MBA Blog

��ý�� Climate Ventures Connects Leeds MBA Students to Climate Tech Innovation

Dani Saldana Gordillo — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:03:46 +0000

��ý�� Climate Ventures Connects Leeds MBA Students to Climate Tech Innovation Dani Saldana G… Fri, 03/13/2026 - 13:03

Julie Waggoner

Through interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on venture work, students are discovering the business opportunities in climate solutions.

Alex Kaindl (MBA'26)

When Leeds MBA students join ��ý�� Climate Ventures, they step into an experience that reaches far beyond the classroom.

They join teams working on real climate ventures. They collaborate with engineers, PhD students and investors. And they begin to see, in a tangible way, how their business education can contribute to solutions for some of today’s most pressing challenges.

For students interested in entrepreneurship, investing and sustainability, ��ý�� Climate Ventures (BCV) offers a powerful opportunity to connect academic learning with real-world application. BCV is a collaboration between CESR and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at Leeds, and the CU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, funded by Breakthrough Energy. The program is based on a model that Breakthrough Energy has rolled out at five other universities globally, including Stanford and MIT. CU is the first public university to join this group of top universities located in hubs for climate innovation.

BCV started with a seminar series teaching students about business opportunities in climate tech in fall 2025 and has continued into an incubator for early-stage climate start-ups in spring 2026. 190 attendees participated in the fall, hearing from 22 speakers including investors, CEOs and industry experts. This spring more than 30 students have formed teams to explore the viability of new climate ventures.

The program brings together students from across the university, along with community members from Colorado’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, to support and develop climate-focused ventures—giving Leeds MBA students the chance to apply their skills in an interdisciplinary, fast-moving environment.

Fostering connections to power impact

That cross-campus collaboration is part of what makes the experience so distinctive.

“It’s not often that an MBA gets to work on a project, much less be in a class, with a doctoral chemistry student,” said Katherine Ratledge, program manager at CESR and one of the leaders who brings BCV to life.

“BCV teaches engineers and business experts to work together,” said Mike McGehee, professor of engineering and a member of the BCV team. “It teaches them to identify a promising opportunity, do premarket research, refine a business plan and pitch an idea to investors and customers.”

That means moving beyond case studies and into the kind of hands-on work that defines early-stage ventures: shaping business models, exploring market opportunities and helping translate complex ideas into viable solutions.

Katrina Grosek (MBA'26)

For Katrina Grosek (MBA’26, Clean Energy Pathway), BCV has been one of the most energizing parts of her MBA experience. She joined the program while working as an intern helping to launch TerraForge Capital, a new venture fund focused on the energy transition. She said the combination of her internship with getting exposure to climate tech business opportunities every week was powerful.

“Working with the General Partner to build out the fund, while attending BCV sessions in parallel, was the most impactful form of experiential learning I’ve encountered throughout my MBA,” Grosek said. “I got a crash course in Climate 3.0 and how the industry has shifted.”

Grosek connected with the founder of AnodeWorks, an engineer developing an electrochemical manufacturing platform designed to solve the bioplastics scale-up problem, at a happy hour hosted by BCV in the fall. The pair gravitated toward each other to work together this spring thanks to their complementary combination of technical skills and investing experience. In her role as chief of staff, Grosek has helped the founder to build the team and leads business development, strategy, and investor relations.

“Talking about BCV is honestly what gets me going each day,” Grosek said. “It has been one of the best programs I’ve participated in since beginning my full-time MBA at Leeds.”

Deepening MBA skills through real-world experiences

For Jared Haltom (MBA’27, Clean Energy Pathway), BCV has created an opportunity to connect classroom learning with the realities of venture building. He first heard about the program during orientation but did not initially see how he, as an MBA student, would fit into a climate venture environment that seemed heavily technical. Once he joined, that changed quickly.

After participating in the fall seminar series, he now works on business development, financial modeling and techno-economic analysis for AnodeWorks, the same startup developing an electrochemical manufacturing platform designed to solve the bioplastics scale-up problem that Grosek is working with. His role has involved translating highly technical work into a viable market story and helping the team understand production costs, commercial potential and how to communicate with investors.

“Case studies are great, but we’re trying to solve a real problem for a real business here,” Haltom said.

