When Poets & Quants features its “Best and Brightest” MBAs and EMBAs each year, they ask the graduates to name favorite professors and to tell why they were special. Two Olin professors made the grade this year. The Class of 2016 MBAs recommended Sergio Chayet and the EMBA class recommended Glenn MacDonald. Congratulations!
“The class of 2016 also revered professors who carried a zeal for life — and treated their work more as a mission than a job. At Washington University, Sergio Chayet’s passion for his students came across in actions big and small according to Allison Campbell, who completed Chayet’s core operations course as well as completed Global Management Studies programs with him in Japan and Colombia.
Prof. Sergio Chayet
“Sergio is passionate about his classes, and invests heavily in his students and his PowerPoints,” Campbell says. “He memorizes all his students’ names, and on the first day of class, he lists each student one by one. He is also passionate about his curriculum, which showed in his dedication to each class. With no operations experience, I found his examples could relate heavily to my previous work experience. I have a marketing concentration, but Sergio taught me the importance of understanding the details of each business transaction.” ”
Chayet is Director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Program; Director of the Operations & Supply Chain Management MBA Platform; Senior Lecturer in Operations & Manufacturing Management
Favorite Professors Of The ‘Best & Brightest’ EMBAs
“Teaching adults is an art, especially in business school. Forget impressionable sophomores or idealistic full-timers. Executive MBAs are seasoned and accomplished — and they can sniff out a phony fast. Forget the joy of learning. They come to class seeking immediate returns, constantly asking themselves, “How will this help me cut costs, ease complications, and position me for advancement?”
“Already beset by packed schedules and unrelenting demands, an EMBA program adds another 20-30 hours of work to their evenings and weekends. Sad truth is, each hour they devote to school takes an hour away from their loved ones — time they can’t get back. That’s what EMBA professors face each day. It takes a real gift to reach students wrestling with such burdens and distractions. These professors must be able to grab and hold attention, stimulating the imagination and never forgetting to reinforce the “why” and the “how.” This setup doesn’t call for a sage on the stage, but an upbeat facilitator who can channel the collective talent and expertise to the class.
Glenn MacDonald
“Classroom energy was one differentiator for Washington University’s Glenn MacDonald, who was hailed by Kathleen McCoy, a neurosurgery resident, for his passion. “He was able to motivate us as a class and get us excited about understanding the concepts presented,” McCoy explains. “I definitely spent an immense amount of time studying and reading for this course, but I loved the subject matter and its presentation made me eager to learn.””
MacDonald is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and Strategy.
Source: Poets&Quants website
