Relentless commitment to excellence

Renovations to elevate the academic experience

Recharging our global mindset

For more than a century, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business has served as the world’s largest business education alliance. Less than 5% of all schools offering degree programs in business hold AACSB accreditation, signifying the highest standards of achievement and a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

The Broad College of Business has been among the elite since it was formed in 1953, and this year, our accreditation was extended once again.

After a five-year continuous improvement review covering 2015–2020, the Broad College and its Department of Accounting and Information Systems have each achieved reaccreditation, alongside 36 schools accredited in business and 21 in both business and accounting.

The Broad College has developed and implemented a mission-driven plan to meet nine overarching quality standards centered on strategic management and innovation, learner success, and thought leadership, engagement and societal impact. For the review, college faculty and staff helped prepare a comprehensive report to outline outcomes and efforts.

“We are laser focused on developing and following a strategy that delivers on the vision and mission of both the Broad College to be a top-of-mind business school and MSU as a pioneer land-grant university,” Gupta said. “Our strategic initiatives also recognize the importance of and align with AACSB’s current key pillars for business schools: innovation, impact and engagement. We fulfill these by offering innovative pedagogies to enhance teaching and learning, pursuing impactful research and scholarship and being involved in meaningful outreach and engagement.”

The Broad College’s extended accreditation positions Spartans alongside 901 top institutions across 58 countries and territories under a hallmark of excellence. Furthermore, our Department of Accounting and Information Systems upholds its status among the 189 institutions who have earned the specialized accounting distinction.

Beyond this programmatic designation, the Broad College’s newest building — the Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion — earned top credentials this year for its sustainability and energy-efficient design.

The 104,000-square-foot building was awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED Gold certification. With this distinction, the Minskoff Pavilion became the fifth building at Michigan State University to achieve LEED Gold and the first academic building to do so.

The certification status, with Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum as its four levels, is based on design and construction features relating to sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The Minskoff Pavilion incorporates specific outdoor features such as water-efficient landscaping, stormwater quantity and quality control, and bicycle racks and a changing area with shower for occupants using alternative transportation. Inside the stunning building, features include the use of recycled materials, low-flow water measures in bathrooms, enhanced mechanical systems commissioning, lighting occupancy sensors, energy-efficient and LED fluorescent lighting fixtures and low-emission furnishings.

“From the outset we understood that it was important to our students, alumni and college faculty and staff that we build a Gold-status facility,” John Wagner, professor of management and Broad College director of building and facilities, said. “The way the building conserves resources as it heats and cools, the way it uses daylight to reduce dependence on artificial lighting — which itself is provided by energy-efficient LED fixtures — and the way it conditions water runoff through holding ponds and green spaces were all intentionally designed into the Minskoff Pavilion to achieve the objective of Gold certification.

“Even as the space was being built, extra effort was directed toward using local building products and recycling demolition and construction waste,” Wagner continued. “The team that designed and built the Minskoff Pavilion worked hard to make it a LEED Gold facility.”

Like all great projects, the Minskoff Pavilion was made possible only with exceptional teamwork. In recognition of the project’s leadership, MSU also received the 2020 Silver Award from the Construction Owners Association of America, officially presented at the COAA Fall Virtual Leadership Conference on Nov. 12–13.

“This award acknowledges the fine work of the owner, Michigan State University, as project leaders and partners,” Gupta said. “It also speaks to the accomplishments of the design and construction team members. In particular, I want to acknowledge the efforts of Dan Bollman and the entire MSU IPF team, as well as LMN Architects and Fishbeck (our architects/designers) and Clark Construction (our construction managers).”

With the Minskoff Pavilion’s status as a LEED Gold–certified building and the Broad College’s lasting AACSB accreditation, our relentless commitment to excellence is front and center.

Our dedication to improving the student experience can now be seen throughout the entire Business College Complex on campus. After an extensive building renovation project, the Eugene C. Eppley Center became aligned with the Minskoff Pavilion’s modern design and inherent focus on collaboration.

Built in 1961, the Eppley Center helped MSU become a leader in graduate training in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, with its namesake known at the time as the largest individual hotel operator in the world. And with this year’s renovation project, the building will continue to serve its fundamental purpose while also offering a richer community atmosphere for all Broad Spartans.