That emphasis on real-world problem-solving helps students build skills that translate across industries and roles—from startup leadership and commercialization to venture capital and climate strategy. It also gives them confidence in navigating ambiguity, working across disciplines and contributing to ventures at an early stage.

Empowering climate founders

Working with MBA students offers tangible benefits for technical founders as well. Marc Manyé Ibáñez, Co-Founder and CEO of AnodeWorks and PhD student in chemical engineering, said the biggest value of BCV has been working with people who bring a different skill set.

“Working with MBA students forces us to really think about this as a real business, rather than just a science project,” Ibáñez said. “They bring a lot of rigor to our market research, but more importantly, they challenge our assumptions.”

BCV has also become a meaningful space for business students interested in building ventures of their own. Alex Kaindl (MBA’26, Sustainability Pathway), who first joined the fall BCV seminars and now participates in the incubator as a founder, said the program has offered structure, accountability and a community of people committed to climate-focused innovation. She’s exploring ideas she’s been passionate about for a long time, including community-based models for wildfire insurance and biodegradable replacements for plastic packaging, like wool that isn’t fine enough to be used to make sweaters, but could be valuable in industrial applications.

“BCV offers a support system for being an entrepreneur but also someone who cares about climate change and improving quality of life for people, planet, animals,” Kaindl said. “The facilitators are really invested in our growth and success. They give honest feedback and connect us with experts that pressure-test our ideas.”

Cultivating next-generation climate innovators

For Betsy Klein, associate director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, the community connections and experiential learning are central to the program’s value. BCV gives MBA students hands-on experience working with real climate startups while strengthening CU ��ý��’s broader entrepreneurship ecosystem.

“BCV is helping position CU ��ý�� as a talent pipeline for the climate innovation economy,” Klein said. She’s excited that the program offers “the opportunity to help build the next generation of climate founders, operators, and investors.”

BCV is more than an extracurricular opportunity. It is a space to explore how business skills can support innovation, collaboration and impact. It helps students imagine new professional pathways—ones that bring together purpose, problem-solving and leadership.

And in that way, ��ý�� Climate Ventures is doing more than introducing students to climate entrepreneurship. It is helping them see how their time at Leeds can prepare them to build careers—and contribute solutions—that matter.

BCV is giving Leeds MBA students a hands-on opportunity to engage with climate tech innovation through real venture-building experiences. Through seminars and an incubator program, students apply their MBA skills to early-stage climate startups while developing the next generation of climate entrepreneurs, operators, and investors.

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Students Design ‘Warehouse of the Future’ at Leeds Sustainability Case Competition

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:54:26 +0000

Students Design ‘Warehouse of the Future’ at Leeds Sustainability Case Competition Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 02/10/2026 - 13:54

Grace Garfoot , Photos by Nathan Thompson

Graduate students put their problem-solving skills to the test at this year's Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.

UCLA Anderson School of Management's Sustain Chain Solutions won first place, receiving $10,000.

Thirty-one teams from across the country converged at the Leeds School of Business on Jan. 31 to envision the "Warehouse of the Future."

Hosted by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR), the annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition challenged graduate students to pitch sustainable business solutions to industry sponsor Iron Mountain.

Students were tasked with helping the digital and physical asset management company design sustainable, physical spaces to house information in an evolving technological landscape, taking into consideration legal, regulatory and reporting requirements.

The event provided a platform for teams from CU ��ý��, UCLA, University of California Berkeley, Duke University and other leading institutions to test their skills in a realistic business environment. Participants were tasked with designing sustainable warehouse concepts, which ranged from file digitization and embedded carbon in construction to using mycelium for insulation.

The winners of this year’s Leeds Sustainability Case Competition were:

First place: Sustain Chain Solutions, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Second place: Project Evergreen, University of Rochester Simon Business School

Third place: Lean Clean Consulting Machine, University of Rochester Simon Business School

Finalists: Savvy Sustainable Strategists, University of California, San Diego Rady School of Management; and Warehouse Grounds Group, University of Washington Foster School of Business

Beyond the competition

While the competition is a test of strategy, it also emphasizes the private sector's role in addressing global environmental challenges.

“The private sector is fundamental if we’re going to be meaningfully addressing climate change or biodiversity loss or any of the huge environmental issues that we are facing today,” said Alex Hamman, a Master's of the Environment student who competed on one of CU ��ý��’s teams. “We need to know how to dialogue with people who don't share the same educational background as us and still be able to find common ground.” 

