6 EMBA Programs With the Best Networking Opportunities

The benefits of the best EMBA programs reach far beyond coursework. The best Executive MBA programs help their students establish a foundation for success through active alumni associations, networking possibilities, and peer learning. These programs offer cohorts the chance to join a professional community upon attaining a degree — a community that can help drive success and open new doors for careers.

Finding an EMBA that offers a robust alumni network can be a challenge. Below are six programs that not only provide terrific advanced business education but also provide opportunities to help fuel your career long-term.

MSU Broad School of Business EMBA

The Broad EMBA incorporates the vast MSU business community into its curriculum. As the first public university in the United States to offer an EMBA, MSU has a long, rich cultural history and an extensive alumni network that stretches across numerous industries. MSU’s alumni encompass a diverse set of backgrounds, from small family-owned businesses to fortune 100 companies to non-profits.

The Broad Executive MBA takes a unique team-based approach that mirrors a collaborative business environment. Cohorts build real-world communication and negotiation skills while developing long-lasting professional relationships with peers.

Some of the country’s largest companies support the Broad EMBA program, including JP Morgan Chase & Co., Ford Motor Company, General Electric, General Motors, Hewlett Packard Co., Kellogg Company, Meijer, Pepsi, and Pfizer, Inc., to name just a few.

Program participants also get access to Broad Connect, a customized networking and mentoring tool. Broad Connect pairs cohorts with an alum in their field of interest who provides one-on-one mentoring.

Columbia Business School EMBA

Columbia Business School has the largest Executive MBA program in the world and a robust alumni community that is more than 43,000 strong. Cohorts gain access to business leaders in all major industries. Columbia also ensures that cohorts have close contact with their peers throughout the EMBA program.

Cohorts are assigned a cluster of fellow students who they embark on a team learning journey with. Clusters are carefully chosen for professional and personal diversity to bring a wide range of perspectives together.

New York is the heart of the business world in many areas, including fashion, finance, advertising, and healthcare. Columbia also leverages its location in New York City, bringing in speakers, faculty, and mentoring opportunities from the business world’s center. New York’s Silicon Alley has emerged as a startup ecosystem with entrepreneurial talent and venture capital.

Sponsors of Columbia’s EMBA program include Gartner, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Marriott International, Verizon Wireless, Time Warner, Morgan Stanley, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, and many others.

Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business EMBA

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University’s EMBA program offers a dynamic, tech-driven alumni network along with career coaching and mentoring opportunities. Cohorts attend networking events and mentoring panels that include a network of alums who are successful Silicon Valley executives.

Santa Clara EMBA cohorts also have access to Career Coaches who provide private sessions covering career development and job searching tips and guidance.

The Graduate Business Career Management team is another resource Santa Clara provides cohorts. The team organizes events and workshops to create opportunities for cohorts interested in career exploration, networking, and professional development, including:

• Silicon Valley engagement: Career Treks and on-campus or virtual Employer Information Sessions arranged in partnership with SCU Alumni
• Annual Graduate Business Career Fair: This event brings companies to campus to recruit SCU talent
• SCU Alumni Panels: Alumni often serve as panelists and industry experts
• Career Workshops/Webinars: Events led by the GBCM team on various topics, including interviewing, building your digital presence, and networking

London Business School EMBA

London Business school graduates join an elite alumni community and global professional network. The Alumni Relations team supports more than 100 alumni clubs worldwide and is a valuable resource to graduates. This network hosts social and professional events, providing access to business leaders.

Cohorts are encouraged to embrace and become involved to build personal networks and establish enriching professional relationships. After graduating from the program, you are part of the London Business School community, which helps to share and shape the vision of the School. Alumni directly contribute to the ongoing development of the EMBA by interviewing candidates and speaking with potential students. Alumni also attend events in London and Dubai for reunions and to hear special lectures or attend workshops.

Alumni Career Services provides professional support development regardless of where you are at in your career. It includes the Alumni Job Board and the Alumni CV Database, both of which can be invaluable resources to ongoing career development.

EMBA – Global Americas and Europe

This joint program between Columbia University and the London Business School offers the combined powerhouse networks of more than 92,000 alumni worldwide with whom you can connect. You also get to benefit from the alumni services of two of the world’s leading business schools. With 20-30 nationalities represented in the average cohort, your network will span the globe and your opportunities with it. Alumni go on to become leaders in finance, IT, manufacturing, energy and engineering, and more.

Alumni of the EMBA – Global Americas and Europe program call the experience “the best two years of their lives” and are eager to offer support and resources to their fellow alumni throughout the years.

Cornell Executive MBA Metro New York

The Cornell EMBA Metro New York, provides cohorts with an immersive learning experience and extended networking opportunities.

Cohorts work together as a team and all learning teams are assigned a coach who provides tools and resources to assist them. The Career Development team provides a variety of resources including:

• Executive coaching through one-on-one sessions
• Career coaching that includes strategic and tactical coaching on everything from writing a resume to negotiating an offer
• Event programming that fosters networking, provides industry insight and employment opportunities through site visits

The Cornell Alumni Career Development Office has a network of career advisors available to guide you. As a Johnson graduate, you will receive one-on-one career coaching to assist in your growth and development. Johnson alumni can schedule an introductory and complimentary appointment with a Cornell career coach. Cornell alumni remain heavily involved in the program, providing cohorts with their expertise and perspective. Cohorts receive alumni career coaching on everything from resume and cover letter tips to interview preparation to guidance advice on negotiation and advocating for yourself.

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To learn more about each program’s offerings in addition to their rich alumni networks, be sure to check out Ivy Exec’s 2020 rankings of the Best Executive MBA Programs. These rankings classify EMBAs by prestige, career advancement, curriculum strength, global experience, and life balance. Further, exploring anonymous student reviews about these programs can also help you discover more about what teaching and learning in each program is really like.