Massey e-Leader

November Update from Dr. Alexander

As Massey students and alums, we hope you're having a highly productive and successful fall as, believe it or not, the Thanksgiving Holiday season is already on the horizon. If you've been keeping up with Belmont news of late, you already know that the University recently announced the addition of a School of Law that will open its doors in less than two years. This follows close on the heels of a new School of Pharmacy which was just launched last year and which already has enrolled close to 150 students next door.

In short, the graduate landscape here at Belmont is rapidly changing. While some b-schools might consider this a potential threat, quite to the contrary, our approach in The Massey School has been to view this as an exciting opportunity. Consider the potential cooperative possibilities down the road as we welcome a far more diverse and rapidly expanding group of graduate professional programs to this campus--not to mention the opportunities for a business school to partner with other professional schools--a landscape that could ultimately add numerous new possibilities for our graduate business students who may be interested in further specializing their Massey degree programs while here at Belmont. And while the proverbial drawing board is only now being pulled out of the closet, we are excited about what lies ahead for our future students and how we may able to prepare them for a whole new variety of careers in the coming years.

For any of you alumni out there who have thoughts on what you would like to see The Massey School consider in the way of future programming or even in improving the quality of the current programs we already offer, I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for the BusinessWeek Magazine special edition on graduate business schools that appears later this month. As most of you are aware, we are already in uncharted territory by making it to the point of being considered for this year's Top 30 part-time MBA program national rankings (roughly 100 or so are included in the final evaluation phase, so we're in pretty good company just to reach that stage). However, we are keeping our fingers crossed to make the final cut.

Finally, those of you who are Nashville residents, keep your eyes open for our new billboard campaign set to launch later this month. The current theme will celebrate the very unique international study-abroad options offered through Massey. Let us know what you think when you see it!

Business etiquette expert visits Massey

Massey AMBA, MACC, and PMBA students were given an opportunity in October to learn from professional business etiquette and protocol consultant, Rebecca Stroupe Pitts. Pitts presented to a combined graduate student audience on October 21st, from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. in the Vince Gill Room on Belmont's campus.

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Rebecca's professional background includes her most recent position as Vice President and Protocol Officer for Bank of America. She is certified by Image Improvement, Inc., an international corporation since 1969, and spends countless hours traveling each year and training professionals on the "dos and don'ts" of appropriate business networking and social behaviors.

Pitts worked with ~50 students during her visit to Massey, where her interactive presentation included topics ranging from "how to work a professional event room" to "maximizing one's use of a traditional business card" to "how to actually build a successful network of professional contacts."

Lean Healthcare Goes International

Early in 2008, when The Massey School first began discussions with Massey MBA Alum Charles Hagood on the potential for partnering on the delivery of a professional development course on Lean Healthcare here at Belmont, the focus was a long-term plan for building a sustainable program to do what we could do to improve the quality of heatlhcare here in the U.S. A little over one year into the process, that partnership has quickly blossomed into what has become an internationally-respected training program for administrators and healthcare providers around the globe.

The fourth offering of the "Lean Healthcare Course," which was just finished last month on the Belmont campus, included 31 participants from the U.S., as well as five professionals from Singapore, and two who traveled all the way from New Zealand. In fact, the most recent course was filled to capacity back in September, with a waiting list now being managed for future registrants.

]]> Why do healthcare professionals travel from so far away to Belmont for this one-week course experience? The answer is very simple. What Charles and his group of professionals are able to do in a one-week seminar gives participants a basic skill set that can save patient lives, as well as save what in many cases can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more within an organization over time. And at at time when the University of Michigan recently cancelled its own lean healthcare course due to low enrollment, Belmont's program is sold out.

According to Massey Associate Dean Joe Alexander, part of the difference is the quality of instruction within Belmont's program, with a national group of lean healthcare experts brought in from all over the U.S. to deliver their specific skills and expertise to attendees. The other difference is what The Massey School has long been known for in the delivery of its own academic programs--namely, "hands-on learning." In cooperating with the Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing next door, HPP experts can now teach in state-of-the-art and nationally known simulation labs, offering participants the opportunity to learn by doing, rather than simply taking notes in a traditional classroom.

Building on what began as the Toyota Production System (TPS) for improving product quality, safety, and performance within the manufacturing industry, Heatlhcare Performance Partners was able to take those very same principles and adapt them to the healthcare environment. The results of that adaptation are being sought out by healthcare professionals from across the industry. Highly satisfied participants are now returning to their organizations and doing more than simply talking about improving healthcare--they're actually making change happen.

And the Massey-HPP partnership appears ready to move to an international forum this next year, with talks currently underway to expand program delivery to Europe in late 2010. For more information on the Massey Lean Healthcare Course, visit: www.buleancourse.com

Networking Event Schedule - Two Left for 2009

November 19th - Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Bricktop's 3000 West End Avenue, Nashville TN 37203

December 17th - Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Sunset Grille, 2001 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212

Email all RSVPs and other networking inquiries to Courtney_Hensley@ars.aon.com.