On Eppley’s first floor, significant investments were made to reinforce engagement efforts, thanks to a generous $500,000 lead gift from Bob (B.A. Accounting ’64) and Anna Lou Schaberg. With the Schabergs’ support, we created a new student engagement center, named Ken Horne as the inaugural director of undergraduate student engagement and launched Broad 360 — MSU’s first digital student engagement platform — as a hub for students to navigate the college’s numerous activities.

Through a $1 million gift, alumni John (B.A. Accounting ’82) and Becky (B.A. Medical Technology ’82) Duffey supported the renaming of the John & Becky Duffey Undergraduate Academic Services Suite and its relocation near Eppley’s main entrance. In addition, Multicultural Business Programs’ offices were relocated adjacent to UAS, offering greater accessibility and ensuring student growth and support.

New curricular spaces were established on the second floor, including two computer labs and two student lounges. MBP’s Broad Tutorial Center was revitalized to extend its commitment to enabling student success. Renovations were also made for the Department of Finance on the third floor.

Along with these improvements came the relocation of the School of Hospitality Business, which returned to its historical home on Eppley’s fourth floor. Back on top, the School has bolstered support for faculty, staff, students and alumni to achieve even greater success.

Spartan alumni have gone above and beyond to help make the move and transition a success, contributing their time, talent and financial support to the project. Take Doug Cole (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’72), retired vice president of food and beverage at Pyramid Hotel Group, who made a gift for a faculty fellowship for innovation in hospitality business.

“My experience was enriched by a well-focused curriculum and work experience both on and off campus. This overall education prepared me for much of the success I have enjoyed in 50 years working in the hotel and restaurant business.”

Bolstering faculty support, a group of dedicated alumni collectively gave to name the Hospitality Business Alumni Association Faculty/Staff Lounge. Gail Taylor (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’87, MBA ’90) and her siblings gave to name the Reginald & Rowena Ayala Faculty Office in honor of their parents, who were also Spartans. Rowena earned her bachelor’s in 1955 and Reginald in 1954, along with an MBA in 1977. Reginald was the first African American to graduate from MSU’s hotel, restaurant and institutional management program, as well as the first African American on the MSU men’s basketball team.

Not only did John (B.A. Accounting ’82, MBA ’83) and Judy Theuer (B.A. Communication ’84) support the naming of the John & Judy Theuer Adjunct Faculty Office, they also made a difference for the School on MSU’s Give Green Day on March 16. For every donation to the Eppley renovations, the Theuers matched dollar for dollar, helping the School reach over $50,000 in a single day. 

Houston Striggow (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’75), co-founder and COO of SusieCakes Bakery, made a donation for the Houston Striggow Alumni Director’s Office. And James (MBA ’82) and Lise Pardikes supported the naming of the Jim Pardikes Education Abroad Director’s Office.

The Vlahakis family made a gift to the School’s Student and Industry Resource Center, which was founded by iconic restaurateur and beloved alumnus Angelos Vlahakis (B.A. Hospitality Business ’51) in 1991. Their support named the Angelos & Betty Vlahakis SIRC Director’s Office of the School’s Student and Industry Resource Center. In addition, Jim (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’73) and Kris Gerish also confirmed their commitment to the SIRC office.

Jim Anhut (MBA ’85), director of the school’s Real Estate Investment Management minor, also gave back to honor a loved one. He and his wife Patti (B.A. Special Education ’80, M.A. Special Education ’85) named the fourth-floor lobby in honor of John W. Anhut, innkeeper. Phil (B.A. Hospitality Business ’77) and Reedy Hickey, helped to name the Phil & Reedy Hickey Conference Room, and Bill Tiefel (B.A. Accounting ’56) the Norma & Bill Tiefel ’56 Small Conference Room. Finally, Chi-Han Chyung (Master’s Business Law and Office Administration ’61) gave for the naming of the C.H. Chyung Student Lounge.

With dedicated space for faculty, staff, recruiters and prospective students, a visitors’ lounge, career and advising space and conference rooms, the School will have ample space for Spartans to collaborate and connect — a hallmark of the MSU experience.

