By Noelle Rotte
As graduate business students, we are challenged to think critically, analyze data, and devise strategic solutions to real-world problems. One of the most exciting ways to put these skills to the test is through participation in case competitions. Recently, I had the opportunity to compete in my first case competition. It was challenging – and immensely rewarding.
A case competition involves teams coming together to tackle a business problem presented by a company or organization. It’s an opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge to real-life scenarios — often under tight time constraints and intense pressure. These competitions give business students the chance to hone essential skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, presentation, and problem-solving.
In collaboration with United Airlines, the Kellstadt Marketing Group organized a case competition that pitted ten teams against each other. My team included three full-time MBA students: myself (Noelle Rotte), Shihab Chowdhury, and Alessia Serafino. Each team was tasked with devising a marketing strategy for United’s new uniform rollout. I was especially excited about the target audience for this marketing strategy. United has a diverse employee base; we had to consider how our strategy would resonate with people of all different generations, genders, races, ethnicities and other identities.
The competition began with teams submitting proposals outlining the marketing strategies they would use and how each strategy should be implemented. After the initial proposals were reviewed, five of the ten teams went on to the second round. Luckily, my team made it to the second round!
We were charged with bringing our proposals to life through a presentation. Each team was paired with a previous KMG president to bounce ideas from and provide feedback on what to include. We were paired with Zach Bosy, a Brand Manager of Disruptive Innovation at Kraft Heinz.
On the day of the presentation, we were filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement. We felt prepared; we had completed and practiced our presentation, limited to just 15 minutes, the day before. Despite being the first team to present, we delivered our proposal with confidence. The subsequent question-and-answer session provided us with valuable insights and challenged us to defend our ideas.
Although my team did not emerge as the winners (shout-out to Devika Chaddha, Nikita Nese, and Souman Sami who came in first!) the experience left a lasting mark on me. It emphasized the significance of understanding your audience’s needs, the importance of preparation, and the value of taking risks.
So, to all aspiring business leaders: seize opportunities like these! They offer a unique chance to refine your skills, expand your network, and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
By Noelle Rotte
As I find myself halfway through my MBA journey at DePaul University, I’m reminded of the many reasons that led me to choose the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business for my MBA over other MBA programs. Here’s a glimpse into why Kellstadt stood out to me:
(1) Access to Professors
Coming from a small undergraduate institution with intimate class sizes and meaningful interactions with professors, I wanted to continue this personalized approach in my MBA. DePaul’s commitment to fostering close student-faculty relationships aligned perfectly with my academic preferences.
(2) Financial Aid Opportunities
DePaul’s comprehensive financial aid offerings played a pivotal role in my decision-making process. As a full-time MBA student, I received a Graduate Assistantship offer. The Graduate Assistantship I received covers half of my tuition for the first three quarters. The student-first policy, allowing flexibility in work hours during demanding academic periods, further underscored DePaul’s commitment to supporting students holistically.
(3) Access to Career Opportunities
Situated in the vibrant city of Chicago, DePaul provides unparalleled access to a multitude of career prospects and networking avenues. With its extensive alumni network and strong reputation within the city, DePaul serves as an ideal place for expanding one’s professional horizons.
(4) Diverse Learning Modalities
DePaul’s diverse range of learning modalities caters to various student needs and preferences. Whether it’s hybrid, flex, or fully online classes, the flexibility offered has been invaluable.
(5) Engagement with the Driehaus/Kellstadt Community
DePaul fosters an inclusive community through numerous engagement opportunities. From leadership roles in student organizations to participation in networking events and case competitions, the avenues for involvement are abundant, allowing students to forge meaningful connections and contribute to the university’s dynamic environment.
With these factors in mind, I am confident that choosing DePaul University for my MBA program was the right decision. DePaul’s unwavering support, coupled with its conducive learning environment and vast array of opportunities, has enriched my academic journey and positioned me for success in as I begin to step back into the world of business.
By Amanda Eckerle
Flex is a new course mode offering at DePaul that began in the fall of 2021. Students have the option to attend class in person or join online; the choice is up to you based on your schedule. Lectures are given live from an on-campus classroom equipped with technology to connect and engage in-person and remote students simultaneously. Here are the five reasons Flex mode is my new favorite way to learn:
1. Best of both worlds
I began pursing my MBA in the fall of 2020. Starting school again after being away from the classroom environment for many years was a challenging adjustment. On top of this, I had to adapt to virtual learning; something I had never done before. After a full year of virtual learning, I started to really enjoy and prefer a lot of its aspects. So, when a Flex course was offered in fall 2021, I was eager to keep those things I loved about virtual learning, but also get back to the classroom in person. The set-up was truly the best of both worlds.
