MBA Program Insights

In higher education advancement, leadership matters more than any deck or strategy. Here’s how to lead with intention, even through uncertainty. 1. Communicate clearly and compassionately, even when you don’t have all the answers. Your team isn’t expecting certainty; they’re looking for steadiness. Share what you can when you can. Provide context. Model a trusted, even presence they can come back to when things feel unsettled. 2. Stay focused on mission and values. When priorities shift (and they will), let your institution’s mission and your team’s shared values guide decisions, messaging, and fundraising strategy. They offer clarity when the path forward feels less defined. 3. Prioritize your team. Your leadership matters more than any deck or strategy. Make time for your team members, even when your calendar is full of back to back meetings. Remind them of what you’ve already navigated together. Create space for candid conversations about what’s working well—and what’s not—and remove barriers, even small ones, to keep momentum toward your goals. 4. Build and sustain team resilience. Ongoing change is tiring. Recognition and ownership increase organizational resilience. Notice small wins. Celebrate progress. Invite people to take meaningful ownership of the work. Help your team feel seen—not just for what they do, but for who they are. 5. Lead for efficiency while maximizing connection. Yes, budgets may be tighter. That doesn’t mean leading alone. Revisit priorities and processes with your team and let go of what no longer serves you. Continue to invest in what sustains strong advancement cultures: trust, collaboration, and learning. This is the important work ahead for higher education advancement—navigating complexity while continuing to lead with intention. Glad to be in it together.

📢 How can you better position yourself to land a new job? 💼 A recent The Wall Street Journal article highlights the increasing difficulties MBA graduates face in securing employment. Notably, 23% of Harvard Business School's 2024 MBA graduates were still job hunting three months post-graduation, up from 20% the previous year. Despite the hurdles, MBAs who land jobs tend to secure sizable paychecks, with median base starting salaries around $175,000, according to school data. 💰💼 This reinforces the value of an MBA but also underscores the need for graduates to adapt and stand out in a competitive market. To enhance your employability, consider the following strategies: 1️⃣ Bridge the Skills and Knowledge Gap 🧠🔧 With companies like McKinsey & Company, Amazon and Google reducing MBA hires significantly, it's crucial to understand and acquire in-demand skills, such as AI proficiency and technical expertise. 2️⃣ Build Your Personal Brand 🌟🖥️ In a market where traditional recruiting methods are shifting, establishing a strong online presence through platforms like LinkedIn can set you apart. Share insights, showcase your expertise, and engage with industry professionals to enhance your visibility. 3️⃣ Reintroduce Yourself to Your Network 🤝📧 Given the reduction in on-campus recruitment, leveraging your existing network is more important than ever. Inform connections about your new degree/qualifications and seek opportunities through referrals and informational interviews. Adapting to the evolving job market requires a proactive approach. By #upskilling, enhancing your #personalbrand, and actively #networking, you can better position yourself for success. 💪🚀 #MBA #JobMarket #Careers #Leadership #Thinkers50 #Coach #Professor #Advisor #MG100 #BestAdvice #JennyFernandez   Read the full WSJ article here: https://lnkd.in/efZFPZ8U

After spending over two decades in higher education fundraising, my friend and ally Shanna Hocking’s pivot was profound: the problem isn't always about raising more money; it's about leadership and culture. The core of her insight, backed by her firm’s BOLD Blueprint for Women in Advancement study, is that the system is failing the very people who should be its most transformational leaders: women. The BOLD Blueprint study found that over 70% of women Chief Advancement Executives reported not having any formal onboarding support—defined as professional development, executive coaching, or leadership training—during their transition into the role. This isn't a "nice-to-have"; it's a retention and performance crisis. The lack of intentional support creates lasting stress that goes well beyond the first 12 months, negatively affecting the leader's sense of belonging and organizational loyalty. This is where true allyship is needed most. Onboarding isn't just about handing someone an email signature guide or showing them where their office is; it’s about making the invisible visible. Hocking argues university leaders must make a conscious decision to: 1. Formalize Onboarding: Provide dedicated executive coaching, professional development, and sponsorship for all new senior leaders, especially women in transition (years zero to three). 2. Expose the Unwritten Rules: Create a culture where it's safe to ask, "Why do we do it this way?" and where mentors and sponsors are accountable for explaining the unspoken rules of the institution. 3. Audit for Inclusion: Leaders must pause and reflect: Who is in the room where decisions are made? Who is not? Whose ideas are heard? These small, intentional acts of inclusion, consistently applied, are the most powerful drivers of systemic change. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/gze-sbGE #culture #retention #leadership

