News : News Releases : 2001-2002

MBA program again in top 20 : Leavey School of Business is 17th best part-time program, and its graduates report 16th highest starting salaries of all MBA programs

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - April 5, 2002 - The MBA program of Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business continues to be among the top 20 part-time programs in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report. In addition, of the 270 schools nationwide that reported data to U.S.News, graduates of the MBA program at SCU in 2001 earned an average salary, $90,145, that was the 16th highest in the country, including both part-time and full-time programs.

The Leavey School of Business 17th-place ranking among the nation's 218 part-time programs, 4th best in California, was reported by the magazine in its annual "Best Graduate Schools" rankings, which are posted on its Web site, www.usnews.com.

"These rankings again confirm the strong national reputation of our MBA program, and the great return on investment for our graduate students," said Barry Z. Posner, dean of the Leavey School of Business and professor of leadership. "Our students and faculty work in the heart of Silicon Valley's dynamic business environment, and our MBA programs reflect the region's continuing energy and innovation."

The business school part-time rankings were based on a reputation survey of business school deans and MBA program directors. In addition to Santa Clara University, the other Bay Area part-time program ranked in the top 20 was the University of California, Berkeley. UCLA, University of Southern California, Pepperdine and UC Irvine also were ranked in the top 20.

Nationally, only graduates of part-time MBA programs at Northwestern University, University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University, UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago earned more in their first year than MBA graduates from Santa Clara University.

SCU added an Executive MBA program in 1999 and in January added a Saturdays-only MBA program. In 2000, when the Academy of Management Journal ranked faculty scholarship at all of the nation's MBA programs, SCU was sixth in California and 72nd nationally. The University's undergraduate business program last year was ranked third in California last fall by U.S. News and World Report, 57th among all U.S. universities.

Guest faculty in undergraduate classes this week are experienced executives
Part of "Getting Connected:Meeting Silicon Valley Executives in the Classroom," the fifth annual undergraduate convocation.

SANTA CLARA, CA - Twelve top executives will spend February 13 and 14 at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business as guest faculty in the fifth annual Undergraduate Convocation, "Getting Connected: Meeting Silicon Valley Executives in the Classroom."

Among the executives participating are Kevin Walsh, retired Sun Microsystems Corporate Planning and Resources vice president; Sherry McVicar, Read-Rite Human Resources Vice President, and Fred Hoar, recently retired chairman of Webber Shandwick Technologies.

Joining them are John Hagel, author of Net Worth and Net Gain; Dennis Barsema, president, CEO and chairman of the board of Onetta; Linda Alepin, partner in the Center for New Futures; and George Sollman, chairman and CEO of Arabesque Investments. Additional leaders participating are Daniel Reid, Arthur Andersen partner; Allen Delattre, global electronics and high tech/supply chain practice partner with Accenture; and Peggy Abkemeier, senior manager with Arthur Andersen.

Several of the speakers are themselves alumni of Santa Clara University's business program, including Patrick Guerra, president and CEO of Spin Circuit (BS Economics 1973 and MBA 1976); Ken Kam, president of Ingenuity Capital Management, and portfolio manager, medical specialist (BSC Finance 1982); and Swapan Ghosh, CEO of GSI Software (MBA 1999).

During the two-day event, each executive will be a guest in a School of Business class closely connected with the individual's experience and background. "Our students gain an 'up close and personal' exposure to these Silicon Valley veterans," said Barry Z. Posner, dean of the University's Business School and professor of leadership. "Ours is the only undergraduate program that offers young women and men the opportunity to really connect with the leaders in Silicon Valley. Our annual undergraduate convocation is a significant part of our work in educating students for life and leadership."

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University began in 1926, and was one of the first business schools in the country to receive national accreditation. The business school's MBA program was one of the original group of MBA programs in 1961 to be accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.

It offers a professional education emphasizing humanistic and moral development as well as technical proficiency. Approximately 900 students are enrolled in the MBA program, rated one of the top 20 part-time programs in the U.S., attracting working professionals in Silicon Valley. Its undergraduate business programs, which enroll approximately 1,300 students, are ranked third in California by U.S. News and World Report.

Business School Extraordinary Faculty Named for 2000-2001

Eleven faculty members were named "Extraordinary Faculty" by Dean Barry Z. Posner at the Leavey School of Business Fall Town Hall Meeting on November 28. The honor is given to faculty whose teaching, research, and service efforts are judged signficant by the Dean and the business school academic administrators.

Receiving the award for the first time were Associate Professor of Finance Sanjiv Das, Associate Professor of Economics Daniel Klein, Assistant Professor of Management Tammy Madsen, and Assistant Professor of Accounting Susan Parker. Those faculty receiving the award for the second or third time in their careers were Associate Professor of OMIS Naren Agrawal, Associate Professor of Economics and Management Greg Baker, Associate Professor of OMIS Manoochehr Ghiassi, Professor of Management Dennis Moberg, Professor of Leadership Barry Posner, and Assistant Professor of OMIS Andy Tsay.