2. Flex can fit into any schedule
In Flex mode, you have the option to attend virtually or in-person or a combination of both. Having this flexibility allowed me to juggle school, my full-time job and my lifestyle more easily. Some weeks were busier than others at work, so I was able to work right up until class time and join virtually. Other weeks, I needed to get out of the house and wanted to experience in-person interactions to foster those crucial connections while getting your MBA. Being able to choose which way I would attend class on a weekly basis made all the difference.
3. Sometimes we need that human interaction
I’ve discovered many perks to virtual learning: watching and re-watching lectures when I don’t understand a topic the first time, you’re already home after class with no late-night commute, and most importantly, location flexibility. With all that, sometimes you just need to interact in real life. See people’s expressions or have a non-course related conversations before and/or after class. These are the moments where I made great connections and networked with those in and outside of my industry, and networking is a big reason many pursue an MBA.
4. When virtual is the way, the experience isn’t lacking
James Moore, director of Online Learning at DePaul’s business college, demonstrates the digital monitor in a technology-enabled Flex classroom.
When virtual is the choice for a particular week’s class, DePaul has an excellent video and audio set-up in each classroom. There are cameras in the front and back of the room, allowing those at home to see the class during a discussion and the professor during a lecture. Additionally, the monitors are also virtual “white boards,” so those at home can see written notes from the professor during a lecture. Because the virtual experience can be as equally engaging as in person, you don’t feel like you’re missing out if you can’t make class that week.
5. Access anywhere, any time
Flex mode allows you to attend class from anywhere, but it also allows flexibility for when you take class as well. While the lecture is given live, it is also recorded, allowing those who can’t make it the ability to watch the live recording. While it’s not ideal to miss class, conflicts can occur! A business dinner or trip is scheduled during class, or a family matter may arise that needs to be addressed. Additionally, maybe you made it to class, but you just need to watch the lecture again to better understand the material. Either way, you have options, which is so incredibly valuable as we all try to juggle our busy lives.
Amanda Eckerle works full-time at a fully integrated advertising agency, Blue Chip Marketing, while pursuing her MBA at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Originally from Missouri, Amanda now calls Chicago home with 2022 marking almost 10 years here. She anticipates graduating in the fall of 2022 and is looking forward to applying what she’s learned, taking her strategic thinking and leadership to the next level. When she’s not in the classroom or at work you can find her breaking a sweat at a locally owned boutique gym, L.E.A.P., in Lakeview.
By Marisa Farella
As a full-time Kellstadt MBA student with graduation around the corner, I’ve been exploring, with my fellow students, the various career routes that follow our big day. One route my program has led me to explore is consulting – at Deloitte, Accenture and The Cambridge Group, to name a few. The world of consulting is daunting but with the support and direction of the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, it doesn’t feel so impenetrable.
Recently, I had the good fortune of taking Associate Professor Jaclyn Jensen’s Consulting Skills course. This course provides students the opportunity to partner with real clients with real-world needs to deliver real-world solutions for the duration of the quarter. My group was honored to consult a small, female and Latina-owned sustainable architecture firm with their recruiting, hiring and onboarding processes that the company was looking to grow. This was just the type of exposure and familiarization with consulting that I was seeking within my program. The lessons my group and I took away from this hands-on experience spanned beyond our virtual classroom. Here are a few of those lessons.
Establish Clear Communication with Your Team and Client
The Kellstadt MBA program blends a generous amount of group project work into the curriculum, and communication plays a vital role in the success and outcome of any group project. Luckily, having developed strong relationships with my cohort colleagues, I was familiar with the different personalities and learning styles of my group members. This made for what we thought would be a seamless project experience.
But a few weeks into our project, our communication with our client hit a bump as we realized expectations around roles and responsibilities were a bit unclear.
It took facing this challenge for us to understand the importance of clearly communicating expectations, processes, agendas and more. To help us bounce back, we began having weekly touch bases and recaps with each other as we progressed through the project. Those regular points of communication were helpful tools that ultimately contributed to our success at the end.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Throughout the weeks working with our client, Professor Jensen was there to give us redirection and guidance. When we faced our challenging situation with our client, she communicated with us the reality of consulting projects: they don’t always go as planned.
Professor Jensen took on the role similar to that of a career advisor. This is a role you find in consulting firms and one that helps analysts and consultants continue to thrive.
When I felt like I wanted to quit, she reminded me that I have the tools, knowledge and resources to get back up, apply what I know and deliver success.
