RETURN ON EDUCATION: KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY’S EMBA

Q. How long have you been involved with the KSU EMBA programme, and what led you there?

I joined the faculty of KSU EMBA in January 2013, so it has been 10 years of teaching in the programme. I specifically focused on KSU in my search for a full-time teaching position at a university. At the time, I was living in Cooperstown, New York and had recently sold a business that my wife and I had owned and operated for seven years. We wanted to move from the upstate New York winters, and I had previously lived in the Metro Atlanta area for 20 years. In addition, my wife and I had most of our families living in Metro Atlanta, making returning to the area an easier decision. I received my MBA from KSU in 1991, and that experience left me with a positive impression of the university. My foray into teaching was somewhat happenstance. I was at a father-daughter dance and sat at a table with a dean from one of the local colleges in Cooperstown. After some discussion, he asked if I would be interested in teaching a class in financial accounting. I agreed to adjunct and taught the class. Immediately, I knew I wanted to teach full-time. Ironically, I was hoping to slow down and eliminate some of the stress of my practice. Teaching would give me the

“Our curriculum is designed to be instantly applicable in the workplace, starting from the first class weekend. This is one of the reasons we see such a high percentage of our students' receiving promotions at work before they even graduate.” opportunity to do that while passing along my passion for accounting and finance to the next generation.

Q. Tell us a little bit about your background. I understand you are a bit of an entrepreneur. The problem is my mind is always thinking about business, and I always seem to see an opportunity and decide to try something new. That is how all the companies I started began: I saw an unfilled need and started something to fill that need. I received my Bachelor of Science in Accounting from SUNY Oswego during the Stone Age and moved to the Atlanta area right after graduation. I began my career in the corporate environment working for a large national road construction company as a cost accountant. I had other corporate positions, including being a product line controller for a fortune 500 company, before I decided to venture out on my own. I started my first CPA practice in Woodstock, Georgia, in 1984. Throughout the years as a CPA, I consulted with many start-up businesses and launched quite a few myself. I have been a partner in a franchise restaurant concept as well as a collegiate league baseball team. I have been the sole owner or managing partner in multiple CPA firms in three states. When I moved from Southern California to Cooperstown, New York, I acquired a turnaround campground and started a residential real estate investment company. I still own a commercial real estate investment company, and my wife and I own and run a coworking space in one of our commercial buildings.

Q. You have recently taken over as the Executive Director of the programme. Given your other engagements, what made you decide to take on this additional responsibility?

Teaching in the EMBA programme at KSU has been the most rewarding work I have done in my career. It is exhilarating being in the classroom with mature, high-performing individuals wanting to learn and grow. The transformation of the students from the opening residency to their final presentation is amazing. Exit surveys and other feedback we receive from our graduates indicate a strong proven ROI, with more than 94% of our students reporting that the EMBA degree increased their value to their organisations. Graduates report the programme as a life-changing experience that builds their business acumen, leadership and teaming skills, enhances their career opportunities and builds confidence. It was for these reasons that when the Executive Director role became available, I was immediately interested. Building upon the foundation of success of this programme, I have a vision of how it will look in the future, and I am excited about implementing that vision.

Q. What are some of the unique aspects of your programme, and what are your plans for the future?

Our programme is known for its applied integrated curriculum, programme-long teaming, and emphasis on leadership and personal development. In addition, our “true weekend format”, with classes held on

Saturday and Sunday, approximately one weekend per month, allows our students to maintain their focus on their careers while obtaining the degree.

Our curriculum is designed to be instantly applicable in the workplace, starting from the first class weekend. This is one of the reasons we see such a high percentage of our students’ receiving promotions at work before they even graduate. During their last two semesters, our students have two unique opportunities to apply what they have learned in the programme. The first opportunity involves teams creating a business plan which is presented to the faculty and potential angel investors. While the primary objective of this assignment is for the teams to demonstrate what they have learned, we have had several successful businesses launched as a result. The second opportunity comes in the final semester when teams act as consultants for international businesses. These are real consulting projects, which are finalised in the home country of the international business and presented to the faculty and respective companies.

With respect to what the future holds, while I believe we have one of the best EMBA programmes around, business and technology continue to advance rapidly, and we must remain relevant. Upon assuming the Executive Director position, I immediately embarked upon a unit-by-unit curriculum review, and moving forward, I expect the curriculum review process to be more continuous rather than episodic.

