UA’s Manderson Graduate School of Business Welcomes Another Record Class

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Manderson Graduate School of Business at The University of Alabama recently welcomed the MBA class of 2012 to campus.  At 93 students, the MBA class of 2012 is the third consecutive class with record enrollment.

It also is one of the most academically qualified. The students’ average GMAT score rose to 640 (as opposed to 633 for Fall 2009 entering students) and the average GPA was 3.50 (compared to 3.4 last year).

The MBA Class of 2012 is also rich in diversity. The MBA Class of 2012 has student representatives from 17 states and from six countries including the United States. Thirty-two percent of the students are female, and 17 percent of the students represent minorities. The ages of students range from the early 20’s to early 40’s.

Part of the program growth over the past few years is attributed to expansion of dual-degree program opportunities.

“Thirteen of the entering students will be participating in dual-degree programs with the law school or the college of engineering. Our relationships with these other graduate degree programs has allowed us to reach markets beyond the traditional MBA student, and we are looking forward to expanding our dual-degree options in the future,” said Blake Bedsole, director of admissions and student services for Manderson.

Manderson’s MBA combined enrollment, including entering and second-year students, has increased almost 60 percent since 2007, from 114 to 181 total students.

“The intentional increase in class size has been embraced by our faculty and encouraged by our corporate partners,” said Connie Chambers, coordinator of corporate and alumni relations. “We believe that our competitive advantage such as a strong work ethic, team approach to problem solving, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills, set our students apart from other MBA programs. Additionally we can attract new companies with a larger class size.”

Susan West, assistant dean and director of MBA programs, said, “With a class like this, expectations run high both with the faculty and the student body. We look forward to their growth as individuals through many experiences, both in and out of the classroom. Their contributions will solidify our overall mission of increasing the value of the UA MBA degree.”

For more information on the Manderson MBA Program or on how to apply for future classes, contact the program office at 205/348-6517 or mba@cba.ua.edu.