Meet UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class Of 2025

A Q&A WITH BRAD STAATS

Recently, P&Q spoke with Brad Staats, Kenan-Flagler’s senior associate dean for strategy and academics, to discuss the latest in MBA insights and review some of the key parts of the Kenan-Flagler MBA experience.

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Staats: “We’ve had a lot of exciting developments this past year at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Business Foundations is an enhanced development program designed by our faculty and tailored to the specific needs of our MBA program.”

He states Business Foundations are required, and they have a common foundation in statistics, accounting and finance which are beneficial for several reasons, including equalizing knowledge, accelerating learning, boosting confidence, approaching business holistically, and offering this course at no charge to lower barriers to academic preparedness. 

“We also established the Rethinc. AI Management Lab which addresses the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the business world,” says Staats. 

He adds that the lab is an innovation hub that focuses on research insights into the strategic, operational, ethical and societal aspects of AI implementation, gives students a deep understanding about the current and future of AI implementation, and gives MBAs experience and skills that are necessary in the industry. 

P&Q: Give us your one-minute pitch for your business school. What makes you unique?

Staats: “Every Carolina student has their own story about why they became a Tar Heel – attending a top MBA program, joining a school with a strong athletics culture or UNC being their long-term dream. They have heard about our faculty who aren’t ivory tower academics but professors who excel at both teaching and research, and care deeply about our students’ success.”

Chapel Hill has a charming location, he says, that offers an appealing blend of a friendly, small-town atmosphere with a vibrant and diverse cultural scene, and the city has been called one of the best college towns and places to live. Stats notes that the city is part of the Triangle, which includes Durham and Raleigh. 

“We’re less than 15 minutes from Research Triangle Park, a hub for 60,000 employees and 375 national and multinational companies (including IBM, GlaxoSmithKline and Cisco) known for its concentration of science and technology organizations, government agencies, startups and nonprofits. The journey is yours, and we’re with you every step of the way. We can’t wait to see what you can do, what you will create and what kind of a difference you’ll make,” says Staats.

P&Q: Sustainability has emerged as a major attraction to prospective MBA students. How does your full-time MBA program integrate sustainability across its curriculum?  

Staats: “Sustainability has been a key pillar of the UNC Kenan-Flagler curriculum for over 20 years, with the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability (ACES) managing and curating a concentration in Sustainable Enterprise. Sustainability crosses all industries and functions and therefore, requires collaboration with all areas of the Business School and the University. 

“The 20 courses offered in the Sustainable Enterprise concentration allow students to select what they need to be strong candidates in their chosen career paths. The courses in the concentration come from all areas of the Business School. For instance, Sustainable Finance is taught by a finance professor, Sustainable Operations is taught by operations faculty, etc.

“In addition, UNC Kenan-Flagler has an Ethics, Corporate and Individual Responsibility Core requirement of all students with the following courses on offer: Strategy and Sustainability, Resisting Corporate Corruption: Cases in Practical Ethics, and Ethical and Inclusive Leadership.” 

P&Q: What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?

Staats: “We believe students learn principles of management and leadership through action. Students interested in taking a deep dive into experiential learning to discover and improve their management potential thrive in our MPO concentration.

“Our learning model, based on principles, practice, feedback and reflection, underpins the experiential learning environment. We use experiential simulations, real-world projects, role plays and games methods to allow students to learn and apply what they learned throughout their time in our program.

“We prepare students to hit the ground running in their internships and first post-MBA jobs with applicable skills, knowledge and coaching specific to their needs. We give them tools to build teams, address complex change, and build inclusive and motivated cultures in their organizations. We recognize that students bring their own set of experiences, knowledge and skills to the table.

“Whether they step into a contributor or a leadership role in their next position, the skills and competencies they gain from the MPO concentration empower them to excel, inspire and leave an indelible mark. The program isn’t just educating students; we’re nurturing future leaders.

“Our world-class faculty run the program, who are widely known international experts and consult with some of the largest Fortune 500 corporations in the world. Its design is deeply rooted in scientific evidence and academic expertise, and leverages our faculty’s research in organizational behavior, strategy and communications.”