Forging The Future of Business Education

AI expertise is no longer optional – SMU Cox meets the challenge with new MS degree in AI for Business

As artificial intelligence takes a larger role in everyday life, particularly in the workplace, businesses need to determine how to leverage AI to their benefit.  While this technology is still so new, there are many steps being taken to address the demand for AI experts. In this episode of the Forging the Future of Business Education podcast, presented by SMU Cox School of Business in partnership with the Dallas Business Journal, three professors discuss the ways SMU Cox is preparing students for this evolving AI landscape. Our guests are: * Bill Dillon, senior associate dean and professor * Amit Basu, Carr P. Collins chair in management information sciences department chair, department chair of information technology and operations management * Shelly Heinrich, senior assistant dean for graduate admissions and the career management center “In addition to AI centric type courses, whether it’s our MS degree program or it’s an AI marketing course, we’ve integrated AI platforms in all of our presentation skills courses, which every undergraduate and graduate student has to take,” Dillon says Listen for more insights from: * Amit Basu on the unknown of AI and examples of where it’s making an impact (3:44) * Shelly Henrich on long-term outlook for AI careers in Dallas (17:00)

Dallas, TX, is an epicenter for healthcare. SMU Cox has played a role in fostering industry connections

As the population in Dallas and North Texas continues to surge, so does the need for health systems to meet the challenge of providing care while, at the same time, focusing on the importance of collaboration and partnerships throughout the industry. In this episode of the Forging the Future of Business Education podcast, presented by SMU Cox School of Business in partnership with the Dallas Business Journal, three expert guests challenge the myth that leaders in the healthcare industry are disconnected.  Our guests are: * Amy Goad, managing director at Sendero Consulting * Brett Stauffer, M.D., chief quality officer at Baylor Scott & White Health * Lisa Tran, managing director of corporate engagement, executive education at SMU Cox School of Business “There is collaboration happening across the board,” Goad says, “and we are seeing that the more that happens, the better the outcomes.”  Business education programs, says Tran, help those in health care adapt to proliferating industry demands – through courses on such topics as change management, and forging connections between the industry and external partners including C-suite leaders. “We’re not touching patients directly,” Tran says about SMU Cox School of Business, “but impacting them indirectly.” Listen for more insights from: * Brett Stauffer on what “increasingly sophisticated” healthcare consumers want (5:17) * Amy Goad on being a leader in healthcare innovation and collaboration (23:00) Learn more about the SMU Cox School of Business Healthcare Leadership Initiative [https://www.smu.edu/cox/healthcare-leadership-development-initiative/events].

How the Dallas region and SMU Cox contribute to the global transformation of the energy market

Regulators and consumers worldwide are pushing businesses to analyze their energy usage and address climate-related risks. Such interest is one of the catalysts for the energy market’s ongoing transition to a business model rooted in sustainability. In this episode of the Forging the Future of Business Education podcast, presented by SMU Cox School of Business in partnership with the Dallas Business Journal, two expert guests dispel two topical myths: Energy markets, particularly in Texas, are driven by oil and gas; and climate-related risks are solely a concern for the oil-and-gas industry.  Our guests are: * Ken Hersh, executive-in-residence, SMU Cox School of Business; president and CEO, George W. Bush Presidential Center, and co-founder and former CEO of NGP Energy Capital Management * Kumar Venkataraman, professor of finance and Maguire Chair in Energy Management at the Cox School of Business, and academic director of the Maguire Energy Institute and the Kyle Miller Energy program The current “all-time record of global oil and gas demand” persists, says Hersh, but the U.S. and Texas are leaders in diversifying energy sources.  SMU Cox Master of Science degree program in energy and sustainability management, says Venkataraman, is equipping students for work in the evolving energy sector by “exposing them to traditional and renewable energies, energy economics and energy finance.”  Listen for more insights from: * Kumar Venkataraman, on the fossil fuels consumption forecast for the next 25 years (5:53) * Ken Hersh, on what’s needed to make a difference in global energy consumption (22:25) Find out how the SMU Cox School of Business Maguire Energy Institute [https://www.smu.edu/cox/centers-institutes/maguire-energy-institute] supports student success.

