Getting connected in the W. P. Carey EMBA

Connections are incredibly valuable to have in the business world. But in the real world, the valuable ones are an incredibly rare find. That’s why fostering connections is a core part of the W. P. Carey Executive MBA program, understanding that no number of sporadic connections can match the value of even a single cohort relationship that's built over time. A cohort-driven curriculum enables you to make significant connections by working with fellow business leaders to solve relevant business challenges. You'll exchange unique skills and knowledge, expand your perspective, and gain a broadened toolkit to engineer business success.

So when everything's said and done, your team in the classroom becomes an extension of your team in the boardroom.

Add in students from other MBA platforms, faculty, alumni, guest speakers, and corporate partners, and your network has grown into a massive resource hub, made up of thought leaders with diverse experience and expertise. It's a network that Kimothy Taylor has leveraged on multiple occasions since graduating with his W. P. Carey Executive MBA in 2013. "I ended up hiring three people from my class, and another one from the program, so four different people that I met there," he says. "And when I needed a CFO, I called one of the CFOs in my class and she helped me find my current CFO."

Kimothy says the education he gained through the EMBA program has been valuable on its own, but the connections he made while an EMBA student have significantly expanded his professional resources. “If you look at the process of being connected not just to other people with MBAs, but other thought leaders in all kinds of different industries … that’s pretty powerful,” he says. “You can tap into a direct connection’s skills and knowledge, their buddy’s skills and knowledge, and so on. When you need something, one of the 50 folks in your class probably knows someone. Combining that with the skills and knowledge of more than 90,000 alums, you’re way ahead of the game.”

Kimothy recently joined current Executive MBA students on campus for EMBA Connections, an annual event connecting first- and second-year EMBA students with one another and alumni. 

“It was nice being able to talk to the year one and year two folks, and give them a little bit of insight on what to expect,” he says. “That was valuable to me when I was in the program, especially when we turned the corner from year one to year two, and started losing steam. It was really neat to meet people who had graduated from the program, and see that they were still excited about it even two or three years later.”

Events like EMBA Connections are just one of the ways the W. P. Carey School supports strong network growth in and across its MBA programs. “Part of the value of the W. P. Carey MBA are the significant opportunities you have to connect with and meet individuals that you wouldn’t otherwise,” says Joan Brett, associate professor in the W. P. Carey Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. “Who knows — even a spouse or partner of one of your classmates might end up being a valuable connection.”

Discover powerful connections with ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business.