Problem:
As the Vanderbilt MAcc program is only three years old, there exists significant room for improvement. From year to year the program has developed under the leadership of Karl Hackenbrack and Amy Johnson who are both open to innovation and responsive to the feedback of students. After six months in the program, we see the critical problem requiring attention as a lack of student preparation for the program as well as a need for more ongoing support throughout the program. By addressing this issue with innovative solutions we believe we will be able to improve the MAcc program to ensure that the Class of 2011 has an even better experience than we have had.
Solution #1: “So This is the MAcc Program…”
The MAcc program is a unique one-year experience and no one understands it better than current MAcc students. Although Owen distributes a Welcome Package to all incoming students, we want to provide incoming MAcc students with additional information that is specific to their experience. Our “So This is the MAcc Program…” packet will include photos of the necessary wardrobe, syllabi for the core classes, housing suggestions, study tips, etc.
We will also share a compilation of our classes’ best insider tips including our favorite restaurants, bars, stores, activities, etc. We will also include contact information for services such as dry cleaners, beauty salons, and tailors in the area. The packet will be full of relevant student advice and colorful anecdotes and will be distributed to incoming students over the summer.
Solution #2: “Buddy System”
Beginning at Welcome Weekend we propose that every incoming student be paired with a current MAcc student who will serve as a host for the weekend. Although current students already participate in many Welcome Weekend events, we feel that this will provide a more thorough experience and offer critical insight into student life. By facilitating more informal interaction, incoming students will feel more comfortable building relationships with current students so they can ask more questions both during Welcome Weekend, over the summer, and throughout the MAcc program.
Since incoming students would stay with their MAcc buddy, the program would save money on hotel and transportation expenses. This peer mentor relationship will also model what the students will experience when they start work at a Big Four accounting firm.
Solution #3: “Contact Families”
Since many MAcc students are new to the Nashville area we think they would benefit from building relationships with contact families. This program would provide many of the comforts of home while enriching and expanding the students’ Nashville experience. We would draw on Owen alumni to act as contact families in order to facilitate networking and relationship building. The families would be expected to reach out to the students on a monthly basis by inviting them into their homes for a meal, taking them to a sporting or cultural event, etc.
I really like the buddy system idea. I think it does a couple things. First, it allows new students to start building relationships with people who have already been through the process. The buddy can hopefully introduce them to MBA students as well so that they can expand their network immediately. Also, it allows the the MAcc to strengthen their ties with the upcoming class and their network. I am not sure that you will have the time to implement the "contact families" plan. Also, for someone of my personality I would have not wanted to participate in it and would have viewed it as a negative.
ReplyDelete#1 and #2 are great ideas. A packet showing the exact things you mention would be very worthwhile to someone coming into not just the MAcc program, but even the MBA program. Having a buddy always helps with transitions. Its too bad the buddy will be gone once the student arrives in August, but in the meantime hopefully they could have given them some good advice.
ReplyDelete#3 would work if you're 12.
I like #1, I always look back on that first week and think "If I knew then what I know now..."
ReplyDelete#2 is good if the buddies can maintain a relationship, you might have to profile the students to find a good match
#3 is interesting, but you'll have to find a lot of volunteers really quickly to implement this in the timeframe
A buddy system and resources available to enhance a MAcc's engagement at Owen are great ideas. The contact family is interesting but I don't imagine (somewhat freshly) independent accounting graduate students will need or act on the opportunity to interact with a local family. (where is the professional benefit?) Perhaps an accounting executive in town or someone that can advance their career would be more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI really like the buddy system idea. They had a similar model where I went for undergrad, and it is a great way to get a real feel for your future as a student. I also think with only one year to network and job search, this could be an interesting way for Owen to add value to MACC students by encouraging "buddies" to stay in touch, and offer the same insight into their experience with their first year out of school.
ReplyDeleteGood problem, great ideas. From a long-term adoption perspective, I think your first idea has a significant advantage. Once the first "So this is the MACC..." book is done, it will only require a small amount of work to redo it for the following year. The other two ideas create a long-term obligation on future classes. That, plus remember that you only have 2 weeks left to implement a prototype - the booklet is doable in that time.
ReplyDeleteI believe that proposition 1 and 2 combined would work best, so a buddy system combined with a introduction package. Since the time period for a MAcc is very short at Owen, so something like this would really help with introduction to Vanderbilt. The book could also include certain advice from faculty as well, as they have seen years of MAcc students pass through the system.
ReplyDeleteI think the MAcc Pack is a great idea, and something like this could be valuable for incoming MBAs as well. If preparation for the program is the problem, a guide to all things MAcc will certainly help, particularly core class syllabi and advice from current students for each class, professor, etc. This is something that could carry on and bring a positive change to Owen for years.
ReplyDeleteThe buddy system is good; however, not all students come to Welcome Weekend, and each buddy will have graduated when the incoming class gets here. Great for networking, bad for getting acclimated to the program.
The last idea may be problematic in respect to finding alumni that can devote time to monthly meetings. Also, for the last two ideas, keep in mind that we have to have implemented our idea by the end of the Mod. There may be difficult time constraints to overcome.
This is an interesting problem to tackle. I think that your 1st solution is best suited for solving the problem in the context of our Innovation class. The WBA puts together a a couple of publications for its members that you could use as a template. The first is a directory of students that include photos and advice for incoming students. The second is a directory of places and things -- all things Nashville. It includes everything from hair salons to bars. They both help incoming students feel more comfortable in their new surroundings; I assume that this is especially difficult when there is no overlap in graduating MAcc classes.
ReplyDelete