Be Ready to Pivot as Needed
Our team members worked tirelessly to produce a solution for our client. We tried our best to go above and beyond to reach her expectations. When the time finally came to present her our materials and solution, she was speechless. Our client was a powerful, greatly accomplished woman who had a poker face like no other. What was she thinking? She hates it. We failed. No MBA degree for me! (These were all the fearful thoughts that went through my mind.)
When our client began to speak, we all held our breath. She said she was incredibly taken back by our deliverables and that we hit it out of the park. She explained that what we presented not only met her expectations but exceeded them.
Those fearful thoughts in my mind shifted from fear to fulfillment. This is why consultants do what they do. This why I’m in graduate school. This is why I chose the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
Overall, I learned that succeeding in a class like this requires you to be adaptable. It’s crucial that a team of students listen to a client’s feedback and apply the necessary and appropriate changes that need to be made to ensure the client’s satisfaction.
This project ended up turning into an opportunity I had not yet faced within my program. Without it, I may not have learned as much I have about myself as a professional, a student, a team member or most importantly, a consultant. It was in this course, with the help of Professor Jensen, that I strengthened my professional resilience. Add that to the list of characteristics us Blue Demons have.
Thank you to our client for your patience and understanding during the learning moments we had as a group, and thank you to Professor Jensen for the constant support and limitless lessons during this course. After all is said and done, this experience has definitely strengthened my desire and interest to pursue a career in consultancy.
Marisa Farella is a current MBA candidate and graduate assistant at Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. She graduated from DePaul University in 2018 with her BA in public relations and advertising, making her a proud soon-to-be Double Demon. In addition to her studies, Marisa has taken her love for writing and creativity a step further. She is the self-published author of her debut collection, “Truth or Dare: Poetry,” which is available on Amazon.
Photo by Jeff Carrion/DePaul University
By Nadia Alfadel Coloma
The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business and the Driehaus College of Business are gearing up to offer in-person learning opportunities on campus this fall. We’re excited to safely welcome students back into our classrooms, but we also recognize the importance of flexibility to accommodate different learning styles and student needs.
Courses will remain fully online this spring and summer, but this fall we’ll offer five course modalities that include in-person learning, online learning and a blend of in-person and remote. To help you prepare for fall class registration, which opens April 29, here’s a description of each of the college’s fall course modes.
- On-Campus Mode (P)
If you’ve missed learning in the classroom, this course mode is for you. Registering for the “P” mode means you attend class on campus with your peers and faculty member. On-demand and pre-recorded course content on D2L will complement the in-person learning experience. What will it be like on campus? DePaul and the business college will share information about on-campus policies and guidelines regarding health and safety as we get closer to fall.
- Flex Mode (FL)
Maybe you miss being in the classroom, but you also enjoy the perks of online learning. The Flex mode offers the best of both worlds, allowing you to choose between attending class in-person on one day or via Zoom synchronously the next. The advantage of Flex is that you have the option to choose, based on the demands of your work, life or schedule – where you want to attend class. Your faculty member will teach from a classroom on-campus that is equipped with technology to engage both in-person and remote learners simultaneously.
- Hybrid (HB)
The Hybrid mode, like Flex, also offers the best of online and in-person learning. However, there are two main differences. When you register for a “HB” course, the expectation is that you will alternate between attending class in person one session and engaging with the class online the following session, and so on. Another difference is that the online component of Hybrid is asynchronous, which means students access pre-recorded course content on-demand versus synchronous live class sessions on Zoom, like you would with Flex.
- Online Hybrid (OH)
Online Hybrid is a fully online course mode that blends synchronous learning (remote into a live class via Zoom) with asynchronous learning (engage with class content on your own, on-demand). This option allows you the opportunity for regular live interactions with your faculty member and peers since tuning into the class live via Zoom is an essential part of the class experience.
- Online Asynchronous (OA)
This popular online mode is the most flexible, allowing you to fit the course around the demands of your own schedule. All course content is pre-recorded with optional live remote activities. As with all courses at Kellstadt, regardless of mode, your faculty member is available to connect with you on an individual basis.
In truth, there is no going “back” to business as usual. At Kellstadt, we are committed to moving forward in innovative ways that inspire learning, connection and a sense of empowerment in our students. Talk to a Kellstadt advisor if you have questions about the fall course modalities, and stay up-to-date on the college’s fall 2021 plans on this FAQ webpage.
DePaul University continues to follow health and safety guidelines from local and state officials to protect the wellbeing of our campus community.
Nadia Alfadel Coloma (MA ’11) is a communication analyst at the Driehaus College of Business and the editor of the Inside Kellstadt blog.
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