In addition to pitching their ideas, students had the opportunity to network with peers, faculty and competition partners, including Janus Henderson Investors.

“We think it’s great to see what the next generation thinks about, cares about and to make sure that they’re coming in with this mindset of ‘business isn’t just about profits,’” said Demesha Hill, head of diversity and community relations at Janus Henderson Investors and president of the Janus Henderson Foundation. “You can make profits and you can also protect the environment. You can make profits and you can do it in a way that’s right for humanity.”

Kristi Ryujin, associate dean for graduate programs, noted that the competition aligns with the university's broader mission. "This case competition is just one example of the many hands-on experiences that CESR offers to students throughout the year to advance our business school’s vision of elevating business as a force for good in a rapidly changing world," Ryujin said.

"Here at CU ��ý��, sustainability is the number one priority for our chancellor, and it is a key priority here at Leeds."

Graduate students put their problem-solving skills to the test at this year's Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.

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Four Tips for Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:50:00 +0000

Four Tips for Requesting Letters of Recommendation Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/18/2025 - 09:50

Recommendation letters are a critical piece of your application. A strong letter of recommendation (one is required in your Leeds application) can be just as important to your application as GMAT or GRE scores, or your undergraduate GPA. Our admission committee looks to letter(s) of recommendation for information about you such as your academic accomplishments, work ethic, and character to assess whether or not you will be a good fit for the program you are applying to.

Getting a letter of recommendation doesn't have to be a headache. Follow these simple tips to keep you on track.

1. Who to ask to serve as reference

If you are in college and you know that you plan to pursue a graduate school, start building relationships with your peers, professors and research supervisors. These relationships can serve you well for future recommendation letters.

If it’s been a while since you’ve been in college, consider asking professionals who know your character and have a genuine enthusiasm for your future and your success. Supervisors, office managers, anyone who has worked with you and can vouch for your work ethic and performance.

Whoever you ask, make sure you ask in an appropriate manner. Be sure to ask early, give them time to complete the request.

2. Materials to provide your selection of referees

In order to receive a good letter of recommendation, be sure to provide your referees all of the materials they will need to write a strong recommendation letter. Be organized and thorough, and ask your references if they need any additional documentation to write your recommendation letter. Some ideas for what you can provide are listed below:

Academic transcript(s)
Admission essays
Research experiences
Honor societies to which you belong
Awards
Resume/work experience
List of programs you are applying to
Contact information for yourself for questions (email, phone)
A list of your goals related to your desired degree

3. What not to do when requesting a letter of recommendation

Now that we’ve covered who to select as referees and what to provide them with to write a good letter of recommendation, let’s go over a few things not to do:

If your reference needs additional materials from you, do not provide your documentation piecemeal and don’t wait to send it to them.
Do not ask for a non-confidential letter; admissions committees will give more weight to it if they know it’s a confidential letter under the belief that writers will often be more candid

4. A few last thoughts

Give your references plenty of time to write their letter of recommendation. Give them at least 3–4 weeks to write the letter, as professors and professionals are busy. If you haven’t heard on the status of the letter of recommendation around 1 1/2 weeks prior to the deadline, send a friendly reminder.

Finally, send them a thank you note with the status of your application. They are invested in your success and will want to know how you’re moving forward in the process.

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Leeds Community Celebrates 60 Years of MBA Programming

Erik William Jeffries — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:59:09 +0000

Leeds Community Celebrates 60 Years of MBA Programming Erik William J… Thu, 08/07/2025 - 12:59

Alumni, students, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Leeds School of Business MBA program on Thursday, July 31, and Friday, August 1, 2025.

The festivities began with a reception at Folsom Field's Byron R. White Club, where guests toured athletic facilities, heard from Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri and Director of Alumni Engagement John Helmers (MBA'07) and connected with fellow MBAs.

"This extraordinary milestone reflects not only the strength of our academic legacy but also our unwavering dedication to preparing the next generation of visionary business leaders. Celebrating 60 years of the Leeds MBA is a testament to our enduring commitment to excellence and remarkable momentum," said Khatri.

Attendees returned to the classroom on Friday for sessions at the Koelbel Building, featuring a keynote by Sean Tufts (MBA'11), a former NFL linebacker and current chief technology officer. Associate Dean for Graduate Programs Kristi Ryujin provide opening remarks and faculty along with alumni speakers also provided insights on topics like conscious leadership, entrepreneurship, and the future of Leeds—and the MBA program.