Courage is in the Data. Few will argue that there is an element of leadership courage involved in higher education. It is often said that data provides the answers, but for higher education leaders, data more often provides the challenge. The true financial health of a college isn't found in a static spreadsheet; it is found in the courage to look at what those numbers are actually saying about the financial health and even viability of a college. While data can highlight shrinking enrollment or increasing tuition discount rates, it takes leadership courage to move beyond "monitoring" and toward the decisive action required to preserve the institutional mission. The Mirror of Data Leadership courage starts with a radical honesty about the measures that define institutional viability. It is easy to find comfort in "vanity metrics" or one-time budget surpluses or qualified enrollment increases, but courageous leaders use data as a mirror, not a shield. This means facing the "unpopular" numbers—like the true cost of under-enrolled programs or the long-term liability of deferred maintenance—and bringing those realities into the light for the entire campus community. Transparency is the highest form of courage in a sector that has historically preferred the sanctuary of silos. Decisive Action Over "Wait and See" One of the most dangerous phrases in higher education finance is "this too shall pass." Data-informed courage is the antidote to this inertia. It involves the willingness to reallocate resources away from legacy initiatives that no longer serve student success and toward new, high-impact growth areas. This kind of "wise courage" where data acts as the fuel for innovation rather than just a report on decline. Building a Culture of Trust Finally, the reality of leadership courage is that it must be shared. When leaders are transparent about financial data, they invite the faculty and staff into a partnership of stewardship. By grounding unpopular decisions in objective data leaders build the trust necessary to have difficult conversations with students, faculty, staff and communities. Ultimately, the data is just the framework; courage is the will to lead the institution through the difficult terrain it reveals, increasing the chances that the college remains accessible and relevant for the next generation of students.

𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? While the pace of change can feel overwhelming, it also presents extraordinary opportunities - if we approach it with integrity, wisdom and purpose. Here are a few themes I believe deserve focused attention in the year ahead: ➡️ 𝗔𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹. No longer optional, AI competence will be essential for graduates in every field - not to replace human insight, but to expand what’s possible and help future proof careers. ➡️ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. As AI tools evolve, educators must guide learners in using them responsibly, creatively and transparently. Academic integrity shouldn’t be seen as a constraint to the use of AI, but as an essential cornerstone. ➡️ 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿. Critical thinking, empathy, collaboration and sound judgment will remain uniquely human abilities. AI can support learning, but it cannot replace wisdom or true connection. Learning activities will be needed that help students hone their human skills. ➡️ 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗹𝘆. The fundamental redesign of learning and assessment activities will be recognized as essential for assurance of learning. Facilitated, individualized and applied small group learning (think apprenticeship) are the way forward, but many institutions will struggle to deliver, given higher ed’s ongoing commitment to mass instruction in large lecture halls. At Yorkville University, these ideas are shaping how we prepare our learners for the future: by combining technological fluency with the human skills and ethical grounding that define exceptional leaders. Our small class sizes and Signature Learning Outcomes framework were designed to develop adaptable, ethical and self-aware graduates who not only know how to use AI, but also how to thrive with integrity in an AI-driven world. Here’s to a year where we harness AI thoughtfully and lead with integrity, purpose and courage. #highereducation #highered #AI #Hello2026

