Interview with Frank J. Mendelson

Interview with Frank J. Mendelson, Director of Admissions, MBA & MS programs
Lally School of Management and Technology — Rensselaer University

What makes Rensselaer unique?
Our MBA programme is at the intersection of management and technology and prepares graduates to compete in the global economy. Competition in the global economy demands that business leaders are quick, smart and lean when it comes to high-speed innovation. Managers must operate 24/7, and lead diverse, highperforming teams.

In our new MBA curriculum, we have moved from theory to practice, and to teach innovation and corporate leadership as it is practised. Five areas critical to business innovation that we call “streams of knowledge” are being taught by ‘teams’ of faculty members from a variety of business functions. It’s multi-disciplinary; multi-functional; technological, and team-based. And it meets the needs of employers who are seeking MBAs who understand the big picture, and embrace the implications of new technology across the enterprise. In yet another course, “Managing on the Edge”, students are deliberately thrust into an uncomfortable business environment; they are challenged to develop innovative responses and solutions, drawing on the full array of knowledge, skills and insights they have gained from two years of MBA study.

How does the clinical faculty provide benefit and value to your students?
The clinical faculty at the Lally School have decades of “real world” experience in dozens of countries around the world. Our clinical faculty provides insight with their earned real-world perspective on how business really works. These faculty members have held managerial and executive positions in major global companies that MBA students aspire to. For example, as the leader for the Strategy, Technology and Competition, Professor Greg Hughes contributes to the field of business and technology management. He calls upon his 26 years of experience at AT&T and Lucent Technologies.

What does Capstone mean?
The capstone course emphasises the relationship between technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness. The concepts and tools introduced and developed throughout the prior semesters are tapped in developing solutions to strategic challenges, at both the business unit and corporate levels. Students work in teams to complete the Strategy/Technology and Global Competitive Advantage sequence.
These teams design short term and long range strategic plans, and are required to present their final solution in an open forum. Often, the consulting advice students provide is the functional equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars worth of guidance. It is not unheard of for students to present their final work in closed-door presentations with corporate management present, because they have been given access to proprietary information. These students are quickly employed. The capstone strategy sequence then has particular value, as students may choose to work with global giants, mid-sized firms or with an  emerging business. The selection is critical, as the capstone is an excellent pathway toward career placement.

What is expected from students? who apply to the university?
For a successful experience in an MBA programme, it is important to have prior work experience. I like to say that my job is to create “a class of great expectations”. In this regard, students have great expectations of each other’s contribution in the classroom, as well as in their group projects, where their prior experience becomes the opportunity to transfer knowledge. Students should prepare for two rigorous years - an MBA is like a fulltime job with overtime. And teamwork is important, or as one student told me, “I don’t take home my homework at night, I take my team home with me”.

What is your assessment of Indian students?
Indians are brought up in a culture that places a strong value on education, and intellectual curiosity. What  impresses me most about them is their focus and analytic thinking. I am hesitant to generalize, but in my experience most of my students are outgoing in nature, with good social skills, are excellent team members, and hold themselves to high standards. I am impressed, too, with their ability to rapidly live comfortably within the American culture, without discarding their heritage.

What is your advice to Indian aspirants who wish to join Rensselaer?
Fit is key. At RPI, we believe that technology is the backbone of change— change no longer happens arithmetically, incrementally; it happens geometrically. We advise that you should only pursue an MBA if you already have at least one skill-set to build upon. I would advise the prospective MBA student from India to “do his or her homework” and compare programme strengths with your interests. Every programme can claim one rankings or another. But, looking beyond the rankings, see that your career goals are in alignment with our M&T focus. We are not the right programme if you are planning a career as a CPA or in investment banking. However, the development of a $1 Million innovation fund in combination with our Business Incubator Programme makes us the right place for the entrepreneurial-minded. Make yourself known to us; express your interest early by sending a resume and begin the application process. Speak with us, our faculty, our students and alumni.