"Commemorating 60 years of the Leeds MBA marks a significant milestone in our legacy of excellence. It was truly inspiring to convene distinguished alumni, esteemed faculty, dedicated staff and ambitious students—each united by a shared passion for Leeds," said Ryujin.

In honor of this milestone, Leeds announced the MBA 60th Anniversary Fund, with a goal of creating 60 new scholarships this year to attract highly talented MBA students. Learn more here.

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Celebrating Indian Culture at Leeds

Jane Majkiewicz — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:07:39 +0000

Celebrating Indian Culture at Leeds Jane Majkiewicz Mon, 12/23/2024 - 13:07

Deepali Agrawal

In its inaugural Indian Cultural Night on December 6, 2024, Leeds students and guests shared a taste of India with stories, dancing, presentations and food (of course!). Here, Deepali Agarwal’s words summoned up a visceral sense of place, concluding with wise words for approaching life with a positive attitude.

Most of you know that I come from India, a place I proudly call home. India is a land of incredible diversity, where different communities, religions and cultures coexist harmoniously on one united land. I come from North India, and I am excited to share with you all about my home—a region rich in history, culture and unforgettable experiences.

So, let’s start a quick, vibrant journey to North India—the land of snow-capped Himalayas, bustling bazaars and food so delicious that you'll need a second stomach.

Let’s start with geography—North India stretches from the towering Himalayas in the north to the golden sands of Rajasthan and the fertile plains of Punjab. It's like a buffet of landscapes; whether you want snow, sand or lush green fields, we’ve got it all.

Speaking of buffets, let’s talk about the food. North Indian cuisine is a flavor explosion! From butter chicken and naan to chole bhature and kebabs, every dish is a love letter to your taste buds. And don't get me started on the sweets—gulab jamuns and jalebis are practically a hug in dessert form. Fun fact: We take our food so seriously that even our weddings are judged by the quality of the paneer (cottage cheese).

Culturally, North India is a treasure trove. This is where the Taj Mahal stands in all its glory, proving that love stories can be immortalized in marble. It’s also where yoga was born, so the next time you’re doing downward dog, give a nod to the yogis of the Himalayas.

Now, let’s talk about the people. We’re loud, we’re hospitable and we’re convinced that chai/tea can solve all of life’s problems. You’ll find Punjabis dancing to bhangra beats, Rajasthanis telling epic folk tales and Kashmiris crafting the finest pashmina shawls—all with the enthusiasm of someone who just had three cups of masala chai.

And the festivals! North India’s calendar is a nonstop party. We light up the skies with Diwali, play color wars during Holi, and break our diets—again—during Eid and Lohri. It’s a celebration of diversity, unity, and, let’s be honest, good food.

So, whether you’re visiting for the mountains, the monuments or the meals, North India welcomes you with open arms and a plate full of parathas.

Thank you for letting me share a piece of my home with you all tonight. As we say in North India, “Khush raho, muskaraate raho!” Stay happy and keep smiling!

At Leeds’ inaugural Indian Cultural Night in December, the Leeds community shared a taste of India with stories, dancing, presentations and food (of course!). Deepali Agarwal’s words summoned up a visceral sense of place.

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Student Experience in the Executive MBA | Kimberly Mallek

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:00:21 +0000

Student Experience in the Executive MBA | Kimberly Mallek Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 15:00

“I Came to Leeds to Expand my Leadership Opportunities.”

Kimberly Mallek on the far right of the front row pictured with her EMBA cohort in Vail.

Kimberly Mallek is a design director, consumer packaged goods (CPG) guru, business leader, and second-year Executive MBA (EMBA) student at CU ��ý��’s Leeds School of Business. Before starting the EMBA program, Mallek spent years working with leading CPG brands and retailers managing retail promotions and up to 600 SKUs a year for organizations like Walmart, GoGo Squeez, Celestial Seasonings, Harmons Grocery, Wild Oats Markets, and Whole Foods to name a few.

Mallek, who graduates this May, is exploring leadership opportunities that connect her entrepreneurial passion for CPG and natural and organic foods with her client-side experience of working in-house for corporate art departments.

Tell us why you started the EMBA program?

