At the Master of Business and Science (MBS) degree program, industry needs and partnerships are embedded into the fabric of our program. We ensure our curriculum stays up to date with industry trends to prepare students for the modern workforce. Many of our courses are taught by instructors with industry expertise, and we regularly update our courses based on workforce trends.
As part of this mission, we utilize an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) to help shape curriculum and keep programming and related initiatives cutting-edge, relevant, and impactful, keeping our program current, and enabling us to best assess how we prepare students to meet the ever-changing needs of the 21st-century workforce.
What is the MBS Industrial Advisory Board?
The MBS IAB is composed of nearly 30 STEM-based business leaders representing a rich spectrum of industries—including pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and development, product development, media and television, consumer goods, and the energy sector. Many members are MBS alumni.
IAB members engage with students at events including guest lectures, panel presentations, and mixers, where they discuss industry-specific trends, developments, innovations, and challenges facing business leaders today. The board’s expertise and diversity give MBS students and alumni access to a wide variety of careers and industries, as well as emerging industry trends and expert perspectives.
What is the impact of the IAB?
The influence of the IAB extends beyond guiding our curriculum. The IAB also serves as a key resource for MBS students and alumni. Through networking mixers, panels, and lectures, MBS students and alumni engage with IAB members. These events facilitate leadership development, networking, career insight, and professional skills development.
Read about past IAB-Student-Alumni mixers:
- “Widening the Aperture of Ourselves - The Dimensions of Diversity”: Shawn Pelletier, Founder of Let’s Change the Equation, led a discussion on diversity and how to broaden your views. This was followed by a panel moderated by IAB member and MBS alumnus Jim Andahazy and open networking.
- “A MIND Blowing Experience”: Matt Goerke, one of America’s leading experts in the field of Memory Development, and the developer of the “Memory Switch Program,” led attendees through exercises to help them improve their memory and understand how maintaining a good memory can help achieve personal and professional goals.
- “IAB Alumni Student Mixer”: Kathleen Cashman-Walter, MBS Executive Coach and Professor of our Communication and Leadership course, and IAB liaison, held a talk with IAB member and MBS alumnus Craig Moran. The conversation included LinkedIn’s list of top skills for 2025.
Our IAB is a powerful bridge between classroom and career. Their engagement and passion for our program give us a leading edge, ensuring our students enter the workforce prepared to navigate complexity, drive innovation, and lead across disciplines.