RSVP now for the Class of 2003 and 2004 Reunion

The Classes of 2003 and 2004 will host a reunion on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.

Bound'ry
911 20th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212

The event is hosted by Amber Humphrey, Londa Morgan, & Carla Worthey.

Please RSVP by November 9th to either
Londa: londa@hardcastleconstruction.com/(615) 500-1443 or
Amber: amber.humphrey@vanderbilt.edu/(615) 293-8259.

Scarlett Leadership Institute offering CFP® Certification Program

Expand your qualifications for your current position in the financial services industry or plan for a career change to one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. The Scarlett Leadership Institute offers a CFP® Certification Program. The program provides the skills, training and knowledge to succeed in the financial services industry, as well as the education requirement needed to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.

The next class begins on January 26, 2010.

For more information, call (615) 460-5554 or email scarlettadmissions@belmont.edu.

Join Massey students, faculty, and alumni as we Bowl for Kids’ Sake!

On Saturday, November 14th, Massey graduate students, faculty, and alumni will be teaming up for a friendly bowling tournament to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. The event will be held at Hillwood Strike & Spare (3710 Annex Avenue Nashville, TN 37209) from 2-4pm. You can sign up to be matched with other participants or organize a team of your own.

To participate in this event and for more information, please contact Harry Allen, current Massey student and VP of Finance for Big Brothers Big Sisters, at harry.allen@bbbs.org, or by phone at 615-329-9191 x264.

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters and Belmont's involvement, click below.

]]> Not only will you help advance the mission of a worthy organization, but it will also be a great opportunity to network with fellow students and show support for the “Belmont Bigs” program. Belmont is a long-time supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters through its Belmont Bigs Program, matching undergraduates, as mentors, to children in Metro Nashville public schools.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leader in one-to-one mentoring , with over a century of proven success in creating positive friendships that benefit children, volunteers, families, neighborhoods and communities!

Learn more about the hiring process from an executive recruiter

Massey School Career Development Seminar: Confessions of an Executive Recruiter
November 10th
5:00–6:00p.m.
Massey Boardroom
We will host a panel of executive recruiters to answer your questions about the hiring process and to discuss the latest trends in Middle TN hiring. Light refreshments served.
RSVP to hiremassey@belmont.edu by Nov. 5th if you plan to attend.

For more information and a complete list of our resources, contact Lori LeBleu, Director College of Business Administration Career Development Center, at lori.lebleu@belmont.edu or 460-6217.

Sign up for the Leadership Breakfast with Author Daniel Pink

Join us for the Scarlett Leadership Institute Fall Leadership Breakfast on November 17, 2009 with Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind. Doors open at 6:30am. The presentation will run from 7am to 9am and will include a talk back session with Mary Fink, Director of Leadership Development.

The price is $45 per person which includes continental breakfast, book, and talk back session.

Questions? Call Scarlett Leadership Institute at 615-460-5554.

To register, follow the link below.:
https://secure.sitemason.com/form/l5JR5K

For more information, click here.

October Update

We are looking forward to an outstanding event tonight as we congratulate Massey Alumna Nancy Leach on being selected as our 2009 Distinguished Graduate. Nancy is the president, CEO, and owner of Facility Planners, Inc. here in Nashville and a Massey MBA graduate, Class of '92. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

As usual, The Massey School is a busy place this time of year. We are continuing to fine-tune the intricacies of working with two MBA cohorts now for the first time ever. Our Accelerated MBA class of 14 students is off to a great start, while we now have 140 Professional MBA students currently registered in classes. We did find out last month that our total Masters of Accountancy (MACC) enrollment of 80 qualifies us as the largest MACC program in the State of Tennessee--1 student larger than UT-Knoxville's program. We continue, however, to look for outstanding new students for each of our programs, so if you have any individuals in mind you think would be strong prospects, please shoot me an email at joe.alexander@belmont.edu, and I'll contact them.

To continue reading the October Update,...

]]> Dr. Mark Schenkel is in high gear preparing a group of 18 MBA and MACC students for the next international study-abroad trip--this time, to Copenhagen, Denmark. This will be our first such trip to that part of Europe, and in addition to our general business visits and cultural activities, we have managed to add in somewhat of an entrepreneurial flavor to this particular trip destination.

Our next trips will be in March 2010, as we will have two separate student/faculty groups in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Seoul, South Korea. Later next year, different study groups will be headed to Istanbul, Turkey, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, while our Accelerated MBA students are headed in May to Stellenbosch University (Johannesburg, South Africa).

We are currently about half-way through the fall 10-week classes. Those of you who have been away from Massey for a while can probably still relate to what the students are experiencing at this point in their semesters. Please do stop by and see us when you get an opportunity, and keep our Massey Passport program in mind as you consider ways to continue your individual life-long learning plans. I know of no other graduate school in the country that offers its alumni an opportunity to continue taking classes for free like we do once you have graduated. Email Melissa (melissa.mitchell@belmont.edu) if you are interested in more information!

