UB School of Management certifies second LeaderCORE class

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Management has awarded LeaderCORE™ certification to 31 MBA students.

This is the second group to complete LeaderCORE, an exclusive program that spans the entire two years of the UB MBA experience.

LeaderCORE, which received the prestigious Innovator Award in January from the MBA Roundtable, gives students the opportunity to study and navigate real-world business situations while developing a set of clearly identified management competencies.

The graduates are: Alison Aitchison, Shannon Algoe, Mark Bortz, Ann Brozek, David Charron, Tiehui Chen, Christopher Courtney, Rody Damis, Angela Haase, Amanda Harris, Hongyu Hua, Ruth Huoh, Ashley Illuzzi, Rachel Lawrence, Christopher Maugans, Kristen Mazurkiewicz, Marcelo Mazzetto, Ryan McGraw, Nicholas Notarius, Hung Duc Phan, Michelle Piaia, Amit Prayag, Steven Rehler, West Richter, Michael Saad, Ross Sarraf, Sarah Tanbakuchi, Andrew Trevisani, Brian Wagner, Daniel Wemmell and Jennifer Yates.

“Through years of experience with corporations and recruiters, we’ve learned that at the core of every exceptional leader are certain common competencies,” said SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Jerry M. Newman, LeaderCORE’s “visionary” and a key member of the School of Management’s planning team. “LeaderCORE helps students identify which of these competencies they need to shore up and, with the help of volunteer coaches and faculty, students spend their entire two years in the MBA program developing the skills that will enable them to hit the ground running in their post-MBA careers.”

LeaderCORE bridges the gap between academic learning and the workplace, focusing on core competencies—such as teamwork, problem solving, adaptability and integrity—considered vital by the business community for effective performance and successful leadership. The program is integrated into every aspect of coursework, career and professional development opportunities, internships and more.

In their first semester, LeaderCORE students undergo a rigorous assessment process during which they identify the competencies they wish to strengthen. Each student then creates an individual development plan based on current competencies and career aspirations.

One of the most differentiating features of LeaderCORE is the certification process. Candidates are required to present and defend their learning portfolios and provide examples of how they have successfully put their newly developed competencies into practice. Each candidate is interviewed by a pair of trained assessors, one from within the school and the other an experienced business executive. The final assessment determines the student’s level of certification: proficient, superior or role model.

External assessors praised LeaderCORE as a great differentiator for both the school as an institution and for each of the participants.

“This is exactly what business schools need to be doing,” said Rich Floersch, BS/MBA ’80, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for McDonald’s Corp., and one of the executives consulted during the development of the LeaderCORE program. “Students who can work effectively both within teams and in leading teams will always be in high demand. LeaderCORE will ensure this development occurs before they enter the work force."

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.