History

The Management Fellows Program was founded in the spring of 1980, based on three important factors: (1) a good liberal arts education, in addition to its intrinsic merit, is also excellent preparation for a management career; (2) the acknowledgement that new graduates with bachelor's degress who have no managerial training are at a significant disadvantage in the job market; and (3) internship experiences prove especially useful to students as complements to their academic work.

Student interest in business careers was evident before the founding of the Management Fellows Program. James W. Emison '52 created a series of seminars for DePauw students, exposing them to alternatives to careers in big business. These seminars began in 1978, covering such topics as:

  • What is Small Business?
  • Small Business: Stronghold of Free Enterprise
  • How to Prepare for and Enter the Small Business Community
  • Prospects for a Small Business

Three seminars were also held in 1979 and 1980, focusing on careers in banking, law, accounting, construction and real estate development, and retail sales. The seminars lasted an afternoon, allowing students to interact with panels and speakers.

The intial idea of the Management Fellows Program can be traced to Richard F. Rosser, president of the University of 1977-86. He had been the academic dean at Albion College, which had a business program designed to develop young business professionals in a liberal arts setting. President Rosser was interested in bringing a similar program to DePauw. His goal was to add a distinctive program that would help boost admission numbers by offering top students who were interested in attending business schools an option that would combine a liberal arts education with experience in the business world.

The proposal for the Center for Management & Entrepreneurship and the Management Fellows Program was written by Ralph Gray, professor and chair of the economics and management department; Alan E. Pankratz, professor of economics; and John Mohr of Student Services, and went before the faculty of Feb. 18, 1980. The proposal called for a program that "would allow select students to learn about management by taking various courses at the University and by serving semester-long internships while also receiving a strong liberal arts education" (faculty meeting minutes, Feb. 18, 1980).

The first students who completed the Management Fellows Program graduated from DePauw with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Management Fellows were also required to take eight courses outside of the Department of Economics and Business.

In addition, Management Fellows were required to complete a paid internship, which was to be served in the second term of the junior year or the first term of the senior year. The purpose of the internship was to provide students with practical experience while still in the academic environment.