P.S. We are anxiously awaiting the upcoming issues of BusinessWeek later this month where they will release their rankings list of the top part-time MBA programs in the U.S. While BW historically ranks only the Top 30 programs (which is an outstanding list!), we were excited earlier this year to make the initial cut for consideration on this top list for the first time in Massey's history. Our thinking at this point is that we've made significant progress just to reach that milestone--if we actually make this year's list of first-tier programs, all the better.

Join the Massey Graduate School of Business LinkedIn Group – Win a Prize!

We have almost reached our 2009 goal of 500 members – now we need one last push. If you are the 500th member to join the Massey Graduate School of Business LinkedIn Group, you will win one of our brand new Massey Briefcases. The Massey LinkedIn community has been proven as a networking and job placement tool – and it will only get stronger with more members! Join now!

Fall Massey Networking Events

Our networking activities have resumed! A new season brings new opportunities for you to expand your social and professional networks by attending our networking events.

All of these events are open to current Massey students, as well as alumni.

For the calendar, click below…

]]> October 1st - Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation & Reception, The Acorn, 1146 28th Avenue North (Reception, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Award Presentation, 6:30 p.m.) This will be a great opportunity to network as well as honor our Distinguished Alumna, Nancy Leach.

October 15th - Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Mere Bulls, 5201 Maryland Way, Brentwood TN 37027

November – Evening Social, Predators Game, Game Date & Time TBA (Families Welcome)

November 19th - Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Brick Top's 3000 West End Avenue, Nashville TN 37203

December 17th - Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Sunset Grille, 2001 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212

Please RSVP for the October 15th breakfast no later than Monday, October 12th. Email all RSVPs and other networking inquiries to Courtney_Hensley@ars.aon.com.

Join Massey in Bowling for Kids’ Sake!

On Saturday, November 14th, from 2-4 p.m., Massey graduate students and faculty will be teaming up for a fun and rewarding evening of bowling to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee.

Bowl For Kids' Sake is the organization's largest annual fundraising event. Not only will you help advance the mission of a worthy organization, but it will also be an excellent opportunity to network with fellow students and show support for the Belmont Bigs program. We’ve invited undergraduate “Bigs” and their “Littles” to join us as well!

To find out more, click below...

]]> Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leader in one-to-one mentoring, with over a century of proven success in creating positive friendships that benefit children, volunteers, families, neighborhoods and communities!

Belmont is a long-time supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters through its Belmont Bigs Program, matching undergraduates, as mentors, to children in Metro public schools.

To find out more information or to join a bowling team, please contact Harry Allen at harry.allen@bbbs.org.

Don't miss the last golf outing for 2009!

Don't miss your opportunity for one last golf outing before cold weather sets in. Join classmates and alumni for a round of golf and networking...

When: Sunday, October 11th
Networking and warm up at 1:00pm, tee times start at 2:10pm

Where: President’s Reserve at Hermitage (www.hermitagegolf.com)

Cost: Special Massey green fees of $35.50 for 18 holes, includes cart and range balls

Golfers at all skill levels are invited to join these monthly golf events to facilitate networking and build relationships. Come out for the pre-round networking and hit balls at the driving range, play a full round or only nine holes.

For details and info on how to sign up, see below...

]]> • An advanced reservation and credit card number are required to secure your tee time. Call the Hermitage pro shop at 615.847.4001 for your reservation. Be sure to tell them you are with the Massey/Belmont group, 2 pm tee times on October 11th.

• Sign up for Hermitage’s FREE-quent player program – Buy four rounds of 18 holes and get one free!

• Please email teresawade@comcast.net with your skill level or handicap AFTER you make your reservation. These outings are not formal tournaments.

• Be sure to arrive in time to mingle and get warmed up at the range.

• October 4th is the actual deadline to sign up, but we can probably accommodate others up to the 8th.

The will be the last golf outing for 2009. Stay tuned to the 2010 E-leader for the spring schedule!

Save the Date for Fall Career Development Events!

College of Business Career Day - October 28th
10:00am – 12:30pm
Neely Dining Room, Massey Business Center
We will host approximately 40 employers at our annual Career Day event. If you are actively seeking a position this would be a good opportunity to meet recruiters from Middle Tennessee.

Massey School Career Development Seminar: Confessions of an Executive Recruiter – November 10th
5:00–6:00p.m.
Massey Boardroom
We will host a panel of Executive recruiters to answer your questions about the hiring process and to discuss the latest trends in Middle TN hiring. Light refreshments served.
RSVP to hiremassey@belmont.edu by Nov. 5th if you plan to attend.

For more information and a complete list of our resources, contact Lori LeBleu, Director College of Business Administration Career Development Center, at lori.lebleu@belmont.edu or 460-6217.