DeVry University
Keller Graduate School of Management
RECRUITMENT AND SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
What programs and initiatives has your school found successful in the recruitment of minority and/or female students?
DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management targets working adults of all ethnic backgrounds. The diversity of our 80-plus locations, in
metropolitan areas across the country, drives our efforts. Our outreach efforts are also driven by marketing campaigns targeted specifically at women
and minorities.
We have relationships with many organizations that speak to minority professionals and/or prospective students. These relationships include but are
not limited to sponsorship at the Latin Grammy Awards, partnership with Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, National Black MBA Association and a host of
other local organizations across the country.
PROMINENT ALUMNI/FACULTY
Please provide information about prominent minority faculty members at your school.
Kenneth Atwater, MPM, PMP, service productivity leader, GE Healthcare IT Solutions
“My career has come full circle. I always wanted to teach and now I teach what I’m passionate about. My undergraduate degree was in education,
but when I graduated in 1974, in the middle of a recession, no one was hiring teachers. In fact, tenured teachers were being laid off. I found a job
in [the] industry and through various job changes and promotions, ended up working as a project manager in information technology for 20 years.
“In 1993, the company I worked for had some big, complex projects that were going badly because they exceeded our ability to manage them. I began
looking at graduate programs that offered project management training. At the time, the Keller Graduate School of Management was one of the few
schools that offered a master’s [degree] in project management (MPM). It was taught by practitioners, and it was just what I wanted and needed to
be effective in my job.
“My MPM degree opened doors for me. Subsequently, I started and staffed the project management office at Xerox Global services. I managed the
executive program at NCR, delivering project management training to company executives and acting as an internal consultant on international projects
and projects in need of rescue. Currently, I am the service productivity leader at GE Healthcare Information Technology Solutions. In addition, I have
been teaching project management at Keller for 10 years; I also teach some courses at GE.”
Alec Granderson, MPM, PMP, senior project manager, Alcatel-Lucent Technologies
“I graduated from DeVry with a bachelor’s [degree] in electronics engineering technology. While I was still in college, I saw technologies in their infancy
beginning to obsolete old technologies. I wanted to work in a field that was always going to be around, so I chose phone systems. I wanted to work
for the phone company. With that in mind, I got a job first at Centel Business Systems, which mainly sold telecom equipment, and then at Ameritech,
a former regional Bell operating company. I’ve been in telecommunications ever since.
“After 14 years at Ameritech, I was recognized as a very talented engineer with good business sense, but I was locked into a niche. I wanted to branch
out, so in 1998, I left and got a job at Lucent, now Alcatel-Lucent Technologies. This is a manufacturing company and I joined the systems engineering
group; we did international projects. Just when Lucent’s woes began in the market, I had an opportunity to lead a development project that made a
ton of money for the company. My project management skills saved my job, basically, and put me on a fast track. I am now a senior project manager
in the new technology trials area.
“I looked for a graduate school that would help me understand project management, and the one I chose was the Keller Graduate School of
Management. I earned both an MBA and a master’s degree in project management there. The knowledge I gained in the classroom was directly
applicable to the workplace. I put it to use right away and it helped me out a lot.”
Please provide information about prominent minority alumni from your school.
Alicia De Cardona-Rivera, MPA 2006, human resources specialist/recruitment team leader, Small Business Administration
“The intensive, accelerated degree program was a motivating factor, which helped me to accomplish a goal in a shorter period of time while maintaining
academic excellence. Keller offered me the opportunity to continue my parental responsibilities and as a full-time federal government employee.
“Keller faculty go beyond the book, beyond the theory and they make every effort so that you will expand your horizons in the real world … not to
mention how much they care about you as an individual in the pursuit of excellence and success.
“I discovered new fields of study, changed my career to the human resources arena and I love it. I’m doing something that I truly enjoy—thanks to
Keller exposing me to these classes. I’m also thinking of pursuing a graduate certificate in human resource management and possibly a doctorate
degree.”
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Shunda Mack, MAFM CPA Emphasis 2006, financial analyst, Hilton Hotel Corporation
“In addition to its exemplary reputation in the business world, the main reason I selected Keller was because the master’s degree program in accounting
and financial management (MAFM) incorporated the CPA exam preparation courses, which were not offered as part of other universities’ programs
that I considered.
