20130225-NEWS--19-NAT-CCI-CL_--
2/21/2013
1:52 PM
Page 1
FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2013
CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 19
WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM
HIGHER EDUCATION
Oberlin gets down to business with Scholars program By KIMBERLY BONVISSUTO clbfreelancer@crain.com
When companies go in search of leaders, the job description usually includes “critical thinker,” “creative problem solver” or “great communicator.” But there are some who believe traditional business schools can be too narrow in focus, failing to challenge students to question the status quo, think creatively or effectively communicate at varying levels. Indeed, a 2011 study from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching — “Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: Liberal Learning for the Professions” — concluded that integrating liberal arts into the business curriculum creates intelligent, ethically grounded leaders. Ten years ago, when Stewart A. Kohl and Béla Szigethy, co-CEOs of private equity firm The Riverside Co., funded the inaugural Oberlin Business Scholars Program at Oberlin College, one of their aims was to draw more of that liberal arts school’s students into business. The month-long winter program immerses participants in an intense series of workshops and site visits, teaching students the intricate workings of mergers and acquisitions, hedge funds and venture capital, as well as accounting, consulting and public relations. Mr. Kohl said he and Mr. Szigethy recognized there was a perception that an Oberlin graduate did not have the same knowledge access to the business world as other schools. “We felt the Business Scholars program was a very tangible way to address that,” he said, adding that it also provided a way to nurture the interests of high-quality liberal arts students in business. “At the start of it, we thought the world would be better off if more Oberlin-type students ended up in business. They have a background in critical thinking and also a prospering set of values to live their lives,” Mr. Kohl said. “We had a feeling that would be a good thing for business. It would also be a very good thing for Oberlin if we changed the perception some people have — that if you go to a school like Oberlin, you are disadvantaged.”
Kohl
Szigethy
could explain in plain terms what they did every single day,” she said. “My eyes lit up about investment banking. I didn’t really appreciate what the job entailed.” After working at Bear Stearns and Riverside in New York, and
obtaining her MBA from Harvard Business School, Miss White ventured out on her own by starting Bookalokal.com, a food and travel startup headquartered in New York. She has not forgotten her roots, volunteering nearly every year since graduation to participate in the Business Scholars program. She said the Oberlin connections and the mentoring the Business Scholars program fostered elevated her to where she is today. “The Business Scholars program created almost like a mini business school network within Oberlin,” Miss White said.
Learning curves Dana Perry, executive vice president and chief financial officer of advertising agency BBDO New York, is a 1983 graduate of Oberlin. Although the Business Scholars program was not in place when he was a student, he sees it as a great way for companies to gain access to “bright kids” and a way to give back to his alma mater. He has hosted the program, used Oberlin students as interns and hired graduates. “People that go to classic business schools are very good at the technical part of business —
accounting and finance,” Mr. Parry said. “The Oberlin graduates can learn that, and in addition to problem solving skills, that goes a long way.” Richard T. Berman, director of the Oberlin Career Center, said while there is not a large mass of Oberlin alumni who go into the business and finance, those who do a “very accomplished as they approach mid-career and beyond.” “They’ve done well and done well by doing good, whether it’s socially responsible investing or just the way they do private equity work,” he said. ■
Mini business school network Mr. Kohl, of Shaker Heights, and Mr. Szigethy, of New York, both 1977 Oberlin graduates, continue to share their experiences with Oberlin students through the Business Scholars program, which is funded through alumni donations. About 10 to 15 students are accepted annually. This year, 12 students and more than 40 alumni volunteers participated in programs in Oberlin, New York and Chicago as it celebrated its 10th anniversary. Since its start, 150 students have graduated from the program. Evelyne White, who went through the inaugural program, said she explored internships in various fields, including music, law and government, but hadn’t found a niche. When someone suggested a career in consulting, she applied for the Business Scholars Program. For Miss White, it was a lifechanging decision. She said the program provided her with her first overview of opportunities available in business. “It got us in front of people who
THIS IS ENGAGED LEARNING csuohio.edu
CSU ranks #2 in the nation for Fulbright Scholars This year 5 more CSU faculty members were named Fulbright Scholars, nearly 50 in less than a decade. The result? A global gateway connecting Cleveland State to the world.