!”
Mays Business School recognized 24 graduates on May 10 with the Martha Loudder Medal of Excellence. Named for Mays Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Accounting Professor Marty Loudder, the medal recognizes students who intentionally engage in their educations in and out of the classroom, and who engage in the reflective portfolio process to maximize their learning.
To be eligible for the medal, students first participate in a minimum of three high-impact experiences such as a peer educator position, an internship, or a learning community. Each student then completes a comprehensive learning portfolio, which includes self-awareness exercises and reflections on key experiences like those above.
The portfolio is showcased on a personal website, and serves as the final selection criterion for the Loudder Medal. Reviewers look for comprehensiveness, depth, and clear connections among stories, lessons learned, and future goals. Loudder Medal honoree Coryne Levine ’17 summarized it well: “Your portfolio is meant to be a reflection of who you are as a person and how you have grown throughout your undergraduate experience.”
Some Mays MBA graduates answer the question: “How has your MBA program help you see new opportunities and achieve your career goals?”
The Mays Executive and Professional MBA Programs are held in Mays’ Houston CityCentre complex.
The Executive MBA Program is ranked in Financial Times (2016): 1st public in Texas, 1st in salaries among Texas public schools, 1st in work experience among Texas public schools,8th U.S. public and 19th in U.S. overall. The Professional MBA Program is a rigorous 22-month program designed for working professionals who want to immediately apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to their jobs.
Mays also offers a Full-Time MBA program at the Texas A&M University’s main campus in College Station.
Executive MBA, Class of 2017
Kayvan Zarea, Development Partner, Hanover Company
“The Mays MBA program was a highly transformative journey on both personal and professional levels. I expected professional growth but was surprised by the personal growth. I learned things about myself that no one can take away from me. Disaster City was a very insightful experience in which all of your strengths and weaknesses are immediately exposed for you and your team to analyze. It was instrumental in identifying strengths that I was unaware of, and quickly highlighted weaknesses that need further development.”
The Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees on Thursday recognized Alice and Erle Nye ’59, Susanne and Melbern Glasscock ’59, and Kay ’02 and Jerry Cox ’72 as recipients of the Sterling C. Evans Medal. The award is the Foundation’s highest honor.
Collectively, these couples have donated millions of dollars to scholarships, student development, faculty support, sports programs and academic innovation. They have also devoted their time to committees and boards that have shaped the recent course of Texas A&M University, ensuring its place in the top tier of national universities.
Recipients of the Evans Medal support Texas A&M through demonstrated philanthropy, volunteerism and leadership. Their devotion to Texas A&M and desire to motivate others to strengthen the university encapsulate the spirit of the medal’s namesake, Sterling C. Evans, who was a visionary among Aggie philanthropists.
For nearly two decades, the Foundation’s trustees have selected annual recipients of the award. To be selected, recipients must demonstrate a long-term commitment to Texas A&M.
“The three couples selected this year for this prestigious honor have each earned a seat at the table through their incredible generosity and selfless service to advancing Texas A&M,” said Bill Toler, chairman of the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees. “This university is very lucky to have such passionate advocates as the Nyes, the Glasscocks and the Coxes.”
Alice and Erle Nye ’59 The love Alice and Erle feel for Texas A&M was passed down by their fathers, who were both Aggie veterinarians.
“Our parents were friends, so we’ve known each other a long time,” said Alice.
While Alice attended North Texas University for her teaching degree, Erle earned a Texas A&M degree in electrical engineering and a law degree from Southern Methodist University.
After receiving his education, Erle began an illustrious career in energy and utilities. In 2004, he retired as CEO of TXU Corp., the state’s largest publicly held utility company, and now serves as its chairman emeritus.
“I know I didn’t get here by myself. I know people helped me. If you see a turtle sitting on a fencepost, you know that turtle didn’t get up there by himself,” he said.
In recognition of Texas A&M’s role in his life, the Dallas-based Nyes began to give back to the university financially and with their time. Erle has served on a host of boards and committees, including the 12th Man Foundation Champions Council, the College of Engineering’s Advisory Council and the Corps of Cadets Development Committee. For 12 years, he also served as a regent for the university system. The couple has funded scholarships and contributed to building funds, such as the renovation of the Memorial Student Center.
In 2005, the Nyes created the Erle Nye ’59 Chair for Engineering Excellence in the College of Engineering. At $2 million, the endowment is one of the college’s largest for faculty.
The achievement that means the most to them, however, is the Alice and Erle Nye ’59 Academic Center, part of the Bright Football Complex. The 24-hour academic center provides tutors, learning labs, study areas and laptops for more than 600 student athletes on campus.
“People say we’re generous, but I say we’re just paying a debt,” Erle said. “I clearly benefited from a great education, and my experience at Texas A&M affected me and my family more profoundly than I can say. I feel we owe the university more than we can ever pay.”
Susanne and Melbern Glasscock.
Susanne and Melbern Glasscock ’59 As a recipient of a scholarship while at Texas A&M, Mel Glasscock understood first-hand how it felt to have someone else’s generosity influence his education. Because of this, the Glasscocks have focused on funding scholarships for students who are the first in their families to attend college, like Mel.