From down the hall to around the world, valuable connections are also being made through the college’s International Business Center to expand our global mindset. This year, IBC — neighboring the School on Eppley’s fourth floor — celebrated a 30-year milestone.

“This long tradition and commitment to international business means that the Broad College and IBC have been serving as the guiding force in this community for the past 30 years,” Ahmet Kirca, director of IBC and MSU-CIBER and associate professor of international business and marketing, said.

Since 1990, IBC has been the only Center for International Business Education and Research in Michigan and one of only 15 such centers in the United States, as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.

From day one, IBC has maintained its commitment to providing superior education, research and assistance to businesses, public policy makers, academics and students on international trade and global competitiveness issues. Today, IBC is considered one of the oldest CIBERs in the country and one of the few to hold this prestigious title in the academic world of international business for so long.

On the student side, education abroad is a critical component that helps Broad Spartans build their own global mindset and expand their worldview. Thanks to the generous support from alumni Peter and Carol Walters, the Broad College received the largest gift in MSU’s history to directly support its education abroad programs.

The Broad College Director of Education Abroad is now an endowed position, ensuring that the person in this role will be 100% dedicated to supporting and expanding students’ international learning opportunities and programs for generations to come. And Sarah Scott, the current director, has the esteemed privilege of becoming the inaugural Walters Family Director of Education Abroad. In this position, Scott will be able to grow and sustain the education abroad program to meet its strategic goals.

“Education abroad is one of the most powerful, transformational experiences many students have at MSU,” Scott said. “The world has never been more interconnected or more interdependent, and studying abroad opens students’ eyes to that reality, in many cases for the first time.

“This gift will allow the Broad College to expand the depth and breadth of education abroad opportunities in ways that otherwise simply wouldn’t have been possible,” she continued. “I’m incredibly energized and excited to think of the generations of Spartan students who will benefit from the Walterses’ tremendous vision for Broad College education abroad.”

With these strides and more, the Broad College is elevating our commitments and accomplishments to the next level to achieve more.

Renowned faculty and research strength

Reinforcing our winning status

Remarkable moments and stories

Whether they’re hands-on with students in the classroom or teaming up to produce impactful scholarly research, Broad faculty embody the hardworking, collaborative and aspirational Spartan spirit.

Take Russell Johnson, professor of management, who became an MSU Foundation Professor, joining only 50 other Spartan faculty to earn this title — and the first ever from Broad. This appointment, through the generosity of the MSU Foundation, was first introduced in 2014 for new and current faculty who “combine externally recognized, exemplary scholarly accomplishment and/or potential, with clear professional relevance to specific areas of MSU scholarly need, disciplinary development or research or creative emphasis.”

“I am very fortunate and grateful to be recognized for exemplary scholarly achievement by the university for activities — conducting research and teaching and mentoring students — I really enjoy and am energized by,” Johnson said. “I feel very lucky for the success I’ve had working in a career that continues to fascinate and inspire me.

“I am also very grateful to the leadership at the Broad College for their support and all the effort that went into the nomination,” he continued. 

Another triumph for the Department of Management came when Don Conlon, Gambrel Family Endowed Professor of Management, was deemed one of MSU’s top 10 faculty, receiving this year’s William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award.

“It is the most pleasant surprise I have ever received in my career,” he said. “The reason I say that is because I know, after being here for 22 years, how difficult it is to receive such an award. MSU is a huge institution with great faculty all over the place, and they only give out a maximum of 10 of these awards in any given year.”

With the Beal Award in hand, Conlon closed his second term as chairperson of the department on a high note. While at the helm for a total of 12 years, he made significant strides to keep the department at the forefront of research productivity, ranking among the top five.

For Matthew Anderson, associate professor of accounting and information systems, his advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusion was celebrated on a national level as he was inducted to the Ph.D. Project Hall of Fame.

“Induction into the Hall of Fame is a highly significant and critically important honor, but as part of a process, not as the culmination,” Anderson said. “DEI is my life, so this represents a significant degree of external validation. Involvement with the Ph.D. Project is a critical part of my life and an important priority statement.”

