Qualified SU Grads can Enroll in Penn State Smeal College of Business Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership Program
Students in Susquehanna University’s science programs can now be granted assured acceptance into the Penn State Smeal College of Business Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership program through a newly formed relationship between the two universities.
Jordan Zezza, 2017 SU grad, 2018 Smeal grad
The Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership (MOL) is a one-year residential program held at Penn State’s University Park campus that is uniquely designed for pre-professional students from technical and STEM disciplines to bridge the gap between a technical background and the business world.
“We’re excited about the relationship with Susquehanna University,” said Brian Cameron, associate dean for professional graduate programs at Smeal. “We have several Susquehanna students who have graduated from the program and have gone on to great careers with great companies. We look forward to growing this relationship in the future.”
“Our new partnership with the Smeal College of Business exposes our students in the sciences to career opportunities they may not have considered before,” said Valerie Martin, vice provost and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Susquehanna. “We are happy to formalize this affiliation that has resulted in professional success for our graduates who have gone on to complete the program.”
To be eligible for assured admission, Susquehanna students must complete 60 credits of coursework in a science major at Susquehanna while maintaining a cumulative 3.25 GPA.
Students may apply for provisional acceptance to the Penn State Smeal MOL program beginning in the fall semester of their junior year at Susquehanna. Final admission is contingent upon conferral of their baccalaureate degree from Susquehanna.
The accelerated master’s program is designed to provide students with both functional expertise and a broad business perspective to propel their professional careers. MOL curriculum focuses on business fundamentals with coursework in areas such as accounting, economics and statistical analysis. Functional courses build competencies in specific areas of business, including finance, marketing and supply chain management, with a focus on communication and team process skills.
One SU Graduate’s Journey at Smeal
As a neuroscience major at Susquehanna, Jordan Zezza ’17 assumed he would pursue a research-oriented career path, which he thought was his only option as a science major.
“However, I received advice from Dr. Wade Johnson during our analytical chemistry class one day. He told me if I am ever able to leverage my STEM background in a business setting, I should, because there’s a lot of opportunity to make an impact in that space,” Zezza remembered.
Zezza found that Smeal’s MOL program aligned perfectly with his professional goals. He graduated with his master’s degree in 2018 and is now in the Leadership Acceleration Program at Highmark Health in Pittsburgh.
“Businesses have identified a need for people with STEM backgrounds blended with a business foundation. Being that hybrid individual will allow you to fill a niche role that not many others can fill,” Zezza said. “Most of all, you will have a unique and compelling story. Telling that story effectively is a skill you’ll gain through the program and, in my mind, the ability to tell an effective story is the most important skill you can have in business.”
