Why Hire Our Students

As a company leader or recruiter, you understand the importance of cultivating new talent to become capable leaders of the future. Here’s how UNC Kenan-Flagler uniquely prepares MBA students to fulfill your expectations.

Four-step process of shaping leaders
At UNC, we’ve taken leadership training to a new level by developing a four-step approach grounded in academic research and best business practices. This process allows MBA students to develop leadership abilities as they:

• Learn leadership principles
• Practice leadership skills
• Gather feedback
• Reflect on their progress

Our Leadership Initiative is led by a team of dedicated professionals who provide a link between students and leadership development opportunities. We invite you to contact us to learn more about how you and your company can be involved.

Learning principles
Building leadership skills is integrated throughout the MBA curriculum. Students learn leadership principles through core courses on strategy, ethics, communication, and organizational behavior. In addition, they can refine their skills with elective courses such as negotiations, workplace diversity, strategic innovation and leadership communication. Special events, including the Lessons of Experience speaker series, offer students the chance to learn directly from business leaders.

Practicing skills outside the classroom
MBA students have many opportunities to apply what they learn.

• Simulations: Students practice new leadership behaviors in controlled situations, such as managerial simulations with professional role players or during interactive workshops.
• Real-world experiences: Students in the fulltime MBA and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration programs can transfer their skills into real-world opportunities to lead student organizations. They may also participate in STAR projects in which student teams consult with companies and not-for-profit organizations to solve strategic business challenges.

Gathering feedback
Each program offers several assessment tools that allow students to reflect on their performance and capabilities, as well as gain feedback from others. Students track their leadership development through feedback from their study team, professional coaches and faculty mentors.

Reflecting on progress
Students gain valuable insight by working with executive coaches and mentors. Together, they identify ways to further build upon the students’ strengths, address vulnerabilities, and connect their passions to professional goals.