Drexel Introduces C-Suite Co-op for MBA students

Beginning this fall, new students enrolling in the full-time MBA at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business will compete for coveted C-Suite Co-op^TM positions with top executives at firms such as Cisco, SAP, eBay, Urban Outfitters and other leading American corporations.

“I can think of no better way to introduce students to the realities of the business world,” said SAP Co-CEO Bill McDermott, one of the first executives to commit to the new program. “As the need for real talent deepens in business, your program provides an opportunity for substantial knowledge growth – for the student and SAP.”

Through the C-Suite program, companies in a variety of sectors across the country will create a C-level summer-term position for an MBA student who will have just completed nine months of academic study. Drexel’s LeBow will identify the most qualified finalists from the students in its full-time MBA program through a series of assessments and competitions.

“Our MBA students will learn firsthand how successful decision makers operate, and employers will have the chance to work closely with talented, hard-working and ambitious future executives,” said Drexel President John A. Fry, who plans to select an MBA student to work with him. “Drexel is the nation’s preeminent provider of experiential education. The MBA C-Suite Co-op is a natural for us, and it is a great way for top executives to access new thinking on issues needing their attention.”

In a spring “match day” competition, the finalist students will make presentations, extemporaneously propose solutions to problems and answer questions from a panel of judges consisting of representatives from the participating corporations. Each corporation then selects an MBA student for its summer 2014 assignment.

“The Drexel LeBow MBA program is the only one that offers a C-Suite Co-op as part of its degree,” said Dr. Frank Linnehan, interim dean for LeBow College. “Having the students compete with one another for these one-of-a-kind co-ops ensures that the best students earn the opportunity to acquire invaluable insights and to add top executives to their professional networks.”

Students who do not land in a C-Suite Co-Op^TM will have the opportunity to participate in other valuable experiential learning activities, including consulting assignments, international study, internships or other opportunities.

All students will conclude their MBA program with three months of academic study in the fall, during which they will be asked to develop and share insights about their summer experiences.

Initial participating organiations include: Cisco, Drexel, eBay, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, SAP and Urban Outfitters, with more to come.