My initial motivation for getting an Executive MBA was to focus on rebuilding our design and consulting practice after Covid. We got hit really hard with the pandemic and lost some of our key accounts. Interestingly, we were in grocery and CPG, which was in extremely high demand at that time.

But the stores couldn't even keep stuff in stock. Everyone was shopping and there wasn't enough bandwidth. Our clients were dealing with supply chain issues and didn’t have time to think about branding. Many of the new accounts we had picked up prior to the pandemic were very small and didn't make it. We couldn't go out and replace them. So I decided to diversify to explore going back to the client side.

When I started to research MBA programs I knew I wanted to stay in ��ý�� and felt the EMBA degree would be the right degree. For me it was the solution to bridge this gap from being a business owner and self employed for 15 years to being back client side and leading in a corporate structure.

What aspects of the program have stood out to you?

The residencies, with their combination of working and studying in a social environment, are by far the most exciting part of the Executive MBA Program.

In the fall we traveled to Vail for our residency. It is such a special place to go to learn and there is a ton of excitement from the students. During the first year residency, you complete a leadership simulation. It is both physically and mentally intense. Even though it is completely simulated you still felt the pressure. First year is a really great time to do it. You're in your first term, your first residency, and you're really just getting to know this inner cohort. You have to work together, and personalities really shine through. It was a great way to bond for this two year process of working together.

Leeds does a fantastic job of having a few events during the EMBA residencies including opportunities to connect with peers. One night I went to dinner with a group from my cohort and then the next night, I ventured out and met up with students at a sports bar where the CU game was on, so that was super special. It was a great night even with CU losing. Go Buffs!

How has the combination of residencies and remote learning benefited your experience in the Executive MBA Program?

The flexibility of remote work allows working professionals like myself to juggle their studies with their existing schedules. Then when you meet with your team someone will often say, “Hey, I'll take the lead on this one,” and then just kind of rotate from a leadership perspective.

The in-person learning during the residencies is intense but creates a dynamic setting that makes it easier to apply the information and knowledge. While there is a lot of content to absorb; the discussion and high level of engagement by the other students and passionate faculty, makes the course work more enjoyable to learn.

The remote work and studying is offset by the sense of community and connection created through the week-long residencies. When you're in the room with everyone sharing ideas, you get to learn through other students' experiences. You get to see these interesting things about people that you didn't know. And that's really cool.

Now That You’ve Nearly Completed the Program, What Piece of Advice do you Offer to Future EMBAs?

Mallek’s experience during the week-long residencies mirrors what other students and graduates have gained from the program:Time invested in community building and networking is a critical part of the EMBA and is an important feature of what makes it unique.

Having participated in several residencies, along with a variety of events and activities, Mallek advised that it is helpful to have a plan for networking. Having goals and purpose are simple ways to get more out of the experience.

Additionally, Mallek was adamant that you must go to office hours. “I have been very diligent in carving out the time in my schedule to go to office hours, and it has made me understand the material a lot better.”

We invite you to learn more about Kim Mallek on LinkedIn. You can also learn more about the Leeds Executive MBA Program here.

Executive MBA student Kimberly Mallek came to Leeds to expand her leadership opportunities.

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Energetic Edge: Leeds MBA Team Earns Second Place Award in Prestigious Duke Clean Energy Case Competition

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Energetic Edge: Leeds MBA Team Earns Second Place Award in Prestigious Duke Clean Energy Case Competition Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/28/2023 - 00:00

It was important to create a solution that would benefit people, not just make a profit.

So, when four Leeds School of Business MBA students began creating a model for a prestigious case competition, they started with the true need: how to work collaboratively with farmers and community members to provide consistent, affordable energy sources and cold storage to communities in Nigeria.

“We realized early on that if we did not create community buy-in from the ground up that no matter how good the tech was, the business will fail,” said Erik Coler, one of the team members. “We decided to create a model that would work with local community leaders to run a cold storage business and provide consistent, affordable electricity to people's homes all being run entirely off a solar grid. The model also gives local farmers the ability to store their food and increase their incomes while providing affordable, better-quality food to their communities.”

Their model, and work to promote it, won the team a second place award in the annual International Duke University Energy in Emerging Markets Case competition on November 7, 2023. All students in the Clean Energy Pathway in the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) at Leeds, Mary Boling, Richard Swistara, Nathaniel Reynolds and Coler beat more than 60 teams to get to second place.

