MEDIA RESOURCES

DATE: August 31, 2005

CONTACT: communications@mail.cox.smu.edu

DALLAS (SMU) – On September 9, 2005, SMU and the Cox School of Business will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the James M. Collins Executive Education Center. The new Collins Center will house the Cox School’s Executive MBA (EMBA) and Executive Education programs. The building’s opening comes at a time when several trends point to increased demand for business education for working professionals.

Increased Demand for Part-Time Business Education

Earlier this month, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) released results of a study that showed applications to full-time MBA programs declined for the third straight year, with applications to part-time and executive MBA programs increasing during the same time. Meanwhile, as the economy improves, an increasing number of companies and individuals are turning to executive education. Enrollment in custom executive education programs has grown 28 percent in the past year, with open-enrollment programs increasing by 10 percent during that time. A recent survey by Chief Learning Officers (CLO) indicated that building bench strength was the top driving force in executive development for the first time.

“The James M. Collins Executive Education Center represents a shared commitment — between SMU, the Cox School, and the business community — to help employers and individuals enhance their performance through continuous improvement and lifelong learning,” said Albert W. Niemi, Jr., dean of the Cox School.

Many individuals and more than 40 corporations have contributed major gifts to underwrite the construction of the Collins Center and programs that will be housed there. In addition to the Cox EMBA and Executive Education programs, the Collins Center will serve as home for the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking and the KPMG Institute for Corporate Governance. A number of events for Cox’s full-time MBA and Professional MBA programs will also take place in the new center.

Designed with the Working Professional in Mind

The Collins Center is specifically designed to accommodate the needs of busy professionals who want to collaborate with faculty and peers in a beautiful setting away from the workplace. The facility features high-tech classrooms and meeting rooms, a modern business center, a relaxing executive lounge and dining room, and striking reception and gathering areas. The Collins Center facility is also available to companies for their meetings, events, and educational programming.

About SMU Cox

SMU’s Cox School of Business offers a full range of business education programs, including BBA, full-time MBA, Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), and Executive Education. The school also offers a number of unique resources and activities for students, ranging from its Business Leadership Center (BLC), Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, and American Airlines Global Leadership Program (GLP) to its Associate Board Executive Mentoring Program and an international alumni network of more than 29,000. SMU Cox is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by major publications, including BusinessWeek, Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report.