Each year, a new crop of management students begins classes in Purdue’s Rawls Hall. The students wonder what they will learn in their time at the Krannert School, and, equally as important, what organizations will hire them when they finish their coursework.
For 20 incoming full-time master’s students, the answer to the second question is already known. Those students are attending the Krannert School via funding from their companies, and will return to those organizations at the conclusion of their programs.
Eighteen international sponsored students, and two from the U.S. Coast Guard, will further their business knowledge and develop leadership skills that will make them more valuable to their employers.
That value extends to other students in the Krannert programs. “Sponsored students bring a unique perspective to their classmates, especially when they are working on teams, says Joy Dietz, director of professional master’s programs. “They bring a global perspective, having worked across national boundaries and time zones to lead initiatives within their companies."
“These are individuals who have already been identified by their companies as talented leaders. The expertise and good judgment they share with their classmates is invaluable.”
Seung Min Oh is one of seven incoming students sponsored by LG, the second-largest conglomerate in South Korea. Currently a manager with the human resource development team at LG Chem, he is working toward a Master of Science Degree in Human Resource Management (MSHRM).
Oh says Purdue’s reputation in Korea, and his local support network, has him excited about his time in West Lafayette. “All of the people from LG can help each other as we adjust to life in the United States,” Oh says. “With my experience here, my career will be more developed and I can advance in my company.”
Toshiya Mitsuhashi is a senior researcher in the system research and development center with NS Solutions, one of the leading system integrators in Japan. He was drawn to Purdue’s Krannert School to earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA) because of its analytical and technical reputation.
“I’d like to move from implementing R&D to planning R&D. When I spoke with a counselor in Japan, she suggested Purdue was an outstanding school to learn the management of technology. I look forward to learning that skill set and general management skills in areas such as accounting and finance in Krannert’s diverse environment. I believe these experiences will definitely allow me to help my company expand,” Mitsuhashi says.
Carlos Castro has heard about Purdue and the Krannert School before. His supervisor, Carlos Aparicio, earned a Master of Science in Industrial Administration (MSIA), as did Aparicio’s boss. A plant controller in the mills division of paper-based packaging giant Smurfit Kappa Carton de Colombia, Castro is excited that his company sees his potential as a future manager, and looks forward to his time at the Krannert School.
“I’ll have the opportunity to meet and work with people from different cultures and will have a chance to work on my managerial skills,” Castro says. “I wanted to have the experience of being abroad, and I would like to be able to learn new trends and knowledge that I can bring back to my company. This program helps me meet both my personal and professional goals.”
Email krannertmasters@purdue.edu about sponsoring a master's student at Purdue's Krannert School.