“Participating in this competition was exhilarating, offering us the chance to engage with and learn from other top MBA programs while tackling a case that realistically modeled renewable energy implementation in emerging markets,”

said Swistara.

In the final round, they competed with the best MBA programs in the world: IESE, third highest ranked global MBA according to FT; Northwestern, the second highest ranked MBA program in the United States; York University, the highest ranked MBA program in Canada; and Cambridge University.

“We loved how this competition allowed us to use our creativity and business acumen to address a real-world problem,” said Boling. “We are very grateful to Duke University for creating this opportunity to not only develop a solution but also get feedback on that solution from industry leaders.”

Clean Energy Pathway prepares students

“CESR offers an MBA pathway in clean energy linked to recommended courses, experiential learning opportunities, networks and jobs,” said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of CESR. “We are proud of our students for competing among many highly regarded business school programs and landing in second place. This demonstrates not only the high caliber of our MBA students, but also the significance of our pathway in preparing students to drive business solutions to environmental and social challenges.”

Back in September, Julie Waggoner, director of operations at CESR, introduced the MBA students to each other. She suggested they’d make a great team for the highly competitive Duke competition that features three rounds of competition to find the most innovative business-based solutions to a real problem faced by Okra Solar, a company that makes mesh-grid products to bring affordable and reliable energy access to all.

“I’m not aware that a Leeds team has ever participated in this competition before, so it’s very exciting to see them go so far,” said Waggoner.

And according to Coler “it came down to the razor wire for the judges who extended the original time for scoring.”

Wendell said it’s clear that sustainability is an important focus at Leeds today. More students are interested in sustainability. More faculty are integrating sustainability themes into their research and teaching, and there is increasing collaboration on sustainability initiatives across CU ��ý�� and with the private sector.

She said CESR would like to support more students in participating in case competitions like this and, to the extent possible, help offset costs so financial constraints aren’t a barrier to students’ participation.

“Each team brought innovative and unique perspectives in solving impactful real-world energy issues,” said Reynolds. “What a great opportunity to think deeply about complex problems and meet amazing people.”

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Leeds’ MBA Ranks No. 12 of Top MBA Public Programs for Career Growth

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:29:04 +0000

Leeds’ MBA Ranks No. 12 of Top MBA Public Programs for Career Growth Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/16/2023 - 09:29

LinkedIn’s inaugural ranking recognizes Leeds as one of the best MBA programs for alumni career success.

Return on investment, otherwise known as ROI: it’s one of the top reasons students pursue a Master of Business Administration. For most, that means new career opportunities resulting in professional connections, promotions and higher wages—results that MBA graduates have come to expect from Leeds, one of the nation’s best programs for setting up their alumni for career success. Others are taking notice too.

On November 14, social media platform LinkedIn released their inaugural list of the top 50 business schools to grow students’ careers and ranked CU ��ý��’s Leeds School of Business the 36th best MBA among all AACSB-accredited, full-time programs in the United States, and the 12th best public program in the country. To compile the ranking, LinkedIn used aggregated public member data from active LinkedIn profiles and alumni profiles associated with the programs to evaluate hiring and demand; ability to advance; network strength; leadership potential; and gender diversity.

“We are very proud of our alumni and the professional success that they continue to experience after graduating from Leeds,” said Kristi Ryujin, associate dean of graduate programs at the Leeds School. “Our faculty and staff work incredibly hard to support our students and help them succeed during the program so that they continue to thrive after walking across the commencement stage.”

For Amy Link (MBA’16), the decision to attend graduate school at Leeds was influenced by the school’s close relationships with the ��ý�� business community. After graduating from the program, she started as a product manager with Zayo Group, a privately-held company specializing in communications infrastructure, rising to the level of vice president after multiple promotions over the years.

“I wouldn’t have been considered by Zayo without my MBA,” Link said. “Leeds was an introduction to a new network of close friends and professionals.”

Over the last several years, Leeds’ MBA program has grown significantly by adding new MBA formats, including the Hybrid and Executive MBA programs, and has also diversified the student body including the percentage of women across cohorts.

In April 2023, the full-time Leeds MBA was ranked No. 60 overall by U.S. News and World Report. Among public schools, it has steadily improved, going from No. 39 in 2022 to No. 36 last year, and to No. 32 in the most recent rankings. It remains the best full-time MBA in Colorado.

