SUU MBA Program Holds First-Ever Student Retreat
Published: September 30, 2023 | Author: Mary Amateis | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University welcomed students to attend the first-ever MBA Student Retreat last weekend. The retreat kicked off with a welcome from the MBA Director, Nathan McNamee. Students had the opportunity to tour the campus with their families for the first time and the opportunity to hear from the panel of MBA faculty, where they could meet their professors in person and ask questions. The two-day itinerary also included seminars on networking opportunities, leadership and career development, keynote speaker Dave Checketts, and even breaks for a campus scavenger hunt and a Utah Shakespeare Festival play.
“It was wonderful to host so many online and on-campus students for the retreat,” said McNamee. “I enjoyed seeing them become more connected with our beautiful SUU campus, with their amazing professors, and most especially with their fellow students. I can’t wait for next year's retreat.”
Students were given complimentary SUU MBA t-shirts, notebooks, lanyards and water bottles on their way into the ballroom on Friday to network and socialize with their professors and other students. The event was also catered by two local restaurants for lunch and dinner across the two days and included tickets to the USF production of “Emma”, which gave students an all-inclusive experience.
The MBA was honored to have Dave Checketts, a sports entertainment executive and Managing Partner of Checketts Partners Investment Management, as the keynote speaker for the retreat. Checketts spoke to students on the different characteristics of a championship team in the context of business and sports, drawing connections between successful sports franchises and how students can become successful individuals and professionals.
A student favorite was the leadership panel, which consisted of CFO and VP of Finance, Mary Pearson, Greg Powell, Department Chair of Management & Hospitality, Megen Ralphs; VP of Business Systems at Align Precision, and Scott Bauman, gymnastics head coach, with Interim Dean Ken Hall as the moderator. The panel gave an open discussion on leadership development in personal and professional spaces and offered students the opportunity to ask follow-up questions.
“It’s really cool to feel like a part of something,” said Jaimie Mortenson, an MBA student attending the retreat. “It’s been helpful in building my confidence so that I can go into a business setting and feel comfortable, confident, and know what’s going on.”
The MBA program holds the retreat to give students a chance to connect with peers, for online students to meet with faculty, and to facilitate relationships and connections that will carry beyond graduation. The program is unique in that it offers students with families–who make up the majority of MBA students–a great work-life balance. Students have the opportunity to build their own schedule with options such as entirely online or on-campus, the ability to choose how many courses per semester, and even the option to take a seven-week break from classes if needed. All the while striving to give students a solid foundation and prepare them to be talented business leaders. The student retreat is just one example of the benefits that come with being a part of SUU’s MBA program.
Join us for next year's retreat by registering for the MBA Program.
Tags: CurStu School of Business MBA
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