USC Marshall Supply Chain, Student Engagement, and More – Los Angeles News
We’ve rounded up the news you need to know from this week out of the Los Angeles metro.
Nick Vyas Builds a State-of-the-Art Global Supply Chain Management Program – News at USC Marshall
“Forty years ago, there were 26 mega-cities worldwide. Now there are 70. The globalization cat is out of the bag. But how do we deliver to everyone?”
This question of delivery maximization here is asked by Nick Vyas, an Assistant Professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, and Director of the school’s Center for Global Supply Chain Management. From his past roles with now-defunct retail giants like Toys ‘R’ Us and the soon-to-be (you know it’s coming) defunct Sears, Vyas has seen a hefty degree of turmoil in the industry. At the same time, however, he has seen modernized giants like Amazon and Alibaba rise to the top, matching the increased demands of consumers.
In a 2017 CIO Review article, Vyas explains, “Big data has certainly changed the supply chain industry. Armed with such information, retailers are able to achieve better revenue positioning because product offers can be instantaneously changed to respond to customer demand shifts.”
USC Marshall caught on to the trends early, organizing the Online Master of Science in Global Supply Chain Management program in 2013. Fast-forward five years, and Vyas is already seeing commendable improvement. ““We are seeing success,” Vyas says in a recent interview. “One hundred percent of the MS students are in internships. We prep them.”
You can read more about Vyas and the USC Marshall Online Master of Science in Global Supply Chain Management program here.
How Can Campuses Foster Student Success? Management Professor Examines Engagement – Mihaylo Business School News
A CSU Fullerton Mihaylo College of Business professor of management recently offered some advice on student engagement as a cornerstone of business education at any level.
Professor Gerard Beenen has sought to guide Mihaylo students, who will find themselves among 40,000 other CSU Fullerton students, in how to connect within increasingly competitive and challenging conditions.
“Large universities like Cal State Fullerton,” Bennen says, “… are facing challenging goals to help students graduate faster … in an era of tighter and tighter state budgets. When students feel connected … they help us achieve these goals. [These] students … are more likely to persist until they graduate. And once they graduate, they’re more likely to give their time and resources to the campus.”
Student clubs, of which Cal State Fullerton has 325, serve as a valuable beginning to form connections. But Beenen points out that a wider focus toward common goals is most beneficial. “When we say, ‘Titans reach higher,’ we appeal to a shared aspiration—a superordinate identity—that all of our student clubs can identify with, along with study groups, friendship networks and other informal campus connections.”
Professor Beenen is a frequent contributor to The Orange County Register. He has also spoke about his views on student engagement in The Leadership Voice, Mihaylo College’s Center for Leadership’s video series.
Bigger Reach, Higher Prices – American Economic Association
Matt Schmitt, UCLA Anderson School of Management Economist and Professor of Strategy recently remarked upon the state of competition within U.S. hospital systems in the U.S. for the American Economic Association.
In 2017, Schmitt observes, the highest number of hospital system mergers in recent history occurred, resulting in higher healthcare prices. This counters the stance of many proponents of consolidation who argue that it reduces competition, thus reducing cost.
Two factors may contribute to higher prices: change in management practices after mergers; and speculation on the part of the acquiring hospital. The latter factor is a motivator of merger for many hospital entities.
Schmitt analyzed 100 mergers between 2000 and 2010, and discovered that costs rose an average of 6 to 7 percent. The price increase impacted insurers, and the cost to patients is difficult to assess.
“In health care … there are several different layers of decision makers, all with potentially competing objectives. [This] research seeks to better understand the economics of these situations and whether policy may have a role to play in improving outcomes,” Schmitt notes.
You can read more about Schmitt’s research discoveries here.
These LA Business Schools Are Helping Low Income Students Pursue Their Dreams
For many low-income applicants, unfortunately, the cost of an MBA program is just out of reach. That’s because, by the time you count tuition (often upwards of $80,000), boarding and books ($40,000), and other expenditures, the average cost of an MBA is around $140,000 according to Investopedia. And that’s all before you count lost salary for two years for a full-time MBA program.
