5 Questions With the UC San Diego Director of Graduate Recruitment & Admissions
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In our latest installment of the MetroMBA “5 Questions” series, we speak with Jay Bryant, Director of Graduate Recruitment & Admissions at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management. Bryant discusses the exceptional entrepreneurship culture at Rady and San Diego at large, plus what students hoping to join the UC San Diego MBA program should expect.
1. If you had to describe how Rady fosters entrepreneurship to someone who never heard of the school, what would you tell them?
“Rady is a school that was founded on the concept of innovation. It is our foundation—our very DNA! Innovation is the mother of entrepreneurship as I see it. All of our students come in with the passion of bringing new value to the world while the faculty, staff, and administration all foster an environment where the entrepreneurial spirit of our students can grow and practice their entrepreneurial interests in the safe and supportive environment of our school. As I see it, the top five ways in which the Rady School provides a perfect match for those wanting to pursue an entrepreneurially focused education are:
- Every class in our curriculum is designed for a student body driven by innovation and entrepreneurship.
- All of our students come into our program with a desire to be entrepreneurs or managers in the innovation economy. Therefore, students are always surrounded by collaborative and like-minded individuals that create the unique Ready School environment.
- The Lab to Market program—a three-course, capstone experience—gives students the opportunity to take an idea in any industry all the way from the mind of the student to ready to launch. Many of our students do actually launch their projects after graduation.
- The Rady School’s California Institute for Innovation and Development (CIID) allows for students to take part in a number of its initiatives designed to accelerate and promote innovation.
- The local San Diego community knows of the Rady School’s connection to innovation and entrepreneurship and therefore regularly works closely with us on capstone projects, internships, and career opportunities.”
2. Is there any particular kind of company or idea that tends to flourish in the program?
“Our students are trained to be part of the innovation driven economy, therefore, the companies that work most closely with us are those that have to reinvent themselves every year to stay relevant. The two largest sectors hiring our students are technology and bio-technology. In both of these sectors they seek managers who are excited to take on the new initiatives and new markets.”
The three-year Rady Lab to Market program “gives students the opportunity to take an idea in any industry all the way from the mind of the student to ready to launch,” according to Bryant.
3. Is there something about San Diego specifically that tends to bring out the best in entrepreneurs?
“San Diego is consistently ranked among the best cities for startup companies. It is part of the spirit of California in general. Ever since the gold rush, California has been a state focused on the future and the new frontiers. Everywhere you look you find innovations that are coming from California—we literally create the future here in California. Innovation is not just an interest of the Rady School, rather it is in the spirit of the entirety of UC San Diego.”
4. What should hopeful students know about the program that they may not necessarily know until they start?
“I think what surprises students the most is entering into a community where everyone greatly values innovation. Through the admissions process we are searching for the individuals who will really fit the personality and passion of what we do. It is not until the first day of orientation do these selected individuals all wind up in the same place at the same time. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals only makes this passion grow over the course of their study.”
5. Is there any kind of student you want to see more of in the program?
“We believe that innovation comes from every industry. We are an appropriate program for individuals wanting to work at large organizations like Google or Tesla, but we are also appropriate for those wanting to start smaller ventures of their own. We want a well-rounded cohort of students that brings in the best from every industry, level of government, developmental or non-profit organizations, and any other entities where innovation drives their future success.”
To learn more about the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and the UC San Diego MBA, visit the school website.
Rady School Top 15 in 15
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The Rady School of Management is approaching its 15th anniversary and since its founding in 2003, the school has reached many remarkable milestones. Through the generous support of the business community, the school has grown exponentially—offering new graduate and undergraduate programs, expanding the ranks of its world-renowned faculty, and constructing state-of-the-art facilities where students thrive. Most impressively, the school’s focus on entrepreneurship and innovation has led to numerous companies, founded by Rady School students and alumni, that are changing our world and significantly contributing to our economy. Here’s a look at the top 15 accomplishments the Rady School has achieved in its first 15 years.
