By carving out a strong Internet presence, the Tech MBA program connects with students far beyond the walls of the classroom.
In the past year, the Tech MBA program has established a vibrant identity in the world of online social media. A blog, the MBA Experience at Michigan Tech, offers an in-depth view of the program, and pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, two popular networking sites, spark conversations among students, alumni, faculty, and staff. A lively Twitter account serves up instant bites of news, useful information, and inspiration.
Ruth Archer, director of graduate business programs, launched the Tech MBA into the fast-moving realm of social media last year and contributes to the program’s various online endeavors. She learned how to jump into the online domain by taking a class offered by adjunct lecturer Hajj E. Flemings as part of the Michigan Tech Enterprise Program.
With Twitter and other social media tools, Archer is speaking the language of current and prospective MBA students, whose use of the web in their professional lives continues to increase.
“I have a lot of fun with Twitter,” Archer said. “One MBA student who follows me said that other MBA students who aren’t reading my tweets are really missing out. That was nice to hear.”
Archer also created a LinkedIn page for MBA alumni, so graduates can share professional contacts, job opportunities, and other career resources. (LinkedIn hosts a group for all Michigan Tech alumni, as well.)
“LinkedIn is an easy way to stay in touch with people,” Archer said.
“Mastering social media is vital for students currently working toward their MBAs,” Archer said. During a series of Professional Development Seminars, Tech MBA students learn valuable online skills, including creating a LinkedIn page, establishing a professional online presence on the web, and creating a visual résumé.
“In most MBA programs, you just take classes and complete projects. That’s not what our MBA is all about,” Archer said. “Our program is about curriculum and accreditation, of course, but it’s also about professional development and networking. Those skills are just as critical.”
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