The Ph.D. Project, started by the KPMG Foundation, is aimed at diversifying faculty in business schools across the country and something Anderson has been involved with since 1994. This completes a circle of recognition for his work in the DEI area, including receiving MSU’s Excellence in Diversity Award in 2003, being selected as the inaugural winner of the Ernst & Young Inclusive Excellence Award in 2009 and receiving the Jason Richardson Foundation “Saluting Greatness” award, based on service to the teaching profession and diversity and inclusion efforts, in 2012.

Broad faculty also demonstrated their research strengths, embracing new opportunities and addressing social issues that have come into sharper focus and delivering solutions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Cheri Speier-Pero, associate dean of undergraduate programs and Ernst & Young Professor in Accounting and Information Systems, was selected by the Filene Research Institute to be a research fellow and lead its recently launched Center of Excellence for Data Analytics and the Future of Financial Services.

Speier-Pero will spearhead a three-year research project dedicated to helping credit unions prepare for the future of financial services through data analytics. In collaboration with Filene’s research team, academics across the country and credit unions and firms in other industries, she will work to develop and implement processes where credit unions will drive value from their analytics initiatives.

Ranjani Krishnan, Ernest W. and Robert W. Schaberg Endowed Chair in Accounting, is part of the Appropriate Scale Mechanization for Sustainable Intensification Consortium, which received a $2.24 million grant to scale technologies for smallholder farmers in West Africa, Bangladesh and Cambodia. Her work helps break down technical, economic, policy and societal barriers, which in turn enables millions of farmers to reap sustained business success.

Quinetta Roberson, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Management, focuses on the “so what” — the value of DEI for leaders, organizational capabilities and the bottom line. Her work has shown that beyond simply generating more revenue, diversity helps companies reach and understand new markets, drive innovation and engage in environmental scanning, which lead to superior performance.

Roberson has examined everything from the benefits of building a diverse board of directors to the spillover effect that happens when employees feel valued and pass that value on to customers, improving customer satisfaction and brand outcomes.

Research from Christy Zhou Koval, assistant professor of management, found that Black women with natural hair — styled in braids, afros, twists, dreadlocks and cornrows — are often seen as less professional and less competent and are less likely to be referred for job interviews. Her work helps increase awareness about this type of discrimination and inform new policies that dismantle harmful workplace standards and embrace freedom of expression.

Finally, our Executive Development Programs launched a comprehensive webinar series called Managing Through Crisis to deliver Broad faculty insights to business leaders. The series featured live sessions and interactive Q&As on topics from remote working and HR implications to strategic messaging and innovation.

While these examples only scratch the surface, they bring to life how Broad faculty are setting their sights higher to make a lasting impact.

From competing at international case competitions to being honored with coveted scholarships, our students are raising the bar.

For three consecutive years, Broad students have been designated as Deloitte Foundation Scholars, marking their place among the top 10 doctoral candidates from across the nation. This year, Sue Yang, from the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, became a 2021 fellowship recipient.

Yang said that her recognition is a testament to the strength of Broad’s accounting Ph.D. program overall.

“I would attribute this honor to everyone in our program as it is the collective efforts that make this rare case become true.”

She hopes to follow her passion for addressing questions that can assist practitioners in making better accounting decisions in the business world.

At the 25th International Case Competition, a team of Full-Time MBA students dominated and took home first place for their supply chain management solution.

Together, Deepal Chhabra, Amritava Dasgupta, Hitarth Parmar, Karthik Rai and Shraoni Rangnekar outshone 25 teams representing some of the top programs around the world, including the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University and HEC Paris.

“Our solution looked at aligning competitive priorities involved in the supply chain and operations of an organization to accomplish the objectives of maintaining gross margins, increasing operational efficiency and increasing flexibility,” Parmar said. “Our solution gave supplier management strategy, talked about technologies such as additive manufacturing and smart factories and looked at postponement and supply chain resilience strategies.” Topping it off, a team of Financial Markets Institute scholars took first place at the statewide ACG Cup competition, marking a four-year winning streak for Broad undergraduates at this event.

“ACG Western Michigan’s ACG Cup competition has long been hailed as the premier ACG Cup competition across North America’s 54 chapters,” Dave Hawthorne, director of the FMI, said.