- Over 150 operational startup companies have been started by Rady School alumni and students. These startups have revolutionized industries, led to breakthrough medical devices, drastically enhanced the lives of the visually impaired, improved personal wellness monitoring and have forever transformed our world for the better. Many of the startups are a product of the Rady School’s unique Lab to Market core sequence and accelerators.
- The Rady School is grown into an economic powerhouse, with alumni and student startups creating over a $6 billion dollars impact in the local, national and global economy in the last 15 years.
- Founded with the intention to provide quality business education to leaders in innovative industries, the Rady School has launched distinguished graduate programs to serve the needs of the business community, including the school’s flagship Full-Time MBA and FlexMBA programs, which are already recognized among the best.
- In addition to the MBA programs, three specialty graduate programs have been launched: a Master of Finance, a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Professional Accountancy.
- The school also has three robust undergraduate programs, a business minor, an accounting minor, and a entrepreneurship and innovation minor, all of which are among the most popular minors on the UC San Diego campus.
- Rady School faculty are recognized as leaders for the quality of their research. Over the past 15 years, the school’s faculty have been ranked number one in the U.S. for intellectual capital by Bloomberg Businessweek, 14th globally for faculty research by the Financial Times and 12th globally in student rating of teaching quality by The Economist.
- Since its inception, the school has received strong support from the business community. The school’s many supporters have been generous with their time and with gifts to support the mission of the school. Notable gifts include: a $100 million gift from Ernest and Evelyn Rady to fund strategic priorities and recruit faculty; a $4 million gift and endowed chair from Nobel Laureate and Rady School professor Harry Markowitz and his wife Barbara, a $30 million naming gift from Ernest and Evelyn Rady, and a $5 million gift from Carol and William Stensrud for program development and faculty recruitment.
- The Rady School has established five Centers of Excellence: the California Institute for Innovation and Development (CIID), the Beyster Institute, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Social Innovation and Impact, the Institute for Supply Excellence and Innovation the U.S. – Israel Center on Innovation and Economic Sustainability. Each of the school’s centers focuses on a different topic of importance and provides additional learning opportunities and experience for students.
- Launched in 2013, the StartR Accelerator at the Rady School is a non-profit program for Rady School students and alumni designed to provide entrepreneurs the tools needed to start and grow their businesses. The StartR program includes workshops, mentoring, advice and access to other resources for early-stage companies. At the conclusion of the program, teams present their pitches at Demo Day, attended by investors, industry experts and the San Diego community.
- The Rady School’s mystartupXX program is a one-of-its-kind accelerator that was created to increase and encourage diversity in entrepreneurship. Program participants take workshops on launching startups, team building, leadership, market assessment, consumer feedback, creating a value proposition, validating business models, and understanding financing strategies needed to launch the business. Each team works with a mentor and advisors who monitor and encourage their progress.
- The Rady Venture Fund, a student-assisted venture capital investment fund, was established to support the Rady School’s educational objectives in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and transfer of discoveries into the marketplace. Students screen investment leads, perform due diligence, make investment recommendations, and monitor portfolio companies. To date, the fund has invested in five early stage companies.
- The Rady School’s Center for Executive Development (CED) offers courses and certificates provide valuable learning experiences that meet the needs of executives and managers in the rapidly changing world of business. Popular CED courses include: leadership, team building, and interpersonal skills. Executive development faculty are industry experts, renowned researchers, engaging teachers and authors.
- The Rady School’s Ph.D. program began in 2009, attracting top doctoral candidates from around the globe. Rady School Ph.D. students have gone on to teach at top school across the U.S. and the globe.
- Two state-of-the-art buildings have been constructed to house the Rady School and provide a modern and technology-forward learning space. Otterson Hall opened in 2007 and Wells Fargo Hall Opened in 2012. Wells Fargo Hall has been LEED Gold certified for its sustainable practices.
- The Rady School earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) in 2011. AACSB International is the premier business education accrediting body, with less than five percent of business schools worldwide achieving accreditation.