“It’s an honor that our MBA program continues to be recognized,” Ryujin said. “Leeds continues to invest in student success and it shows.”

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First Class of Graduates Reflect on EMBA's Leadership Lessons

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2023 15:12:56 +0000

First Class of Graduates Reflect on EMBA's Leadership Lessons Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/11/2023 - 09:12

Global experiences, a thoughtful program design and emphasis on DEI helped students forge tight bonds while reflecting on their aspirations as leaders.

Students in the Executive MBA program pose for a group shot during their retreat to Vail. Graduates completed six one-week residences during their two years at Leeds, including visits to campus, the mountains, London and Lisbon. Pictured below are Max Perez Maryel Barron.

Ask the students, and they’ll tell you it’s more than the convenience of a hybrid structure, the high level of support or the picturesque retreat locations.

Graduation 2023

Complete coverage of the commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2023 at Leeds.
Teamwork, tomorrows the themes at graduation ceremonies.
When it comes to impact, the Class of 2023 is just getting started.
David Drake honored as a top teacher with Frascona Award.
New award recognizes professor whose innovations tamed one of Leeds' most difficult courses.

What stands out most to the first graduating class of the Executive MBA program at the Leeds School of Business are the people.

“I did not expect my relationships to develop to such depths,” said Max Perez (EMBA’23), who is graduating this spring. “The relationships I built with my team, my cohort and the faculty are something I expect to carry with me for the rest of my career.”

Making meaningful connections with an accomplished group of leaders is a hallmark of the EMBA at Leeds. In designing the program, Lori Seward, professor and faculty director of MBA programs, felt strongly that it provide “rich opportunities for exceptional professionals—from a variety of industries, functions and fields—to make lifelong relationships.” She understood that these powerful contacts would help advance careers, launch new endeavors and facilitate impact at organizations.

Perez agreed. Now vice president of strategic initiatives at a cutting-edge quantum technology company, he directly attributed his current role to his EMBA experience.

“I had classmates working in finance, energy, mining, sales, operations, medicine, small business and so on,” he said. “Everyone brings a distinct perspective to the coursework and discussions. This will be my network beyond my core tech industry for the next phase of my career, and I hope it will enable the kind of cross-collaborations that I really enjoy.

“Ultimately, business is about people—and that is at the heart of the Leeds EMBA.”

Maryel Barron (EMBA’23) valued her cohort’s rich diversity, as well. “The program's emphasis on global perspectives and diverse industry experiences provided exposure to different viewpoints,” she said. “It was precious in broadening my understanding of various business practices and cultures, which is essential in developing effective strategies for managing diverse teams and addressing systemic gaps.”

When the program started, Barron worked at ��ý�� County Public Health. Thanks to her Leeds EMBA, she was able to transition into a financial controller role at Salud Family Health, where she’s working to create equitable access for vulnerable populations.

A special format

Soon after Leeds launched the EMBA in 2021, Executive MBA—the global trade magazine for EMBA programs—celebrated the program for its innovative, hybrid structure.

Even more importantly, that structure has been a hit with students.

“The Leeds EMBA is ready-made for a working professional,” said Dr. Brad Fehrenbach (EMBA’23), a radiologist who is graduating this May. “They’ve got all the logistics down. And I like our class size, because you get to know each other very well.”

“Ultimately, business is about people—and that is at the heart of the Leeds EMBA.”

Max Perez (EMBA’23)

Those logistics include three one-week, in-person residencies each year—in the mountains, on the ��ý�� campus and abroad—that allow professionals to escape outside distractions while applying new skills, working in teams, and building relationships with their classmates and instructors. Between residencies, they build their business knowledge through high-quality online instruction, which provides the flexibility needed to continue meeting the demands of their careers and personal lives.

Over the course of the two-year program, the EMBA Class of 2023 visited international destinations, including Lisbon and London, that featured visits to innovative companies like the Techstars London Accelerator and Disney. The trip also allowed time for absorbing the culture—whether at Lisbon’s oldest winery or London’s historic theater district.

“The international residency brought together all the relationships built over the course of two years through teamwork and local residencies, and extended that engagement to the wider international community,” Perez said. “It was truly life-changing.”

Emily Ryan (EMBA’23), chief client officer for Valuize and the winner of Leeds’ first Executive MBA Student Excellence Award, also said the bonds between students are a crucial feature of the program.