Recognition for exceptional teaching, scholarship and service was also made during the Town Hall. Recognized for their work as teachers were: Mario Belotti (Economics), Larry Iannaccone (Economics), Andrew Lien (Marketing), Edward McQuarrie (Marketing), Christopher Miller (Marketing), Chris Paisley (Accounting), Peggy Randall (OMIS), Hersh Shefrin (Finance), and Richard Williams (Business Administration).

Honored for their scholarly endeavors were: Martin Calkins, S.J. (Management), Alexander Field (Economics), Rhonda Righter (OMIS), Atulya Sarin (Finance), Stephen Smith (OMIS), Meir Statman (Finance), and Manuel Velasquez (Management).

Receiving awards for their service to the School, the University and their profession were: Andre Delbecq (Management), John Heineke (Economics), Linda Kamas (Economics), Chaiho Kim (OMIS), Shelby McIntyre (Marketing), Jane Ou (Accounting), James Sepe (Accounting), and Tyzoon Tyebjee (Marketing).

Silicon Valley venture capitalist gives $15 million to SCU business school for new building

Gift from Don Lucas will build new home for Leavey School of Business;
Donation is largest in business school's history

SANTA CLARA, CA - Santa Clara University today announced that Don Lucas, one of Silicon Valley's pioneer venture capitalists, has pledged $15 million to help build a new home for the Leavey School of Business.

SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., praised Lucas for his vision, and called the gift "transformational," and a cornerstone for the University's new business school building.

Locatelli also unveiled initial plans for the new building, a three-story, 82,000-square-foot structure to be built at the north end of the 104-acre campus in Santa Clara.

"Don Lucas continues to put his faith and funding in new ideas and new ventures," Locatelli said in announcing the gift.

"With Don's help, we can accelerate fundraising for the new business school building," Locatelli said.

Lucas's gifts have supported business education programs at SCU since 1979, including gifts for a lecture series, for scholarships, and for an annual economic symposium at SCU for Silicon Valley executives. He is a member of the University Board of Trustees.

Lucas said he made the gift "to encourage the continued development of the University, and, in particular, the Leavey School of Business."
"The character of the students, their commitment to the community, and their moral and ethical foundation is unrivaled," he said.

Lucas helped fund the 1995 renovation of Kenna Hall, one of two current classroom/office buildings for the SCU business school. In 1998, he was the lead donor to establish an endowed professorship honoring Mario Belotti, SCU professor of economics.

Initial plans for the new business school building call for a consolidation of all business school classrooms and offices in a single structure, with a high-tech interior that includes MBA and executive classrooms, conference rooms and services on Franklin Street in Santa Clara. It will also be the new home for the University's Center for Science, Technology and Society.

Two of Lucas' three children, Nancy Thibodeau of Gaithersburg, Md., and Donald A Lucas, of Atherton, graduated from Santa Clara University with undergraduate business degrees, in 1975 and 1984, respectively. Lucas received his B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Stanford University.

Lucas, who lives in Atherton and whose business is on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, has been involved in building businesses in the Santa Clara valley for more than 40 years. He was one of the lead investors in Oracle and Cadence when they were start-ups. He is a U.S. Army veteran who worked at Smith Barney in New York before joining the first venture capital firm on the West Coast, Draper, Gaither & Anderson, in 1960. In a seven-year participation with the firm, he served as both a general partner and a limited partner.

Since 1967, Lucas has been actively engaged in venture capital activities as a private individual. He has been a founder of several Silicon Valley success stories, including National Semiconductor Corporation. He currently serves as a director of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. in San Jose; Macromedia, Inc. in San Francisco; Oracle Corporation in Redwood City; PDF Solutions Inc, in San Jose; and Tricord Systems, Inc. in Plymouth, Minnesota. He also serves as a director for several privately held companies.

His $15 million gift is the largest gift to the Leavey School of Business in its 75-year history.

In the last two years, Santa Clara University has announced a $20 million gift from Lorry Lokey for scholarships and a new library, a $15 million gift from the Leavey Foundation to rebuild the Leavey Center athletic facility, and a $12 million gift from the Jesuit Community of Santa Clara for scholarships and community education.

Thoughtful, reflective beginning of Leavey School of Business School year

Leavey School of Business students began the 2001-2002 school year on September 17 with gatherings focused on community, service and faith. The business school admitted more than 300 new business majors and more than 200 graduate students this fall, bringing the total enrollment in the school to 1,200 undergraduates and 1,025 MBA and Executive MBA students.

"The tragedies of September 11 changed, irrevocably, our perspectives," Dean Barry Z. Posner told graduate students during the annual fall Leavey Lecture held on the first two nights of classes. "In the end, some of these changes—like finding a greater sense of community—is for the better."

Posner, an internationally recognized expert of the study and practice of leadership, spoke to the graduate students of the importance of faith, of being in service to others, and the importance of community. Paul Locatelli, S.J., president of the University, also made remarks to the graduate student body, emphasizing the Jesuit tradition of becoming "contemplatives in action."