“Key takeaways: (1) Accounting skills: Now I am performing the accounting skills that I learned throughout the program; (2) Internal controls: Now I
can apply these concepts learned within my job duties; (3) CPA exam preparation: I’m confident that I’m prepared to successfully pass the exam.
“After 10 years in the educational field, my professional accounting experience was not fresh. I truly believed that I was hired because I earned my
MAFM degree with a CPA emphasis at Keller. My expectations are to move to a senior financial analyst position within the next six months.”
Please provide information about prominent female faculty members at your school.
Susan Opalka, director of marketing, Sage Software
“I earned my undergraduate and master’s degrees at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. For the first 10 years of my career, I taught eighth
and ninth grade in the Kalamazoo public schools, which I truly loved. Then I moved to California, where I could not find a teaching job. Instead, I
ended up as an analyst for a research company in Palo Alto and liked it. Because of teaching, my presentation skills were really advanced, so I did
well there.
“I segued into working with the company’s ad agency, Foote Cone & Belding in San Francisco, where for five years as an account planner, I worked
with the creative, media and research teams and for a large number of consumer and industrial clients. I was responsible for understanding who the
clients were, defining their target markets and market segmentation and explaining all that to the creative team so we could create some great
advertising. That was fun.
“With the computer background I gained at the agency, I moved to Apple Computer and was there for five years. I helped set up their market research
department. My boss moved to a position at a computer company in Arizona and brought me along as part of his team. Through the years I have
held a variety of marketing positions around Phoenix, including at Motorola and the utility company, Arizona Public Service. I am now the director of
marketing for Sage Software, which provides business management software and services to small and medium-sized businesses. I’ve been there for
eight years.”
Kalyn Brantley McNeal, human resources manager, American Red Cross National Testing Lab
“I always wanted to be a teacher. I played school when I was a child, joined the Future Teachers of America in high school and graduated from college
with a bachelor’s degree in education. My mother and grandmother both taught, and that influenced me, but it is my personality, too. I get a rush out
of seeing people experience that “Aha!” moment. I have over 20 years’ experience in professional and managerial training, and development at Blue
Cross Blue Shield, Citicorp and the American Red Cross, among others. At the Citicorp Development Center I worked with and learned from other
trainers who were phenomenal facilitators. Our mission was training and coaching executive-level staff in the area of people skills. We supported 120
business units.
“When Citicorp downsized and closed the development center where I worked, I wasn’t at a point where I could move. So I went out on my own, doing
training and was eventually hired in training at another organization. An opportunity to move into human resources became available and I was able
to transition into this position. Because I had done an effective job training everything from interviewing, coaching skills, performance management to
counseling and mediation, it was actually a seamless transition. I backed it up with a master’s [degree] in human resources and management, and
my certification as a senior professional in human resources (SPHR). I had found my calling and have stayed in human resources for the past 18
years.
“Currently I hold a director-level position with the National Testing Lab of the American Red Cross, as a lead HR manager in ARC’s biomedical division,
HR. Four locations report to me; my team is responsible for recruitment, employee relations, policy, benefits and training. When you think of the
American Red Cross, you think of either blood donations or disaster services. The biomedical division is responsible for blood donations and the
testing and manufacturing of the blood and blood products. We also help fund the chapter side, which is involved in disaster relief. In addition, I have
taught at Keller Graduate School of Management since the mid-1990s.”
Please provide information about prominent alumnae from your school.
Tamy Sinkler, MBA 2007, associate director of technology, AT&T
“Keller best fit my personal and professional life needs. The demands of a 24/7 career made scheduling flexibility an absolute necessity. After much
research, I found that Keller was the only institution that offered such flexibility without sacrificing academic standards and relevance.
“Keller taught me how to push forward amidst total uncertainty, to research the unfamiliar, to self-educate and to keep pace with an ever-changing
world. I had professors that should be DNA-sampled and cloned … their contribution to my education was significant and lasting.
