We spoke with Dean Andy Boynton at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. His interview is just one part of our Direct from the Dean interview series, which features deans from top MetroMBA schools.
Andy Boynton is the John and Linda Powers Family Dean of the Carroll School of Management and a graduate of Boston College in 1978 where he received a bachelor’s degree. He then received his MBA and Ph.D. at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business in Chapel Hill. Before joining Boston College, Dean Boynton served on the faculty of various prestigious universities around the world, including the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne Switzerland. Dean Boynton has also served as faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business, and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
As dean of the Carroll School of Management, Andy Boynton has embraced the motto “Ever to Excel,” and believes it captures the spirit of the school. We spoke with Dean Boynton about how he is planning to propel Carroll School forward within Boston and beyond. Boston College is a top-tier national research and teaching university. This fall Dean Boynton is excited to welcome 15 new full-time faculty members who will only enhance the global reach of the Carroll School.
MetroMBA: What is the one area of your MBA program that you wish prospective applicants knew more about?
Andy Boynton: In today’s hyper-competitive business environment, students need the skills to step into a job and do it well right away. Students also need to stand out amongst the competition—to add real value and innovate in ways that help everyone. Boston College helps students to do this.
The Boston College brand is strong. It is a name employers respect. Our MBA program is designed to make students “practice-ready.” Our Career Development team has a deep understanding of the skills employers are looking for. We take a nimble approach to our curriculum. We are always adding new courses that focus on what students need to learn today to step in and hit the ground running on day one.
MetroMBA: In the Boston Metro area, what sets Carroll School of Management at Boston College graduate management education offerings apart from those of other schools. Basically, if someone is looking to go to business school in Boston, why should they look here?
Andy Boynton: Boston College is a top-tier national research and teaching university with global reach and deep Boston roots. Our faculty members are renowned scholars and amazing teachers. Our alumni are leaders in business, politics, and non-profit organizations, and they are legendary for their loyalty. This network is an incalculable benefit as students seek mentors, internships, and their next job. In short, the BC network and brand enhances students’ brand.
MetroMBA: What is the greatest single advantage to going to business school in Boston? How does Carroll School of Management at Boston College prepare students specifically for careers in Boston?
Andy Boynton: Boston College is proud to call Boston home. A city with a long history of prestige and resilience, Boston continues to prove itself to be a mecca for industry and innovation. As a top-tier globally recognized institution, BC will give students more than an MBA. They will get an edge—a location in one of the top financial centers in the world, a strong alumni network, and a name employers respect. BC is known across the world for its intellectual rigor and commitment to producing leaders with vision and purpose.
MetroMBA: The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement seems to be gaining momentum at many business schools. What role does online education play in today’s MBA offerings at Carroll School of Management at Boston College? How do you see that changing over the next five years?
Andy Boynton: We have selected courses that blend both online and in-the-classroom learning. Our strength is in classroom teaching, and we’re reluctant to abandon this focus. A lot of valuable learning experiences happen inside the classroom. However, we are going to be experimenting with adding more online courses in selected topics, especially for our students in the Evening MBA program, since a majority of those students are working professionals.
MetroMBA: What is the one upcoming development or change at Carroll School of Management at Boston College that you are most excited about and why?
Andy Boynton: We are persistently focused on outcomes and academic excellence. This fall, the Carroll School welcomed 15 new full-time faculty members. BC professors are researchers, consultants, and thought leaders in every aspect of business. They contribute to leading management publications, comment on current business topics in national media, and consult for some of the largest companies and non-profit organizations in the world. More than that, BC faculty are exceptional teachers who share a deep commitment to educating the next generation of business leaders. The BC faculty provides students with the fundamental options, skills, and experience they need to thrive professionally. Faculty and students work with the latest data analytics, and technology trends, they will think critically and tactically, and they communicate effectively. We ensure that students have the essential tools the market demands now.
Find our interviews with Dean Stevens from the Quinlan School of Business and Dean Triantis from the Robert H. Smith School of Business.