Jack Budde, Matthew Ladouceur, Charlie McGorisk and Emerson Rogers made up the winning team, known as Team Infinity Investments. Given two weeks to prepare, the team collaborated to evaluate three different strategic alternatives for a company and presented their findings to the board of directors, composed of finance professionals, accountants, lawyers and executives from the Western Michigan area.

Through these victories and more, the Broad College’s legacy of success shines brighter. With superior work ethic, determination and grit, Spartans have what it takes to rise above the rest.

Considering that more than 80,000 alumni span the globe and 4,800 students enroll each year, it’s no surprise that Broad Spartans are often doing exciting and inspiring things. For Rohit Khattar (B.A. Hotel & Restaurant Management ’85), that meant producing an animated film that would garner attention around the world.

As the founder and chair of Cinestaan Film Company, a boutique film studio, Khattar produced the critically acclaimed film Bombay Rose. The film was the first Indian animated project to open Venice International Film Critics’ Week, a famous international film festival, and was predicted to receive an Oscar by Variety. It premiered globally on Netflix in March.

“When Bombay Rose opened Critics Week at the Venice International Film Festival, it was a huge moment for Indian animation and a proud moment for me as the producer,” he said. Khattar has produced three other films and was an executive producer for Academy Award–nominated films such as The Tempest and Cold War.

Collaboration and connection are also at the heart of the Broad Spartan ethic. Pius Mithika, a finance senior, brought these values to life through mentoring. He founded the Msaidizi Initiative to empower and inspire young children to achieve their dreams, and even amid a global pandemic, he’s been able to make strides to help his home community in Kenya.

In November, Mithika ventured back home to empower two under-12 soccer teams by providing full soccer kits and soccer balls, as well as sports mentorship. To top it off, the mentoring tour involved one of Kenya’s award-winning gospel musicians: Eko Dydda.

Leaving a positive impact everywhere he goes is Mithika’s goal, and he said his time at Broad has helped him reach that.

“I hope that I will be a reason someone in Broad will believe in themselves,” he said. “That’s my purpose. It’s through my life in Broad that I met people who have impacted my life positively. I can’t wait to do the same to someone’s life.”

Marking a special end to the academic year, John Huetteman, business management and marketing major, graduated at the age of 75. As a veteran, former mayor of Grosse Pointe Shores and successful businessman, his journey was filled with resiliency and true Spartan grit.

Huetteman enrolled in 1964 but put his degree on hold to enlist in the U.S. Army Infantry, eventually serving 13 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and retiring at the rank of captain. From there, he took over his family business as a third-generation food broker, working between manufacturers, food service distributors and food chains, representing big-name clients like Nestlé and R.J. Reynolds.

This year, Huetteman embarked on earning his final six credits, despite the challenges of remote learning during the pandemic. “I urge any student to do their very best and get a college degree because that not only helps you gain a step ahead, but you also need a degree to do more for the world with that knowledge and backing.”

Through these stories and more, Broad alumni and students are proving that where there is a will, there is a way — especially with a Spartan’s Will.

Reigning champions in supply chain management

Record numbers overall

Reaching a new high

It was a banner year for Broad’s supply chain management programs. U.S. News & World Report’s national rankings placed MSU at No. 1 for the 10th consecutive year for supply chain management/logistics undergraduate programs and No. 1 for the fifth consecutive year for graduate programs.

“The entire supply chain management team is thrilled and honored to be ranked the best undergraduate and graduate programs,” Vedat Verter, McConnell Endowed Chair of Business Administration and chairperson of the Department of Supply Chain Management, said.

The department has a strong history of setting trends and paving the way for the integration of the three pillars of supply chain: sourcing, operations and logistics. This approach was a fundamentally different way of looking at supply chain management, helping to carve out the discipline that we know today and putting Spartans on the map early on.

“MSU was one of the first programs to consolidate the logistics, operations and sourcing academic functions all into one department,” Stanley Griffis, Bowersox-Thull Professor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, said. “Thinking about how that supply chain creates value, rather than simply reducing cost or delivering goods, is a much deeper issue and a hallmark that underlies our educational approach at all levels: undergraduate, master’s and doctoral.”