I’d put this article squarely in the “must-read” category for every higher ed leader who cares about institutional health and longevity. The article, “A Looming Crisis: New Analysis Shows Dozens of Well-Known Colleges Are Near Financial Trouble,” does something our industry desperately needs: it shifts the conversation from vague worries about “enrollment declines” to a clear-eyed, data-driven look at cash, liquidity, and staying power. A few reasons I think this is essential reading: 1️⃣ It reframes the problem. Instead of focusing on net asset value or headline endowment numbers, the authors zero in on cash flows, liquid assets, and what they call “Baseline” and “Maximum Staying Power.” In other words, how long can a college actually keep the lights on without extraordinary measures? 2️⃣ It challenges the assumption that only “small, struggling schools” are at risk. The analysis looks at 44 private, tuition-dependent New England institutions with 1,000–8,000 students - many of them well-known brands. A meaningful share are already facing serious liquidity issues, and a modest 10–15% enrollment decline pushes many more into truly dangerous territory. 3️⃣ It exposes how current oversight metrics miss the story. The Birmingham-Southern and Brandeis examples are especially sobering. Both looked “fine” on traditional measures or were publicly described as “solid,” even as their underlying cash positions were eroding in ways that, in hindsight, look entirely predictable. 4️⃣ It highlights that “growth” is not a strategy - it’s an assumption. The piece calls out how many institutions have growth baked into their strategic plans without seriously modeling the downside risk. In an environment of flat or declining demand, hoping to be the winner in a zero-sum market is not a risk management plan. 5️⃣ It connects finance to strategic focus. The Jobs To Be Done lens is a critical addition here. The argument that “Comprehensive U” is no longer financially sustainable - because complexity drives overhead, and overhead drives cost - should hit home for any institution trying to be everything to everyone. 6️⃣ It treats mergers and partnerships as tools of stewardship, not failure. One of the most important reframes is around mergers: not as a last-ditch shame move, but as a proactive, fiduciary response to reality while an institution still has leverage, value, and options. Hats off to Michael Horn and Steve Shulman for the depth of the research and it’s analysis, the accessibility of the framework, and the way they’re reframing this conversation away from wishful thinking and toward honest, math-based planning. If you’re a president, CFO, trustee, or cabinet member, this is one of those pieces you print, mark up, and talk about at your next leadership retreat. https://lnkd.in/gyFCbCth

If you are sitting in a HE leadership meeting this week, there is one question that really needs to be on the table, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable. Where exactly is your next 20% of revenue coming from? I am not talking about a 2% bump or a bit of incremental growth. I mean a full fifth of your budget. For most of our tuition-dependent institutions, the demographic cliff is no longer just a theory. It is a reality that is going to hollow out the traditional undergraduate pipeline over the next decade, and "recruiting harder" simply isn't a viable strategy when the pool itself is shrinking. I honestly believe the institutions that come through this won't be the ones with the slickest marketing or the biggest endowments. It will be the ones where it's leaderships are prepared to have some very frank conversations about diversifying into and rapidly expanding things like industry partnerships, IP licensing, international cohorts, or executive programmes, the kind of work that too-often gets pushed to the sidelines. The schools that will struggle are the ones still kicking the can down the road, perhaps delegating these decisions to a committee that meets once a quarter, can’t quite agree on a set of goals, and effectively reports to no one. Navigating the next ten years isn't really a branding exercise, it is a leadership one. As leaders we have to be brave enough to ask the question and then actually do the heavy lifting to build a response. Where does your institution stand on this? #HigherEd #UniversityStrategy #EnrollmentCliff #HELeadership #FutureOfEducation

The most consequential leadership decisions in higher ed are made when nothing is technically “wrong.” That’s also when they’re hardest to justify. Enrollment is steady. Rankings are fine. The budget works—at least for now. There’s no crisis to point to, no emergency meeting to convene, no external pressure that forces action. And because of that, early moves often feel premature, disruptive, or unnecessarily risky. But this is exactly the moment when leadership matters most. When institutions wait for certainty, they usually end up reacting to conditions they could have shaped. By the time the case for change is obvious, the range of available options has already narrowed. Strong leadership in higher education isn’t about creating urgency where none exists. It’s about recognizing when stability is masking fragility—and being willing to act before pressure makes the decision for you. That work is quiet. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s rarely rewarded in the short term. But it’s the difference between institutions that adapt early and those that spend years trying to catch up.

