From Concept to Classroom: WSB Pilots Executive MBA Residency for Business Leaders
By Caroline Gilchrist | Photography by Paul L. Newby II
August 29, 2024
Bess Malson-Huddle addresses a class of volunteer participants (consisting of alumni and industry leaders) during the Wisconsin Executive MBA pilot residency.
After three years of research and strategic planning, the reimagined Wisconsin Executive MBA Program launched this month. To prepare, instructors for the new in-person residencies put their vision to the test by piloting one of the program’s new courses with a select group of alumni and industry leaders.
The two-part pilot course took place at Grainger Hall in January and March, each part spanning two days. The pilot was a compressed version of a residency course that students attend during fall immersion week at the beginning of the program.
The course—designed by Bess Malson-Huddle, director of business communication, and Liam Kane-Grade, teaching faculty in business communication—focused on common communication challenges for executive leaders, as well as the five most important audiences for executives (identified by MBA career management leadership in consultation with Dean Vallabh “Samba” Sambamurthy’s advisory board). In January, pilot participants analyzed and practiced announcing organizational changes to employees and senior leaders. In March, they focused on responding to crises by communicating effectively on social media and with board members and key investors.
“What is innovative about the course is the emphasis on pressing communication challenges for executives in today’s climate,” Malson-Huddle explains. “With the mandate to focus on the five key audiences, we took a new approach grounded in recent research on executive communication and combined it with adult learning principles. The course content blends theoretical and practical knowledge to give students a competitive edge as leaders.”
The goal of the pilot was to receive feedback on the course’s content, structure, and timing. The Wisconsin Executive MBA alumni and business leaders who participated in the pilot were of various industries, roles, and life experiences. Many of them had provided input on the program redesign from the beginning.
“Our alumni are outstanding, insightful, and dynamic,” says Jean Sink, director of career management for MBA and master’s programs. “I was certain that their contributions would be valuable for our faculty and staff interacting in the pilot. I also felt it was important for alumni to understand and have a sneak peek at some of the enhancements to the program because they are some of our greatest advocates with future students.”
Participants collaborate during the Wisconsin Executive MBA pilot residency.
Aaron Zimmer (MBA ’23), private wealth advisor and chief executive officer of Capital Wealth Advisory Group, was one of the volunteers who participated in the pilot.
“I gained a lot from the executive MBA program a few years ago and felt compelled to give back so others can continue benefiting as the program evolves,” Zimmer says. “The topic of executive communication is also of great interest to me as I lead my team and develop other leaders in my organization. Communication is so important in today’s technology-driven world and often overlooked. It’s important for our leaders to take a step back and self-assess their communication styles and skills so they can effectively lead their teams.”
Zimmer found the course valuable and “well organized, with a good balance of lecture, discussion, and group activities.” He also provided input on what he felt would make the content more relevant for executive professionals.
Over the past months, Malson-Huddle and Kane-Grade have been incorporating Zimmer’s and other participants’ feedback, refining the content and assignments to ensure the course is dynamic for prospective executives.
“It’s a pretty extraordinary experience to pilot a course for a class of talented executives,” says Malson-Huddle. “We really appreciated the lively discussions and actionable insights.”
“It’s a pretty extraordinary experience to pilot a course for a class of talented executives. We really appreciated the lively discussions and actionable insights.”
Bess Malson-Huddle, Director of Business Communication
Sink is likewise pleased with how the pilot went and what it meant for the development of the program.
“The pilot was a win in many ways—shaping how Bess and Liam are preparing and sharing content with this unique student population, as well as impacting how the other residency sessions are designed to ensure high engagement and, ultimately, help students implement the lessons to develop themselves as leaders.”
The voices of global and local business leaders have acted as a compass throughout the entire executive MBA redesign process, guiding decision-making to ensure the program will prepare students to tackle evolving business challenges. The pilot residency is just the latest example of the school’s commitment to improving the quality and relevance of the curriculum through feedback.
The redesigned Wisconsin Executive MBA’s first cohort started in August.
