Walla Walla University’s School of Business will begin offering an online Master of Business Administration program in January 2025 in order to build faithful, ethical business leaders and managers.
Conna Bond, MBA program director, and Bruce Toews, WWU School of Business dean, shared more about how the program will build strategic skills and Christian ethics among students.
Q: What does this particular MBA program cover? What is the advantage of this focus?
BOND: The program is designed to provide aspiring business leaders and managers from any discipline with the ethical, strategic decision-making skills needed to lead organizations in today’s fast-paced marketplace. We will heavily employ the Harvard case study teaching method that allows students not only to develop solutions to real-world problems but also to strategically identify and define what those challenges are in the first place.
We are shaping the program to be a high-quality, affordable, accessible option for students who see the advantage of being able to confidently address the rising ethical challenges brought to all areas of business by ever-changing technology.
Q: Why is WWU uniquely positioned to offer an MBA that highlights ethical leadership?
BOND: Every new student will begin the program with an intensive ethical leadership seminar presented by a variety of business leaders and facilitators with unique experience in leading with moral fortitude. In addition, the content in all the other courses will incorporate leadership principles and values from a faith-based perspective.
Q: Is there an internship or hands-on component?
BOND: All students will complete a directed, hands-on capstone project that pertains to their current work or career path.
Q: What aspect of the program makes you most excited?
BOND: I’m especially excited about working with Alix Anderson, WWU’s experienced instructional designer, to design courses that are interesting, varied and engaging. I also look forward to personally advising each student through the program as they design their own path to becoming compassionate, successful business leaders.
TOEWS: The program aims to build leadership skills of people from any background, including those working in education, engineering, government, nonprofits and the Adventist Church. As our graduates lead, they will make significant contributions to their organizations, communities and the world.
WWU will offer multiple electives in healthcare administration, finance, artificial intelligence, business analytics and cybersecurity and is working towards adding specializations in these areas to the MBA.
Learn more about how this program aims to be accessible through flexible scheduling, minimal prerequisites and affordable cost at wallawalla.edu/mba.
