SBA Alumni Network: 13,000 strong and growing
With nearly 13,000 alumni, Oakland University's School of Business Administration is represented worldwide by its graduates who are involved in every business sector at all levels. SBA alumni extend the school's mission into the workplace by setting standards of excellence. With change being constant in the world of business, it's critical business schools equip students with skills to adapt and innovate.
Over the next three years, the School of Business Administration is focusing its educational programs on this tri mission core: integrative thinking, experiential learning and global exposure so its students have sound critical thinking skills--as well as international experiential understanding when they graduate.
Alumni support and involvement is key to the SBA's success- and the success of its students. Whether it is volunteering in our ACHIEVE program, acting as a mentor to an undergraduate/graduate student, helping to arrange an internship, or networking with other graduates to expand our philosophy of business education in the marketplace. With your involvement, insight, talents and treasures, the SBA can continue to partner with an ever increasing breadth of businesses to transform our economy.
Follow this link to update your address:
http://www.oualumni.com/AlumniUpdates
Alumni Highlights
Finance alum leverages interest, education and experience to make a difference
Robert Manilla, SBA (BS Finance) '85, is at the helm of The Kresge Foundation investment team as its Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. Synonymous for philanthropy, the Kresge Foundation is a $3.1 billion private, national foundation that supports nonprofit organizations in arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, health, and human services.
In 2010 alone, the Kresge Foundation Board of Trustees paid out $158 million through 481 awards. "We have 65 people trying to make a meaningful impact in the world through our grants giving, my job is to make sure we have enough money to do that each year," he says. "I have a phenomenal job."
As an OU SBA student, Manilla took full advantage of the education, experiences and opportunities available to build a foundation leading to a successful career and his self-described phenomenal job. Key to this success included participating in a hallmark of the SBA program -- then and now -- gaining valuable, hands-on, real-world experience as a co-op student at Chrysler. This early connection to Chrysler led Manilla to a 20-year career there. In his last position at Chrysler, Manilla found his career passion -- managing the pension fund. Here Manilla discovered an intense interest in investments, which ultimately led to his current position.
Read the full story here.
Executive MBA alum applies business acumen, leadership skills to medical practice
Dr. Muhammad Haitham Al-Midani loves a good challenge. It is that drive to solve problems that first drew him to the medical field, and, later, to join the first cohort in the OU School of Business Administration's Executive MBA (EMBA) program.
“I like to challenge my intellectual curiosity,” says Al-Midani, EMBA ’02, founder, Digestive Disease and Nutrition Center in Burton, Mich. Al-Midani launched the practice in 1981 after earning his medical degree at Damascus University College of Medicine in Syria, and completing his residency and his fellowship.
“In the 1990s we had the penetration of managed care,” he says. “I needed more skills to manage the practice and get into the business of medicine.” In 2000, Al-Midani began researching MBA programs. He saw that while he was successful in the examining room, his practice and his patients were challenged by the business aspects of medicine — from navigating insurance companies expectations to post-operative care needs.
Among national and regional MBA programs available for physicians, OU's program was unique because of its emphasis on health care management.
Read full story here.
MBA helps alumnus discover career passion
Tamara Davidson, MBA '84, made the common mistake of many college students -- she chose the wrong major for her undergraduate degree. This became evident to her shortly after she graduated from Albion College with her degree in chemistry. "I found myself working as a chemist, alone in a laboratory," she says. "That's when I realized my chemistry major didn't fit my personality -- the job simply wasn't a good fit for me.
While continuing to work full time at Enthone, Davidson turned to Oakland University's School of Business Administration for her MBA. From there, she leveraged her advanced degree and technical experience to forge a successful career in purchasing. She's now Director of Supply Chain Management for MacDermid Inc., a specialty chemical company, where she is responsible for purchasing, quality control, logistics, and distribution.
Earning her MBA made it possible for Davidson to transition from her technical career path at Enthone to its management ranks.
Read full story here.