SMU Cox and Texas welcome, and embody the spirit of collaboration

Texas officially adopted “Friendship” as its motto in 1930. Yet many people outside its borders equate the state with deceptively hostile messages like “Don’t mess with Texas” – which is, ironically, the slogan for its litter prevention campaign launched in 1986.  In this episode of the Forging the Future of Business Education podcast, presented by SMU Cox School of Business in partnership with the Dallas Business Journal, four Dallas-area experts dispel the myths that Texas lacks warmth and hospitality, and that business schools like SMU Cox are rooted in a culture of competition rather than collaboration. Our guests are: * Liz Brailsford, president and CEO, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth * Lynn McBee, CEO, Young Women’s Preparatory Network * Julie Maass, assistant dean, SMU Cox Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement * Debbie Macedonia, assistant dean, SMU Cox Full-Time MBA and Master’s graduate admissions  Texas, says Liz Brailsford, is now a beacon for transplants across the country and abroad.  “Last year we had 418 people move here every single day,” Brailsford says. “That is testament to the friendly culture, the inviting culture that we have in this region.” That growth also applies to the diverse, supportive community at SMU Cox which, says Debbie Macedonia, “has been very intentional with the structure of our business school and allowing students to each succeed within their own goals, both academic and professional. Sometimes people think, ‘Oh, academics, we’re fighting for the good grades, or we’re fighting for the great jobs,’ but here at SMU Cox, collaboration exists.” Listen for more insights from: * Lynn McBee, on the entrepreneurial spirit in Dallas (9:36) * Julie Maass, on SMU Cox’s “unbridled venture project” (15:53) What can you expect at SMU Cox School of Business? Find out here [https://www.smu.edu/cox/at-smu-cox].

Why an MBA from SMU Cox in Dallas, TX can help entrepreneurs build businesses with longtime prospects

Entrepreneurs who launch startups don’t need to enroll in business school, right?  Many experts say otherwise – especially if entrepreneurs want to create successful, sustainable companies. In this episode of Forging the Future of Business Education podcast, presented by SMU Cox School of Business in partnership with the Dallas Business Journal, four guests debunk the myth that entrepreneurs don’t need to earn MBAs, while providing perspective on the business school’s role in supporting emerging enterprises and Dallas’ robust business ecosystem. Our guests are: * Helmuth Ludwig, SMU Cox professor of practice of Strategy and Entrepreneurship; co-director, SMU Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship * Joshua Taylor, managing director, SMU Cox William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership * Christian Kim, SMU Cox MBA candidate class of ’26; president, SMU Cox Graduate Entrepreneurship Club * Morganne Stewart, MBA class of ’24; past president, SMU Cox Graduate Entrepreneurship Club “At SMU Cox, we provide formal education, which gives you all the basics on finances,” said Ludwig. “But at SMU Cox, we enhance classroom teaching with more experiential learning. It’s done in a safe environment, and that’s the exciting part about this advanced education.” Stewart applied to SMU Cox after launching her own company. “I needed someone to come in and explain to me how to run a business,” said Stewart, a longtime creative director. “Thankfully, SMU Cox just really opened my eyes to being able to do more and be more within my company.” Like Stewart, Christian Kim is a current entrepreneur who’s benefited from the support he’s received at SMU Cox. “The environment, faculty and students here at SMU Cox definitely want to help you out to take your business idea from zero to one,” Kim said. Listen to this episode to learn about: * Dallas’ U.S. and global startup rankings (8:04) * The Big iDeas competition at SMU (10:59) Learn how you can develop critical entrepreneurial skills at SMU Cox School of Business [https://www.smu.edu/cox].