Other initiatives include exploring different modalities of delivery to make the programme more accessible with some elements of online delivery, including a possible synchronous or hybrid format. We will also be looking at embedding certificates or badges within the programme, allowing for some level of specialisation.

Overall, I am very optimistic about the future of our space and the continued success of our programme. I’m looking forward to the Fall when we onboard our next class of students and watch them grow and excel over the next 19 months.

KSU EMBA SNAPSHOT (CLASS OF ‘24)

Average age: 44 44

Average work experience: 19 years

Average Management experience: 8 years

Percent female: 29

Biography

Thomas Devaney is the Executive Director of the EMBA Program and a Senior Lecturer of Accounting and Finance at the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

Institution

Kennesaw State is a comprehensive university located on two suburban campuses in Kennesaw and Marietta, northwest of metro Atlanta. As the third largest university in Georgia, Kennesaw State has nearly 43,000 students enroled in over 180 undergraduate, master’s, doctoral degree and certificate programmes.

Q. You offer an extensive range of specialisations for graduate students spanning international business and technology management through to tax consulting and project management. Was this driven by student demand, and do you think this makes your graduates more employable?

In response to the needs of the labour market, the Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT), listed as the best private university in Costa Rica according to the QS Latin America University Rankings, offers the Master in Project Management in its postgraduate portfolio, and the Master of Business Administration, the latter offering eight specialisations.

Ultimately, the labour market drives the programmes we offer, and today, postgraduate degrees are considered a 'must have' when it comes to professional performance. By completing one of our specialisations, students can acquire the skills they need and that the market demands.

It is also worth noting that ULACIT offers scholarships to international students.

Q. Whilst business administration tends to be the popular choice at the graduate level, have you found this to be the case at ULACIT?

Without a doubt! Our MBA with an emphasis on finance is one of the most sought-after by our students as we offer an updated programme, highly qualified professors, and state-of-the-art educational technology.

Q. Can you talk about the profile of your graduate students in regard to age, gender, and professional background?

Our students are very diverse; the most important thing for us is maturity, not age, although experience enriches the programme. Besides administrators, we have veterinarians, doctors, lawyers, and engineers; these are people who want to learn and take on the theory and practice of resource management.

Q. How much emphasis do you place upon leadership?

We focus on developing leadership and critical thinking among students as we know these are in-demand skills in the market.

Q. In terms of admission requirements, what do potential students need to consider?

For admission, potential students must present the following:

● University baccalaureate degree

● Professional experience

Q. When it comes to internationalisation, what can students expect?

ULACIT’s international programmes offer students multiple opportunities to study abroad and connect with other cultures and languages through alliances and agreements established with universities and organisations worldwide. Our students can carry out academic exchanges, double degrees, international professional internships, and Study & Travel programmes. Students interested in studying abroad as part of our academic exchange programme can choose from several universities in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Q. You offer a doctorate in business and economic sciences. Whom is this designed for, and what are the entry requirements and delivery options?

The doctorate is aimed at people with a master's degree in administration, economics, or accounting. Those who have a bachelor's degree in disciplines related to

Biography business sciences do so through a levelling programme.

The programme consists of ten courses, which last two months each, taught virtually or online by tutors from Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Spain.

To enrol, candidates must have the following:

● Certification of postgraduate qualifications if opting to validate courses within the levelling plan.

● Curriculum with extensive details of academic activities and any publications made.

● Any other document the candidate considers could contribute to their admission to the programme, such as letters of recommendation or references from third parties.

Q. What can current and potential students expect from ULACIT over the next 12 to 18 months?

ULACIT students can expect a quality education, professors committed to superior education, and the most reputable programmes in Costa Rica. We have been the best private university in Costa Rica for 12 years, and we are 18th in the world in employability outcomes, according to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

Employability is a fundamental pillar we've enjoyed in recent years, which has seen 98% of our students graduate with a job, and is the result of the effort our teaching and administrative team put in so that we continue leaving a legacy in Costa Rican education.

ULACIT has more than 35 years of experience in the academic field and has always stood out as a leader, providing a benchmark in terms of the quality of the careers it shapes, the technologies and teaching methodologies it employs, and the teaching panel it offers, which is not only of the highest calibre but also at the forefront of new and emerging trends. In addition, it is a university that promotes research, the study of practical cases, and teamwork, among other quality academic processes. In regards to the Postgraduate Department, we provide personalised attention, advice, and constant support to master's students and interested parties.