Business skills for the engineering world
Innovative program equips engineers with business fundamentals
By Lauren Shaw, junior in the Diederich College of Communication and intern for the Office of Marketing and Communication
Learning never stops — and the Bridge to Business for Engineers initiative at Marquette University sponsored by Rexnord Corporation proves just that.
Bridge to Business is a six-day- non-credit- summer program designed for early-career engineers, taught by experts in the business field. The program — which is open to anyone with an engineering degree, including those currently pursuing graduate degrees, not just Marquette alumni — dynamically teaches participants the essential business fundamentals they need to be successful in their professional roles.
The program’s curriculum focuses on the key touch points between engineers and other functions within the business realm with modules in supply chain management, accounting, finance, marketing, teamwork, ethical issues, intellectual property and innovation and presentation and leadership skills.
Angela Stemo, vice president of global human capital at Husco International Inc., says the program is extremely beneficial not just to the participants but the organizations, like Husco, that employ the participants who will no doubt see increased confidence, work performance and more.
“Marquette’s Bridge to Business program has been an incredible opportunity to provide business-concept knowledge to Husco’s early-career engineers,” Stemo says. “Many of our participants have continued their development by pursuing an MBA or advancing within their engineering career.”
Kat Donovan, project engineer at Husco, went through the Bridge to Business program in 2019 after Husco leadership suggested the program may be a valuable experience for her and could help make her career goals become a reality.
“The program taught me to consider how decisions made as an engineer can impact an entire organization,” Donovan says. “Decisions are passed through individuals from many different functions within the company, so as engineers we need to have a background on the roles of our coworkers to understand each other and work collectively towards a common goal.”
Donovan added that the ability to network with others working in different aspects of the same professions is crucial, especially amid, and in the aftermath of, a pandemic — which should make Bridge to Business even more appealing to future participants.
Donovan enjoyed Bridge to Business so much, it inspired her to continue her education. She is now pursuing her master’s in business administration at Marquette. She is set to graduate with her degree in 2022.
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Marquette alum Ryan Callahan, now a project manager for Rexnord, participated in Bridge to Business in 2018 while simultaneously working toward his master’s degree in mechanical engineering in the Opus College of Engineering.
“Bridge to Business provides you with the necessary tools and education to speak the same language as business professionals within your organization,” Callahan says. “It also gives you a great opportunity to connect with people at similar stages of your career, which is intriguing. Collecting high-level bits of information from subject matter from experts at Marquette in an exclusive setting is something unique that you can’t get at another program.”
Callahan says he utilizes the business fundamentals he acquired through Bridge to Business each and every day in his job and that — much like in the case of Donovan — the program was a pivotal influence for him to go to come back to Marquette for his master’s in business administration and “explore beyond the paramount of information the program has given me.”
Callahan is set to graduate with his newest degree this year.
Bridge to Business was established 2016. It launched with the help of a $1 million contribution from Rexnord. Earlier this year, it was announced Rexnord has committed another $1 million to help expand Bridge to Business programming and broaden its initial focus on early career engineers to include leaders with diverse professional experience. The gift also empowers Marquette to explore similar career development programming for a variety of industry sectors.
“This is a great example of an academic institution like Marquette partnering with our local business community to grow their employees’ skills,” says Kevin Walsh, director of executive education and instructor of practice.
Walsh added that over 125 engineers from 14 companies have participated or registered for the program since 2018, and that more than 98% of past participants agreed that they can apply concepts and would recommend the program to a peer.
“I am pleased to see Bridge to Business flourishing and providing engineers with the business acumen and relational skills not typically covered in a traditional engineering curriculum,” said Dr. Kristina Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering. “We are grateful for the support of Rexnord Corporation as well as several other industry partners who have invested in this program and have helped shape the curriculum.”
Robin Hoke, associate director of executive education in the College of Business Administration, says the positive feedback organizers have received about the program is inspiring — especially as Bridge to Business continues and evolve to meet both the needs of business partners and the participants to ensure all gain efficient and valuable insight in the world of business.
“This innovative program is exactly what Southeastern Wisconsin needs to invest in its human capital development, Hoke says. “It allows organizations to develop talent for retention and elevating the regional workforce skills.”
Bridge to Business’s first summer session of 2021, which will occur in a virtual format, is now full. However, Walsh says, registration is still open for the second session, which will begin August and is scheduled to take place in person.
