This report was written by Hatchet reporter Katherine Rodriguez
Celebrities and retired athletes are among a new group being recruited by the School of Business as ideal students for its newly established master’s program.
The “Special Talent, Access and Responsibility” executive MBA program consists of a core curriculum which will focus on a combination of business perspectives and critical thinking skills. The two-year program will end in a capstone project. It will cater to students who have started but never finished their undergraduate degrees because of growing careers. The program also provides students with a network of mentors to develop their brands.
“When I started playing in the NFL, I knew I wanted to one day go back and continue my education,” Rocky McIntosh, a Washington Redskins linebacker, said. “I’ve got the opportunity now through the GW School of Business.”
Athletes like Dominique Dawes, a U.S. Olympic gymnast, and Duane Starks, former 10-year NFL veteran, have registered for the program starting this fall. Spouses of these athletes and celebrities can also participate in the program in order to help alleviate some of the pressures that come with high-profile career transitions.
School of Business Dean Doug Guthrie said the program is the first fully-accredited MBA curriculum in the field, and is intended to provide a way for students to fit coursework in their schedules. Classes are taught in two-week modules to work with professional schedules, guided by professors, mentors and coaches.
“Customized programs such as STAR EMBA are the future of business education,” Guthrie said. “We are working with a very select group of professionals, who have a good deal of success and access to resources early in their careers, to become leaders and great contributors to their communities and society.”
The STAR EMBA program will be led by faculty in various cities around the country, including Washington, New York and Los Angeles, allowing students to experience business in each city and have unique access to business leaders, philanthropists and change makers across the country.
University spokeswoman Jill Sankey did not immediately return requests for comment regarding the program’s costs.