Friday, October 28, 2011

UD Alumni Profile: Meet John!


John Cantrell, from the class of 1970, was among the first to graduate from the College of Business MBA program. He was working for Texas Instruments while going to school, and he says that attending the University of Dallas allowed him to meet people who were from all different disciplines, the jobs they had, and the reason they were here. John still recalls his favorite memories of building relationships with his fellow classmates.


“We got very close going through many of the programs where we worked in groups like marketing where there would be four or five to a group; we got to know each other very well. I think that, plus the association with the professors, who were top quality, in my mind, were my fondest memories and most beneficial memories in my mind.”


Having received his bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University, the master’s degree program at UD has been beneficial to John’s career. “It was the stimulus that let me leave Texas Instruments, which was a very fine company, and become an entrepreneur, forming my own company for 33 years, coming in the oil and gas business.”


“I have actually come back to the University for advice; it was extremely valuable. Halfway through my career when my company had some very tough business decisions and with one in particular, Dr. James Maknes, was very helpful in getting back on the track and could’ve very possibly saved my business. That was invaluable.”

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Faculty Profile: Bruce Evans on Management and Music

Professor Bruce Evans, professor of management in the College of Business, is a native New Yorker who has spent time living in various parts of the East Coast. His uncle was a professor at Harvard and his sister taught at Gallaudet University. “It got me to wonder if I didn’t belong in education.”

Prior to joining the faculty at UD, he worked as a re-insurance underwriter at CIGNA which led to his Vice President of Reinsurance position at Transport Insurance.

He came to the University of Dallas when the Graduate School of Management was newly forming, and has served the University longer than any other faculty colleague. “I heard that an MBA program had just been launched.”

The favorite part of teaching at UD for Evans is the Capstone Experience, which he helped to create. Launched in 1973, theCapstone is the final course for graduate students. It was formed after a meeting with various professors from universities with leading business schools such as Stanford, Harvard, and Tulane. Those faculty members strongly endorse inactive case study books. From there, Evans and his colleagues took a cue to instead involve actual chief executives who pose significant strategic problems for the graduating students to master.

 “Management is an art. We had to find something practical,” he says.

Evans is currently in his 148th Capstone course. “The results from the clients are superb. It’s been great for everybody.” He says that he is proud and privileged to have guided MBA students in their learning experiences.

In addition to teaching, Evans is a musician on the side. He has played the clarinet since he was eight years old. His band, “Sound Judgment,” has been together for decades, and has played at the President’s Reception, Cotillion Ball, and Alumni Reunion weekend. “It’s just plain fun. I’m comfortable.”

Evans is also being interviewed on 1160 AM every Wednesday morning at 7:40 a.m. He discusses the College of Business graduate school and the Capstone Experience.

“I’m doing what I want to do.”

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

As if you needed another reason to go to UD...

Reason number 1245 to enroll at the University of Dallas?  Parking.

While we have enough parking place to accommodate our student population, parking is scarce on many campuses.  Check out this article in the Chronicle of Higher Education for more details.