Job Search Strategy: Are You a Hunter, Trapper, Gatherer, or Gardener? As I meet with incoming students for Foster’s MBA program, I share a metaphor for the internship and job search that seems to resonate—especially in this tight job market: 🎯 Hunting is actively searching for, and applying for jobs—finding an opportunity and going after it directly. 🪤Trapping is having a great LinkedIn profile that recruiters might find when searching for candidates. 🔍 Gathering is setting up and watching alerts from LinkedIn or other job boards, applying to the positions that seem like reasonably good fits. 🌳 But the most overlooked—and valuable—approach? Gardening. The gardener, or orchardist, plants seeds that may bare fruit later. Gardening, in this context, means nurturing professional relationships before you need them. It's about planting seeds through thoughtful outreach, engaging in real conversations, and following up with value. 💡 The best metaphor I’ve found: Think of each networking conversation as planting a fruit tree. You won’t harvest it in a week—but months later, it may bear fruit as a referral, project, or job lead. The more trees you plant and tend, the better your odds in a shifting market. If you're starting your MBA or a career transition, you need to be all of the above, a hunter, trapper, gatherer and gardener. But amidst all the searching and applying, it is so important to focus on building relationships now. Don’t wait until the spring to plant what you hope to pick in the summer. 🌱 Curious—what’s one way you “water” your professional network? Share down below in the comments⬇️. #MBA #CareerSearch #Networking #JobSearchStrategy #InformationalInterviews #CareerAdvice

For the last 18 months, 2nd year MBA students have been conducting a job search in the construct of MBA hiring.  It's important for the 2Ys who will be seeking in the Spring to understand the key differences in recruiting their last semester vs. the first three. ➡️ The timelines are not the same Companies hiring MBAs will make intern offers in January (or earlier) to start in June, and will make offers in October/November to 2Ys to start next summer.  All of that is out the window now. Time and time again I’ve seen students enter the Spring with the goal of landing an offer as soon as possible just so they can put recruiting to rest.  That’s a bad goal because it’s important to understand that in your final semester you’re in the just-in-time hiring market, where openings are for specific positions and the recruiters are looking for candidates who can start shortly after an offer is accepted.  That’s not you, as a full-time MBA student (well, not in January-March anyway).  Applying for JIT roles early in the new year won’t yield results and then students start endlessly tinkering with their resume when the biggest issue is availability. ➡️ It's way less predictable We all know how the full-time MBA game is played: Company Presentation -> Coffee Chat -> Apply -> Interview -> Offer.  The biggest mental hurdle for MBA students is no longer knowing who is hiring and when.  It's good to think of networking like a sales funnel here: just like not every lead becomes a meeting, not every coffee chat will result in an interview, but being proactive and increasing your volume of opportunity by getting better connected in your industries of choice will give you more options when relevant postings come open. ➡️ The competition is different Employers who are looking to hire MBAs are more often than not receptive to career changers.  In the JIT market, your background will play a much bigger role when being considered for roles.  If you’re a career changer, there’s still hope!  For example, any CPG that hires associate brand managers will be much more likely to consider a graduating MBA in the April/May window if they have an opening, because they’ve done that before.  A small tech start up?  Probably a lot less likely since they’ve never hired or had to onboard an MBA before.  Keep this in mind because most companies in the JIT market want someone with direct related experience and the reality is sometimes no amount of networking will help in landing an interview when they have candidates applying who have apples to apples experience. In summary: if you’re a 2nd year student who will be seeking in the Spring, take the next couple of months to identify companies of interest and develop a strategy for building advocacy before applications open up in late March and beyond.  Don't make the mistake of just skipping to the execution phase and applying to anything and everything from January forward.