In June, 2004, Melinda Allen took over as associate dean of admissions and career management at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management in Nashville (No. 28 on BusinessWeek's 2002 rankings of full-time MBA programs.) Prior to taking this dual role -- something that few administrators would choose -- Allen was director of the school's Career Management Center. She has also worked at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in career services and served as a staffing manager with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.
Allen earned her bachelor's degree from Emory and a master's in human-resource development from Georgia State University. She recently spoke with BusinessWeek Online's Mica Schneider about her goals for the two offices and what she's looking for in applicants. Here's an edited transcript of their discussion:
Q: Why did Vanderbilt choose you?
A: For the past few years, I read applications and discussed applicants with the admissions committee, representing the career-services side. It's an opportunity for us to bring [student] input and output under the same umbrella.
Q: Will the school now admit different MBAs than before?
A: Not really. It's still a total package we want, with progressive work experience, academic rigor, leadership, initiative, drive, and passion. Companies look for people who can do more with less, who can take on any task, and who have a propensity for analytic skills. Companies already tell us that Owen students meet that profile.
Q: How will you judge an applicant's analytic knowhow?
A: By looking at instances where they show analytic prowess. We also look for courses such as statistics or accounting, which are more relevant for the student focused on going into finance and economics.
Q: How will the admissions office differ under your leadership?
A: We want to ensure that we offer a high level of customer service to prospective and current students and corporations. With the two offices together, there are more opportunities for us to utilize the travel that each office does more effectively.
Q: Is the school diluting its admissions and career-services offices by having one person lead both?
A: No. MBAs shouldn't be concerned. We wouldn't have moved down this path if we couldn't deliver the same level of service.
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