Executive coaching sets the W. P. Carey MBA apart

An MBA program deepens your knowledge, builds new skills, and makes you a more effective leader. But there are things you can’t learn in a classroom, development that could help you go a long way in your career that you may not have access to over a two-year program.That’s why the W. P. Carey School developed Executive Connections.

An MBA program deepens your knowledge, builds new skills, and makes you a more effective leader. But there are things you can’t learn in a classroom, development that could help you go a long way in your career that you may not have access to over a two-year program.

That’s why the W. P. Carey School of Business developed Executive Connections. Each Full-time MBA student is paired with a senior executive for the duration of the program. Think of them as your personal coach, whose expertise and insight rounds out an immersive MBA experience.

“One of the great experiences of the W. P. Carey MBA program was having real discussions with my executive coach about not only my goals but also my struggles,” says Full-time MBA student Zuzana Hruba. “Hearing that he went through similar challenges, and getting suggestions from him on how to deal with my own, has been very helpful."

Develop your strengths

Executive Connections coaches bring decades of experience to our Full-time MBA students, providing individualized leadership development focused on critical core competencies:

• Influencing
• Communicating effectively
• Adaptability
• Execution
• Decision-making with integrity
• Emotional intelligence

Shelby Yastrow, retired general counsel and executive vice president of McDonald’s Corp., believes the program is a real difference maker for MBA students. "I am convinced that the Executive Connection program is extremely worthwhile — not only to the students but also to me,” he explains. “All of the coaches have achieved success in the business world and bring talent and experience that provide invaluable insight to the students. I only wish that I had access to this kind of mentoring when I was starting my career.”

Learn from top business leaders

Because each executive-in-residence brings a wealth of unique strengths to the program, their interactions with students aren’t limited to one-on-one chats about a topic or problem. The coaches assist Full-time MBA students with:

• Leadership coaching
• Mentoring
• Applied projects
• Career preparation
• Class activities

According to Zuzana, her transformation through Executive Connections isn’t just about identifying areas for improvement.

"My executive coach has been great at picking up on my strengths. He showed me how to use them to my advantage and how to further develop them, helping me become a better leader,” she says.

Take the next step

Discover the difference Executive Connections can make in your MBA experience, and find out how to apply to the W. P. Carey Full-time MBA program.