“The thing that stands out to me the most, beyond the stellar faculty and care that was taken in developing our cohort, is the thoughtful design of the program itself,” she said.

A hallmark

That design includes special emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion—crucial leadership skills that are nonetheless nascent concepts in most business curricula. One year after the program began, Executive Connections again praised Leeds’ EMBA program, this time for its emphasis on DEI. The publication extolled Leeds for the intentional curriculum of the program, which is based on three interwoven pillars considered critical for leadership: inclusion, innovation and leadership. The program’s emphasis ensures DEI goes further than ensuring student teams are adequately represented—it emphasizes that each team member feels heard and appreciated.

In addition to business fundamentals, leadership and innovation, the curriculum focuses on inclusive leadership, which challenges students to explore their unconscious biases around gender, race, class and sexual orientation. Given Leeds' expertise in this area, program designers decided DEI was just as important to integrate into the curriculum as fundamental business disciplines.

The emphasis on DEI is what motivated Barron, a self-described Latina leader, to apply.

“As someone who has faced systemic barriers and discrimination in my career, I appreciated the program's focus on understanding and addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” she said, “and developing leaders equipped to lead diverse teams.”

Why Leeds Executive MBA Program Graduate Business Programs

As they head to new roles and promotions, graduates explain why the Leeds program was the right fit for them.

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From Patient Care to Healthcare: How Data-Driven Students Can Help Heal Both

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 22:37:47 +0000

From Patient Care to Healthcare: How Data-Driven Students Can Help Heal Both Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/28/2022 - 15:37

Leeds School of Business and the University of Colorado College of Nursing roll out a new Healthcare track within the MS Business Analytics degree.

Nurses, facing challenges to providing high-quality care to their patients, will now be able to improve outcomes by using data to inform pivotal decisions. The Leeds School of Business at the ��ý�� and the University of Colorado College of Nursing on the Anschutz Medical Campus have come together to offer a Master’s Degree in Business Analytics (MSBA), with a specialized track in healthcare.

For Kristi Ryujin, associate dean of Graduate Programs at Leeds, the partnership provides an exciting opportunity for both Leeds and College of Nursing students to enter a burgeoning field and make a difference. “Data helps inform decisions that save lives,” she says, speaking to students’ passion for patients.

The new MSBA Healthcare track prepares both nurses and non-healthcare students for careers in healthcare analytics, where they will turn big data into actionable insights that can improve outcomes for more patients.

Using data for good

“Healthcare analytics is really starting to explode. We need people who can look at big data across healthcare, manipulate it, and use it to make systematic changes that improve population health,” says Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, PhD, RN-BC, CNOR; specialty director of the healthcare informatics program and assistant professor at the College of Nursing; and a practicing nurse herself.

She adds that with the MSBA Healthcare track, students can rise to leadership roles, improve the quality of care for many more patients, build better infrastructures, and influence government decision-making through advocacy and working on related contracts and grants. She points out that people with these abilities are hard to find and thus, in high demand.

“It’s a complex specialty,” acknowledges Kelly Stamp, PhD, NP-C, RN, CHFN, FAHA, FAAN; associate dean of academic programs and associate professor at the College of Nursing. But it allows students to lead positive change and help more patients than they ever could before, she says.

“With this new track in the MSBA, graduates will become pioneers in healthcare analytics.”

Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, director, Anschutz College of Nursing

Swapping skills

The degree was designed so that business and nursing students could essentially take each other’s classes. Business students interested in the healthcare field can learn about healthcare technology and the environment by taking two of the College of Nursing courses; while nurses can learn business analytics through Leeds’ 10-month master’s program.

“With data analysts from both nursing and business, it’s going to introduce a whole other level of collaborators that will help us see the vision of what is needed in healthcare. Together, they can solve great problems,” says Giarrizzo-Wilson.

Courses are taught by top faculty from both schools. The “online+” format, built with high-quality video content and remote synchronous lab time, allows students to engage with faculty and peers, cover technical skills, and learn from each other while receiving immediate faculty feedback and support. For nurses, the remote format means they can continue caring for patients, while also applying their new insights on the job.

This isn’t the first time Leeds and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have partnered on education. In 2019, the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Leeds rolled out the MD/MBA degree for physicians. By teaching medical students business foundations, they’re empowered to positively impact patient care and health care delivery—a shared goal with the new MSBA in healthcare.

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