“Our program takes a holistic approach and educates students in the three major functional areas of supply chain management, which are purchasing (‘buy it’), operations (‘make it’) and logistics (‘move/store it’),” Simone Peinkofer, assistant professor of supply chain management, said. “Our students gain an in-depth understanding of the importance and interconnectedness of these three areas and how to effectively manage them, which sets them apart from other students.

Verter added, “Our undergraduate and master’s programs are designed to elevate this end-to-end approach, and the extent of our partnerships with partners across all industries is a differentiating characteristic of our programs.”

Beyond the college’s status as a programmatic frontrunner, Broad’s supply chain management faculty are exceptional leaders in research productivity. Since 2010, Broad has been ranked No. 1 in the SCM Journal List for research output in empirically focused journals.

“The research is focused on cutting-edge, real-world problems that have direct relevance not only to industry but to the community at large,” Sriram Narayanan, Kesseler Family Endowed Faculty Fellow of Supply Chain Management, said. “This impact from our research is brought to life by our lasting ranking as No. 1.”

Research and thought leadership from the department explore deeply diverse industries — everything from factory worker inclusion to global disruption of wildlife trafficking to managing hospital operating room waste.

A perfect example of this real-world application has been how the department’s work has played a role in helping practitioners around the world amid COVID-19. Supply chain faculty have led the way with their expertise, weighing in with need-to-know information for CEOs to pivot operations effectively, advice for leaders to emerge post-pandemic, best practices for manufacturers to consider during economic recessions and insights into how the supply chain industry at large must change.

With an eye to the future, Verter explained how the work is never done. “We will continue to further improve the department’s recognition among supply chain management scholars around the world,” he said. “To this end, we work very hard to recruit the most talented young researchers and provide them with the best environment to conduct high-quality research. We aspire to strengthen our productivity in analytically focused research as well.”

Beyond our strengths in supply chain management, the Broad College continues to earn top rankings across the board, spanning our six departments and various programs.

Research productivity is a high point for our Department of Management, which comes in at No. 2 for a five-year period in the Texas A&M/University of Georgia Rankings. In addition, our Department of Accounting and Information Systems comes in at No. 7 for managerial accounting over the last 12 years. Both help to raise the profile of MSU’s thought leadership and expertise.

For undergraduate programs, Broad has established a firm place among U.S. News & World Report’s top 25 best programs for the past seven years. In the 2020 ranking, we hit No. 14 among public universities and No. 24 overall, among both public and private schools.

“Our focus is on building a foundation for every Broad student that has four pillars: the digital economy, global mindset, ethics and integrity, and diversity, equity and inclusion.”

“Our academic rankings reflect our comprehensive strengths in thought leadership that resides within the college, innovative pedagogies deployed in our curriculum, impactful experiences that enhance our students’ education, and the incredible success we have in career outcomes for our graduates.”

MSU’s minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation began in 2016 and continues to be one of the fastest-growing minors in the university’s history. With more than 700 students currently enrolled, the minor welcomes undergraduates from within and beyond Broad.

“When we started the undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship and innovation, our vision homed in on cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship at MSU. Being recognized for a third straight year confirms we’re doing something right,” Ken Szymusiak, the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s managing director of academic programs, said.

“This recognition highlights the depth and breadth of what we offer students — from an undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship and innovation to a student incubator to a summer accelerator to a venture capital fund, we’re supported by participation from all undergraduate colleges,” he said.

Year over year, participation in the Burgess Institute’s programming has seen exponential growth. Over the last five years, student venturers have launched 691 start-ups, a 38% increase since 2015.

On the graduate side, three Broad College master’s programs rank in the top 20 of TFE Times’ Best Graduate Schools list. The M.S. in Marketing Research held its rank as the No. 1 program for marketing research — a position it has kept since 2017 — and No. 7 across all marketing programs.

“The Broad MSMR program continues to be the premier marketing research program because we have committed faculty, an engaged advisory board, fabulous students and program director Jessica Richards, who provides incredible management,” Richard Spreng, chairperson of the Department of Marketing, said. “In addition, we continue to attract senior executives with decades of insights experience to teach in the program.” 

