Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business (HSB) mission is to “cultivate principled leaders and serve the global marketplace through transformational learning and impactful scholarship in a culture of innovation guided by Christian values.” Baylor works hard to support this mission by providing business students the opportunity to explore their careers and learn from practical, real-world experiences.
One of the most innovative changes for Hankamer School of Business is establishing a comprehensive career management program. The career management program assists students with career exploration and planning, personal branding, resume development and review, networking, internship and job search techniques, and interview preparation. To assist students in their transition to the workplace, HSB has developed a team of six professionals to serve students and potential employers.
“The goal is to partner with our students in their professional development activities and their transition to the workplace,” says Mark G. Dunn, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at HSB.
In addition to a comprehensive career management program, HSB has also introduced the “First-Year Experience”—a course designed to facilitate the transition of first-year business students to the HSB and enhance their opportunities for success.
Practical, Real-World Experience
A number of HSB alum surveyed by P&Q said Baylor provided them opportunities to apply their studies in real-world settings.
Drew Earnest, an HSB alum, participated in Baylor’s Portfolio Management Practicum. Through the practicum, Earnest and 19 other students managed $7M of the endowment fund operating as a mutual fund. For Earnest, the experience was eye-opening.
“We were able to discuss and reach conclusions with real impact, as opposed to a simulated experience,” he says. “It required dedication by all of my peers as well as myself for the fund to be successful. It taught me that my interest in the financial markets was more of a hobby than something I was willing to dedicate my life to an investment bank, and led me down a path of corporate finance and business development.”
Students can also partake in sales competitions, where they can develop essential sales skills through high-level role-play scenarios. The Center for Professional Selling at Baylor invests approximately $40,000 a year to support student participation in sales competitions.
Olivia Offringa, an HSB alum, competed in multiple sales competitions during her time at Baylor.
“They provided hands-on experience in my field, feedback and constructive criticism from industry experts, and provided the opportunity to work with a team in a leadership role,” she says.
Career Outlook
In a P&Q survey, Baylor reports that 67% of the Class of 2017 was employed full-time within 90 days of graduation, with 17% continuing education, 14% seeking education, and 2% not seeking. The average overall salary for Class of 2017 business majors was $52,200.
The Top 10 Employers for the Class of 2017:
- KPMG 37
- Oracle 20
- E&Y 23
- Accenture 11
- PWC 11
- Dell 9
- IBM 9
- Qualtrics 8
- Deloitte 7
- AXA Advisors 7
