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Global Leaders Graduate from School of Business Administration

A new class of global business leaders graduated from the School of Business Administration at the University of San Diego on Friday, July 25. Eighteen graduates, many on active duty in the Navy or working for top corporations like Qualcomm Inc, Discovery Channel, and Citibank, received Master of Science degrees in Global Leadership. The ceremony was held at USD's Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Theater.

Graduates of the program included Ianthe Andress, Michael Bukolt, Emily Butali, Matthew Cole, Joseph Fiksman, John Greene, Daniel Hannum, Siddhartha Herdegen, Daniel Hubert, Adam Johnson, Gregory Knutson, Ahmet Kucuk, Timothy Loy, Scott Maloney, Dara Manning, Matthew Muga, Franz Rozsnyoi, and Jonathan Stock.

Seven of the eleven military officers in the graduating cohort have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and the group includes officers from the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. Three of the civilian graduates were born and raised outside of the United States: Emily Butali from Kenya, Can Kucuk from Turkey and Ianthe Andress from Australia.

"This is an outstanding and diverse class of graduates," said program director Bob Schoultz. "Many of them have already accomplished great things in their careers, and with a greater understanding of the global business environment as well as the new skills in business, negotiations, leadership and cross-cultural communications that they have learned in this program, I know they will go on to serve our nation and the business community with increased wisdom, insight, and distinction."

The 16-month Master of Science in Global Leadership (MSGL) program focuses on leadership and ethics, the global political environment and best business practices. "We also place a high priority on cultural understanding and the role it plays in successful leadership across international and cultural boundaries," Schoultz said.

The program combines traditional classroom instruction with the latest in online and web-based learning techniques to provide a cutting-edge global business leadership education. Students from outside the San Diego area who are unable to attend the monthly classes may complete the majority of their coursework via distance and online learning means, with limited on-campus sessions.

Jaime Alonso Gómez, founding dean of the Graduate School of Business Administration and Leadership (EGADE) at the Tecnológico de Monterrey (TEC), Monterrey, Mexico and currently national dean of the EGADEs across the Tecnológico de Monterrey System, teaches in the MSGL program and addressed the graduating class. TEC is USD's partner for its dual-degree degree master's program in international business and student and faculty exchanges.

Since 1999 more than 400 students have graduated from the MSGL program.  Many of the private sector students receive generous scholarship from their employers, while the U.S. Navy has recognized the MSGL program for its Graduate Education Voucher program, providing scholarships for a number of Navy Officers to participate each year. 

For more information on the MSGL program, go to www.sandiego.edu/msgl.