“I saw results in less than two weeks after graduation. Upon completing my MBA degree, I was promoted from a first-line manager to the associate
director of technology in AT&T. I now have options that I have never had before, which are only possible through education.”
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Barbara Stuzman Wilt, MPM 2006, senior pharmaceutical product development chemist, Adhesive Research, Inc.
“I needed a program that would offer flexibility to balance my personal life, work schedule and yet allow sufficient time for my studies. I wanted to
select a school that had an outstanding reputation for its programs, its staffing and was accredited. Keller met my selection criteria.
“By being exposed to different cultures and career paths, I’ve become more aware of various methods for strategic planning. I’ve increased my skill
set in terms of collaborative efforts, analytical thinking and a broad knowledge of project management tools that can used on a daily basis.
“The completion of my MPM degree has boosted my self-confidence to accept new challenges and take on the world. Many benefits are still yet to
come as I’m able to take my leadership and professionalism to the next level.”
CURRICULUM AND RESEARCH
Please provide information on any classes and concentrations that focus on issues related to women or minorities.
Our course offerings are diverse and were created to prepare our students to meet the demands of today’s competitive global business environment.
Our course entitled Managing Global Diversity is one that focuses on issues related to minorities and women. This course examines benefits and
challenges of managing diversity in the workplace, as well as methods for using diversity to create a competitive advantage. Students analyze ways in
which to develop a supportive, nondiscriminatory and productive work environment. Additionally, course work focuses on specific workplace issues
related to differences in gender, race, cultural ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, physical/mental ability, social class and religion.
Please describe any faculty and/or student research projects that focus on diversity, multiculturalism and minority issues.
The culmination of each Keller master’s degree program is a capstone project for which students draw upon multidisciplinary knowledge gained
throughout their program. In keeping with Keller’s practitioner focus, these real-world projects are vastly different from traditional theses. Each
capstone provides the unique opportunity to demonstrate relevant business judgment and analytic models in the context of current and emerging
opportunities. While students aren’t mandated to focus on a specific area, students are free to research any area of business including that of diversity,
multiculturalism or minority issues.
ORGANIZATIONS AND STUDENT LIFE
Please provide information on your school diversity student and alumni organizations.
Keller Graduate School of Management Alumni Association
Through the Keller Graduate School of Management Alumni Association, graduates can take advantage of career services that help enhance
professional development skills, as well as access our nationwide network of job postings. Keller has helped thousands of graduates enhance their
professional careers.
STRATEGIC PLAN AND LEADERSHIP
Please provide your school’s diversity mission statement.
The mission of Keller Graduate School of Management is to provide high-quality, practitioner-oriented graduate management degree programs with an
emphasis on excellence in teaching and service to adult learners.
Building on diversity is one of the university’s core values that reflects the standard of service and conduct to which we have committed ourselves.
This means we will maintain an institutional culture that draws strength from the varied perspectives and backgrounds of its students, faculty and staff,
which helps DeVry University achieve its educational and strategic goals.
How does your school’s leadership communicate the importance of diversity to your student body, faculty and administration?
There isn’t one department in charge of diversity because all of DeVry’s leadership consistently communicates the importance of diversity and ethics
to all of DeVry University. This is done using multiple mediums and reinforcing the TEACH principals. In striving to accomplish our vision and meet
the needs of our students, we share the following values and behaviors.
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•
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Teamwork and communication
Employee focus
Accountability and integrity equals ownership
Continuous improvement
Help our students achieve their goals
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DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Please describe the demographics of your most recent entering class.
Class of 2009
Percentage of female students: 58 percent
Percentage of minority students:
White/Caucasian: 30 percent
African-American/Black: 31 percent
Hispanic/Latino: 7 percent
Asian (including Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander): 9 percent
Middle Eastern: (not tracked)
Multiracial: (not tracked)
Average age of students: 33
Please describe the geographic diversity of your most recent entering class.
Class of 2009
Percentage of U.S. citizens and permanent residents: 97 percent
Distribution of students from different U.S. regions:
Mid-Atlantic: 8 percent
Midwest: 34 percent
Northeast: 4 percent
South: 29 percent
Southwest: 11 percent
West: 13 percent
In New York, DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management operate as DeVry College of New York.
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