In addition, the M.S. in Business Data Science and Analytics (formerly the M.S. in Business Analytics) came in at No. 19, and the M.S. in Finance hit No. 18 — holding steady in the top 20 for six consecutive years.

Our Full-Time MBA has soared to new heights, solidifying our reputation for career progression and student success. The Economist placed Broad No. 1 among U.S. schools and No. 2 globally for percentage increase on pre-MBA salary, illuminating our strong ROI.

“The Broad MBA program is singularly focused on accelerating student careers, and this year’s ranking is as much a validation of our mission as it is a testament to our students’ hard work and dedication,” Richard Saouma, associate dean for MBA, EMBA and professional master’s programs, said.

The program — which has seen an increase in applications by 20% this year — also came in at No. 6 overall for increase in salary and rose to No. 21 for graduates’ post-MBA salary levels. According to The Economist, the Broad College consistently holds its place at the top because Spartan MBAs improve their salaries so drastically: a 238% increase in 2016, for example.

In addition, the Broad College held its No. 1 rank (tied among 19 schools) for breadth of alumni network, a testament to the strength, reach and character of the Broad Spartan network. The ranking is based on several factors, including the potential to network, the ratio of Full-Time MBA alumni to current students and how students perceive their school’s alumni network.

“We are inordinately grateful for all the opportunities our alumni unlock for current students,” Saouma said.
“In addition to recruiting Broad MBA students, our alumni generously participate on panels, offer their experiences in Broad MBA courses, provide live projects for students to hone newfound skills and, with the advent of Broad Connect, volunteer their time to directly mentor current students.”

The Broad MBA was also ranked in the top 10 in Financial Times’ 2021 Global MBA ranking, reinforcing our status in the top 20 U.S. public MBA programs across all five major rankings in a single cycle: Forbes (No. 9), the Economist (No. 14), U.S. News & World Report (No. 17) and Bloomberg Businessweek (No. 19).

The Broad College reached No. 5 in the United States in value for money, comparing the costs of attending the MBA program with the salary earned by MBA alumni. Spartan graduates’ weighted salary has continued to climb over time and reached a new high this year, hitting $130,720 — a 172% increase from their pre-MBA salaries.

Alumni also accomplish the goals they had in mind when they enrolled in the Broad Full-Time MBA program. In surveys for the 2021 Financial Times ranking, 87% of alumni said they achieved their aims in getting their MBA.

“Through the mentorship of our top-notch faculty, numerous leadership opportunities and our commitment to experiential learning, Broad MBAs receive multiple chances to hone their skills to make an immediate impact in their post-MBA roles,” Full-Time MBA program director Wayne Hutchison said.

To top it all off, for the first time in the last five years, the Broad MBA program reached a 100% employment rate: every student in the Class of 2021 secured a job before or upon graduation.

The Broad MBA has seen a 90% average employment rate for the past 10 years. What made things unique for the Class of 2021 was students’ engagement with the Russell Palmer Career Management Center after navigating unexpected change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The recipe for career search success is made up of the programming, courses and resources offered by the Palmer Center. That, combined with a very experienced, dedicated and passionate team, as well as our focus on delivering ‘Green and White Glove Service’ to all of our stakeholders, creates a terrific foundation,” Marla McGraw, director of career management, said.

Saouma added, “The Palmer Center has essentially developed a universal approach — granted, there is always light customization for each program — but I am incredibly confident in saying that their process applies to all our students, helping them best articulate their value-add and ultimately land that dream opportunity post-grad.”

Not only do we celebrate these victories and milestones, but we also use them to propel us further to set the bar even higher.

Eli Broad (B.A. Accounting ’54) was a larger-than-life figure in everything he touched, and his relentless pursuit of excellence, together with a bias for action, has resulted in a rich legacy of successful achievements.

When Broad passed away on April 30, 2021, there was an outpouring of gratitude, with tributes made across campus to celebrate his life and the unparalleled legacy he left along the banks of the Red Cedar.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of MSU alumnus, humanitarian and philanthropist Eli Broad, and my heart is with Edythe and the entire Broad family,” MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. said. “Eli was a selfless, kindhearted man who dedicated much of his life to making the lives of others better. From the classroom to the boardroom, altruism was the backbone of his mission, and Eli embodied what it means to be a Spartan.”

