For the first time, the LeBow College of Business is offering a unique, competitive summer co-op program for its Master of Business Administration students.
The C-Suite Co-op is a summer co-op program in which firms like Cisco, eBay, SAP, Urban Outfitters and other prestigious firms will choose students to work directly with top executives through a series of assessments and competitions.
A 15-month MBA course will replace the one- and two-year MBA programs. This addition to the MBA curriculum is a continuation of Drexel’s mission to offer experiential learning of the highest possible level to students in all fields and in every level of study. Getting a C-Suite Co-op will be highly competitive. Drexel professors will choose the most qualified students to participate in a “match day” of presentations. Students will give presentations before a panel of representatives from each firm. Then each firm will choose their preferred MBA student to be hired for the co-op.
This process will introduce students to the business world and allow executive leaders to gain new insights from the students. The C-Suite differs from traditional co-ops in that selected students will be working much more closely with high-ranking corporate officers. The co-ops will have students working on projects in marketing, finance and analytics. From a class of 35 students, less than half are expected to get a C-Suite Co-op. Students who do not make the cut are still required to participate in an internship, consulting assignment or other experiential learning activity as part of Drexel’s MBA program.
“We want to give students an opportunity to peek into the corporate suite, which could be a real advantage,” Frank Linnehan, interim dean of LeBow, said. “Sometimes business issues look very different from the top rather than from the middle or bottom.”
The co-op will also provide valuable networking opportunities, and it has some undergraduate business students considering staying for an additional 15 months to complete an MBA.