After serving in the Air Force, Mel began a career in the oil industry and eventually founded Texas Aromatics LP, a petrochemical marketing firm. He also served on the 12th Man Foundation Champions Council, the One Spirit One Vision campaign executive committee and the board of trustees for the Texas A&M Foundation
Because of the Houston couple’s interest in the humanities, they established the Melbern C. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research at Texas A&M, which awards grants and fellowships in the humanities and sponsors lecture series and other events. The Glasscocks believe the humanities are particularly important for engineering and science majors. They also created the Susanne M. Glasscock Humanities Book Prize for Interdisciplinary Scholarship, awarded annually to a U.S. faculty member who publishes a scholarly work in the humanities.
“The humanities lead us to think about why, not just the how,” said Susie. “Humanities make us human.”
The couple’s most recent gift to the university is the Texas A&M Foundation Trustees’ Outstanding Student Award. As he was finishing his term as a trustee for the Foundation, Mel created a fund that allows the trustees to annually award a graduating senior $2,500 as a boost for their next phase of life. Recipients are primarily judged on their achievements, but must have overcome personal or family financial challenges.
“Our lives have shown how education can set someone on a journey of friendship and achievement,” said Mel.
Kay ’02 and Jerry Cox
Kay ’02 and Jerry Cox ’72 Jerry Cox, former president of Cox & Perkins Exploration Inc., earned a bachelor’s in finance, following in the footsteps of his father Truman ’44, who played football at Texas A&M. When Kay attended Texas A&M for an advanced degree, she was driven by a family tradition and a powerful dream.
“Pure and simple, I wanted an Aggie ring,” she exclaimed. “I had always wanted to be an ‘official’ member of the Aggie family, and now I have that ’02 after my name. As an added benefit, I received the best master of science degree in educational psychology there is.”
As Jerry built his career—first as a financial analyst in New York and later as the founder and president of his own company, Cox & Perkins Exploration Inc.—the couple has faithfully given back to Texas A&M. Jerry is a past president of the 12th Man Foundation, a former co-chairman of the One Spirit One Vision campaign executive committee and a former trustee of the Texas A&M Foundation.
Jerry has also given support and counsel in searches for top administrative positions, from university president to head football coach. In addition, he is proud of his involvement with Breakaway, a non-denominational weekly Bible study group on Texas A&M’s campus.
While the Coxes’ efforts at Texas A&M have been broad, much of their impact can be seen at Mays Business School, where they have contributed generously and served countless volunteer hours. A fund to support the Business Honors Program gave a huge leg up to students in the program, and one of Mays’ buildings bears their name: The Jerry and Kay Cox Hall. Acknowledging the importance of strong faculty, the Houston couple also created the Jerry and Kay Cox Endowed Chair in the business school. He also serves on the Mays Dean’s Advisory Board.
“We don’t just want to move up in the rankings. We want to impact the business community,” said Jerry. “It’s not enough to just be successful in the business world. As Aggies, it’s not only our knowledge, but also our values and integrity that set us apart.”
The Strategic Philanthropy class at Mays awarded $100,000 to nonprofits — double what was given the first year. Students gave gifts ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to eight nonprofits at a celebration on May 3.
Kyle Gammenthaler, lecturer and Coordinator of Social Impact Initiatives at Mays, described at the event in Wehner 113 (Ray Auditorium) the various ways philanthropy can be put into action: “We happened to give away $100,000 tonight, but your time and talents are often equally, if not more, valuable. My hope is that this experience has given you the confidence to find your place within the nonprofit community and take a step towards having an impact in your community.”
On Friday, April 28, Texas A&M University held a grand opening event for a new entrepreneurship program – Blackstone LaunchPad – with tours of their studio space and the unveiling of their mobile office space.
During the event, remarks were made by Mays Business School Dean Eli Jones, Blackstone LaunchPad at Texas A&M Director Don Lewis, Blackstone LaunchPad Global Director Alisha Slye, and Blake Teipel of Essentium Materials.
Student entrepreneurs spoke about their journeys through entrepreneurship thus far and their excitement to have Blackstone LaunchPad as another entrepreneurial touchpoint on campus. The program showcased the Blackstone LaunchPad studio space in the Koldus building (Suite 105), a permanent location to conduct meetings and mentorship sessions, and a mobile kiosk, which is a traveling office used to increase the accessibility of entrepreneurship on campus.
Mays recognized faculty, staff, and Ph.D. students at the May 2 Faculty/Staff meeting.
– Staff STAR Performer Awards: Valerie Brown (MS-HRM), Angela Catlin (DEAN’S), Shannon Deer (MBA), Pam Harper (FINC), Courtney Hranicky (CED), Molly Painter (MAYS Communications), Chris Potter (ACCT), Tyson Reddic (MAYS IT) and Donna Shumaker (INFO)
– The Association of Former Students 2017 Distinguished Achievement Awards: Henry Musoma (CIBS) for Student Relations, Veronica Stilley (INFO) for Staff, Wendy Boswell (MGMT) for Research, and Connie Weaver (ACCT) for Teaching
– President’s Award for Academic Advising: Casey Kyllonen (PPA)
– Promotion and Tenure, Full Professor with Tenure: Haipeng (Allen) Chen (MKTG) and Subodha Kumar (INFO)…Read more