Kendall College Repositions Business School to Produce Management-Ready Grads

Kendall College today announced a major strategic repositioning of its School of Business to emphasize the skills and knowledge students need to acquire to become tomorrow's business leaders.

Chicago (PRWEB) September 17, 2007 -- Kendall College today announced a major strategic repositioning of its School of Business to emphasize the skills and knowledge students need to acquire to become tomorrow's business leaders.
   
New courses under the repositioning will be phased in beginning with the fall quarter that starts Sept. 26.
   
The move is being directed by a new dean, Alexander (Sascha) Cocron, formerly a principal with Mercer Management Consulting, an entrepreneur who has launched two technology businesses, and an adjunct professor with the school of business since 2006.
                    
According to Cocron, the new curriculum emphasizes skills often cited by entrepreneurs and executives as critical to their success, such as sales, the art of persuasion and decision-making under pressure. We also want students to understand how every detail of a business impacts the customer environment.
                
"This move stems from our recognition that today's challenging business environment needs entry-level hires who are management-ready," said Nivine Megahed, president of the college. "It reflects Kendall's understanding of what it takes for us to stay competitive while equipping our undergrads with the most relevant tools and education they need to succeed after graduation."
                    
The new curriculum expands beyond traditional business studies to cover such topics as "Design as a Competitive Edge," "Relationship Management," and "Technology and Innovation."
                    
"Of course, traditional classes in finance, accounting fundamentals, and business law and contracts remain part of the core curriculum," said Cocron. "But it takes more than a knowledge of numbers for business innovators to succeed. It takes an understanding of every facet of the customer experience, from aesthetic awareness to the need to anticipate, surprise and delight in meeting consumer needs.   
                    
"We are also emphasizing a teaching method that engages students through situation-based challenges, real-world case studies and integrated projects," says Cocron.   

Additionally, an advisory board of innovators in the entrepreneurial and corporate space and area thought leaders on business trends is in the formative stages to support and guide the program's evolution and offerings.
                    
Kendall is well known for its culinary and hospitality programs, which makes the emphasis on creating the customer experience a natural focus for Kendall's School of Business.
   
"This is an exciting time to be in business," said Cocron. "We're confident that we are responding with courses that will create enthusiastic and creative managers who will help shape the future business environment."
                    
Kendall College is a private, co-educational college located on a 166,000-square-foot campus in Chicago, offering degrees in business, hospitality management, culinary arts and early childhood education. Kendall College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, has maintained its accreditation since 1962. The Culinary Federation of America has accredited the Culinary Arts program since 1988. For more information about Kendall College, visit www.kendall.edu.

For further information contact:
Dyana Flanigan/Robyn Velasquez at 312.666.6662

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