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By Sookhan Ho

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28, 2007 -- Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business and global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, of McLean, Va.. have established an educational partnership under which employees of the firm will receive a tuition discount for the college’s Executive MBA Program.

“Booz Allen, which has ‘learning partnerships’ with other universities, selected Virginia Tech’s Executive MBA Program as its preferred program after reviewing proposals from several prestigious universities,” said Charles Jacobina, executive director of the Executive MBA Program, based at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Graduate Center in metropolitan Washington, D.C. “Our common goal is to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities for students, consistent with the missions and business objectives of our organizations.”

“Virginia Tech’s program is a great fit for us,” said Katie Evans, university partnerships leader at Booz Allen. “Most of our employees who are interested in the program have a technical background and seek to enhance their leadership and communication skills.”

Under the agreement, effective beginning this spring semester, up to five Booz Allen employees per class cohort will receive a 10 percent tuition discount and a waiver of the application fee. The Pamplin College of Business and Booz Allen will develop links between the company’s intranet and a customized welcome page for Booz Allen employees.

Pamplin’s Executive MBA Program, launched in 2003, offers executives a graduate business program that accommodates professional travel and schedule demands without disrupting their progress toward earning an MBA.

The program's broad curriculum seeks to provide an understanding of the major elements of business, examines the ethical and global implications of management, and prepares managers for making decisions in a rapidly changing world. “The program is designed for busy, experienced professionals with or without business degrees,” said Jacobina. “It is designed to integrate theory and practice, enhance the executive skills required for participants’ career advancement, prepare them to take their learning onto a global playing field, enhance their personal confidence, and promote networking opportunities among them.”

The program is fully accredited by AACSB International--the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Classes, all taught by doctoral faculty, are held at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Graduate Center every other weekend over an 18-month period. Students are recruited for cohorts beginning each September and February.

The program’s current enrollment of 61 students in three cohorts includes five Booz Allen employees. Four of the company’s employees are graduates of the program.

Booz Allen Hamilton has more than 18,000 employees serving clients on six continents. The firm offers consulting services in strategy, operations, organizational change, and information technology.

Virginia Tech’s nationally ranked Pamplin College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, economics, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, and marketing. The college emphasizes the development of ethical values and leadership, technology, and international business skills. A member of its marketing faculty directs the interdisciplinary Sloan Foundation Forest Industries Center at Virginia Tech. The college’s other centers focus on business leadership, electronic commerce, and organizational performance. The college is committed to serving business and society through the expertise of its faculty, alumni, and students. It is named in honor of Robert B. Pamplin (BAD ’33), the former CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and his son, businessman and philanthropist Robert B. Pamplin Jr. (BAD ’64).

Contact Sookhan Ho at sookhan@vt.edu or (540) 231-5071.

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