New campus space, in-person collaborations enhance RIT’s EMBA program  

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Clement Chung was already a well-established engineer when he began thinking about taking his career to the next level.

While Chung was confident in his technical abilities, he felt he was lacking in other executive areas, such as leadership and strategic thinking.

He developed those skills through the executive MBA program at Rochester Institute of Technology. Chung attended classes on-campus and took some courses online to complete his degree, which he received in 2019.

Chung, who is now deputy director of the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services, recommends the EBMA program at RIT.

“It’s an excellent program and I learned some valuable lessons,” he said, adding he learned from his fellow students — whose career experience ranged from six years to 40 years — as well as his professors. “This program sets students up to succeed.”

The EMBA has become a valuable tool for busy professionals seeking to elevate their careers, leaders at RIT say, noting while online EMBAs offer flexibility and convenience, a growing segment of leaders prioritize the intangible value of an on-campus experience.

Jeff Davis, director of executive education at RIT’s Saunders College of Business, said the EMBA program has always been a draw for professionals looking to advance to the next level of their careers.

The recent multi-million-dollar expansion and renovation project at the Saunders College of Business – which nearly doubled the size of the building where the business college is housed – includes new digs for the EMBA program.

There is now a new EMBA and executive education suite — with conference space and executive style classrooms — which allows for even more in-person collaboration with students and faculty, Davis noted.

Like traditional MBA programs, EMBAs are structured for current (rather than aspiring) executives and tend to be more flexible to accommodate busy schedules.

Davis, who received his EMBA from RIT in 2010, said the program’s design has many benefits for professionals who have time in their perspective fields.

It is a 15-month, four-semester program that begins in August and finishes in November of the following year. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.

Traditionally there are 20 students enrolled in the on-campus EMBA program and another 15 students who complete the course online.

The on-campus EMBA program is a cohort-based program, where all students enter the program at the same time and move through the courses with their initial cohort, Davis explained.

The cohort program allows them to develop professional bonds with those they work with over the program. The cohorts usually include a mix of students who range in age, experience and industry, providing further diversity, Davis said.

The international trip EMBA students take also broadens their experience by placing them in various locations around the globe, looking at business issues through an international lens, he added.

Davis said the program is looking to enhance its offerings. That includes an option to combine life science studies with the EMBA curriculum.

The program also continues to develop partnerships with area businesses.

The EMBA department at RIT has worked with local companies — including Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Paychex — on customized corporate education programs for its employees. And Rochester Regional Health is partnering with the Saunders EMBA program to train some of its doctors in executive education.

“Helping the local business community is an important part of what we do,” Davis said.

Jacqueline Mozrall, dean of the Saunders College of Business, described the EMBA program as highly interactive, with both in-classroom learning and real-world business experience.

“Students find it to be a dynamic and engaging experience,” she said.

The new space on-campus further encourages in-person learning and collaboration, which helps drive creativity and innovation among the next generation of business leaders, Mozrall added.

The program places an emphasis on applied learning, mainly through capstone projects.

During such projects, students work in teams to address specific business problems or assess potential opportunities for client companies, generally over a four-to-five-month period.

RIT’s EMBA teams have delivered capstone projects for large multi-nationals, mid- to small-size local businesses and non-profits of all sizes.

Chung has worked with the EMBA program on capstone projects, both as a student and a professional, including one that focused on marketing efforts for his county department.

St. John’s has also participated in capstone projects, ranging from marketing projects focused on brand awareness to a review of the delivery of its dementia services.

Janet Wixom, St. John’s vice president of corporate strategy, spoke of the collaboration between the St. John’s staff and the RIT EMBA students, noting many of the recommendations made by the students were enacted by the organization.

“They showed a high level of commitment and were really invested in the projects,” she said.

Jennifer Lesinski, St. John’s vice president of marketing, said the work the EMBA students did for the organization was second to none.

She added that it was unlikely that the organization would have done the work without them, noting the high-cost consultants charge, which is often a deterrent for nonprofits.

“We wouldn’t have been able to have this level of business planning and market research without them,” Lesinski said. “The EMBA students were as high a caliber as any of the firms out there.”

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