From the time Broad graduated from MSU with a degree in accounting and became the youngest CPA in the state, he sought out and thrived on challenges. He became the first entrepreneur to build two Fortune 500 companies from the ground up in two different industries, and he achieved this over a five-decade career. These successful ventures were born out of being a lifelong learner and having an unquenching thirst for knowledge — he often read five newspapers each day, he said.

Named one of the world’s most influential people by Time magazine in 2016, Broad’s successful business career enabled a devotion to philanthropy across the areas of education reform, scientific and medical research, and the arts. He and his wife, Edythe, co-founded the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to deliver on their lifelong commitment to philanthropy and advance entrepreneurship for these areas.

As a loyal Spartan, Mr. Broad left an extraordinary impact on his alma mater. In total, the Broads have given nearly $100 million, making them the largest donors in MSU’s history. From building the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum to supporting the College of Education, their impact has been significant across campus.

Nowhere has their giving been more evident than here in the Broad College of Business. Passionate about the MBA program, in 1991, Mr. Broad made what was at the time the largest gift ever made to a public business school. His $20 million commitment to the Eli Broad College of Business and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management — both renamed in his honor — was designed to help the university’s new Full-Time MBA program emerge as one of the nation’s top graduate management programs. Today, it’s a top 20 U.S. public program that has launched the careers of countless Spartans.

In 2014, Eli and Edythe expanded upon their original gift to the Broad College with a $25 million challenge grant as part of the university’s Empower Extraordinary capital campaign, with $10 million specifically dedicated to launching the capital raise for what was to become the Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion.

“It is difficult to put into words what Mr. Broad has meant to Michigan State University, our college and me personally. His unparalleled and unforgettable impact cannot be summed up simply,” Dean Sanjay Gupta said. “Let us celebrate his profound legacy and dedicate ourselves to making this world a better place for all, just as he strove to do.”

The following has been adapted from Dean Gupta’s tribute letter in honor of Eli Broad.

It deeply saddens me to share that renowned business leader, lifelong philanthropist, committed Spartan and beloved alumnus Eli Broad (B.A. Accounting ’54) died April 30, 2021, at the age of 87. Our Broad College community extends our sincerest condolences to his loving wife, Edythe, and their two sons, Gary and Jeffrey.

His life’s philosophy of striving for the impossible is beautifully captured in his book, The Art of Being Unreasonable: Lessons in Unconventional Thinking, in which he describes questioning the status quo, not settling for mediocrity, thinking outside the box and working hard as the main reasons for his remarkable achievements.

Beyond his lifelong support for MSU, Mr. Broad was also exceedingly generous with his time, and I had the good fortune of getting to know him well over the past decade. When his book was published and became a New York Times bestseller in 2012, he came to campus to join me in a fireside chat — with standing room only — and following, he autographed copies of his book for every single person in attendance. To this day, we provide a copy of The Art of Being Unreasonable to every incoming Broad MBA student.

When the Spartans won the Rose Bowl in 2014, I celebrated alongside Eli and Edythe. It was here that I had the opportunity to learn how their commitment to education was shaped by Edythe’s close relationship with the founder of Teach for America. This memory is particularly poignant as my daughter had just finished as a teacher in the program in Arizona. Since then, we have worked diligently to elevate Eli and Edythe’s efforts by recruiting students into our Broad MBA program who have participated in Teach for America.

Mr. Broad was also gracious enough to host the Broad College Advisory Board in Los Angeles in 2019, during which he shared his life’s philosophy and patiently answered every question from our board members. His values and actions, rooted in humility, kindness, persistence and originality, have made a lasting impact on MSU and our Broad College community.

At the Eli Broad College of Business and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, we are deeply committed to embodying his values in our curriculum and scholarship. We are greatly privileged and immensely proud to have Mr. Broad’s name as our calling card for every Spartan business graduate. And I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead the college that bears his name as we carry out his incredible legacy.

Unreasonable and unforgettable: Eli Broad, you will always inspire Broad Spartans. We are forever in your debt and grateful for everything you did to make the world a better place.