What can you do?
For low-income MBA applicants in Los Angeles, California you don’t have to give up on your dreams due to money. Instead, business schools offer many options to help pay for your MBA program.
California DREAM Act
The California DREAM Act of 2011 is currently available to California residents who attended and graduated from high school in the state and are enrolled in an accredited California Institution of Higher Education. If you meet these eligibility requirements, you’ll be given access to California State financial aid and scholarships as well as specific university financial aid programs. In addition, need-based graduate applicants are eligible for the State University Grant (SUG) program, which awards up to $7,176 to help cover tuition.
California State University’s Long Beach College of Business Administration is just one of the MBA programs that provides this type of financial aid to low-income MBA applicants. The College of Business Economics at Cal State L.A. also accepts DREAM Act Applications for student financial aid.
Scholarships
MBA scholarships for low-income applicants are one of the best ways to help pay for your degree program. Scholarships vary by school and can range from a few thousand dollars per year to full-tuition coverage plus a stipend.
At the UCLA Anderson School, there are six unique fellowships available to MBA applicants.
- Donor Fellowships are awarded to MBA applicants based on professional development, intended career, community involvement, and/or financial need.
- Merit Fellowships are awarded based on the strength of a student’s application.
- External Fellowships are available for a variety of different situations and students. One example is the Girard Miller Foundation scholarship, which is awarded to a graduate student preparing for a career in state or local government finance.
Teaching Assistantships
For California MBA students, financial aid doesn’t stop in the first year. For second-year full-time MBA students, many Los Angeles business schools offer Teaching Assistantship (TA) positions. These positions are usually awarded to students who keep their grade point averages above a certain level and who apply and receive an appointment. The award amount varies by business school but, in some cases, covers 100 percent of a student’s services fee and tuition.
At UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, full-time MBA students who gain a TA appointment receive payment for 100 percent of their Graduate Student Health Insurance Program (GSHIP) premium. They also receive 100 percent of the Student Services Fee and Tuition components per quarter.
Military Veteran Aid
For low-income MBA applicants who also have a history of military service, there are many unique financial aid opportunities. The exact services available will depend on the school, but some of these programs are available at schools across California and the U.S.
First, there’s the Yellow Ribbon Program, which many Los Angeles business schools take part in, including Chapman University Argyros School of Business. This program awards MBA students up to $6,000 for tuition and fees. Another program open to military veterans is the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which includes payments directly to the university for tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and an annual books and supplies stipend up to $1,000 per year.
Individual schools like the USC Marshall School of Business also offer their own specific scholarships for military veterans. The Schoen Family Scholarship Program for Veterans is available to full-time MBA students at Marshall and has, to date, provided a staggering $1.2 million in financial support to 173 students at the university.
Loans
Finally, most low-income MBA applicants in Los Angeles are eligible for federal student loans. Direct PLUS Loans are available to graduate students to help pay for educational expenses up to the cost of attendance. MBA students can request unsubsidized loans up to their full eligibility with an Income-Driven Repayment Plan that allows you to make payments based on your adjusted gross income. In most cases, payment will begin until after graduation.
For MBA applicants at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management, financial aid loan application for Federal Graduate PLUS student aid and Federal Direct Stafford Loans is easy. The school provides loan counseling for graduate student borrowers, loan calculators, and more.
For more information about how your business school could help cover the cost of your MBA program, visit your school website and contact their financial aid office. Scholarships, loans, and aid opportunities vary per school. The Simple Dollar also has a handy guide on how DACA recipients may be able to handle financial expectations for students around the U.S.
Argyros Student Shares Advice for Veterans
Argyros School of Business student Jonathan David Chandler gives advice on the Chapman University blog about education benefits for military members. Chandler explains that there are several common misconceptions about the educational benefits that are available to current and past military members.
Chandler explains that the most common benefit for military members today is the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The GI Bill covers all in-state tuition and fees at public degree granting schools, but in some cases it may not cover all private schools and out-of-state tuition. In order to cover the off set of tuition, the Yellow Ribbon Program was created. Not all schools participate in this Yellow Ribbon Program.
