Now more than ever, the world is relying on digital technologies to stay connected. While educational institutions race to implement online learning solutions, Clemson University’s MBA Program remains ahead of the curve in large part thanks to the efforts of Assistant Director of Operations, Jeremy Kröber.
Jeremy has been with Clemson MBA since 2011. He joined the Clemson Family after moving away from the corporate world to transition into a role where he could help others realize their full potential.
“I love supporting the students and working in an environment where people want to learn and grow. The corporate world can sometimes have a self-serving mindset, but here I can help students better themselves,” explains Kröber. “It feels rewarding to see them graduate and follow up on their journeys.”
In addition to keeping up with students and alumni, Kröber’s role is multifaceted, to say the least. His days include assisting faculty with class preparation, coordinating coaching and training sessions, and providing support to over 550 MBA candidates. In 2019, he also worked to implement new technologies and create engaging online learning experiences for Clemson’s online MBA community prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tech-wise, we were in an ideal position to adjust to online learning for the 2020 spring, summer and fall semesters,” says Kröber. “Our existing online programs are modeled after an in-person experience that students can attend live like a traditional class. Our faculty have been trained on the new platforms and have full support from our staff, even during live class sessions.”
Dr. Ankita Bakre, an adjunct marketing professor for the MBA program, describes her journey into becoming one of the early professors at Clemson to adapt the online model.
“When we started having discussions in 2019 on teaching online and hybrid classes, I thought ‘I must do it.’ I like to take on a challenge.”
Dr. Bakre explains that incorporating online options in Spring this year has made the transition to e-Learning easy for the Fall 2020 semester.
“The preparedness of the university to move online has been remarkable. Here at Greenville ONE there has been no anxiety about the transition because of Clemson MBA’s early investments in creating the required infrastructure and resources.” She adds, “The training by Clemson Online has been amazing, and Jeremy played a pivotal role in creating a seamless transition from in-person to online teaching for all faculty and students.”
A virtual learning experience does not mean a loss of personal connection at Clemson MBA. Professors like Bakre are coming up with creative ways to not only engage students in online classes but also bring them together in outside discussions through virtual means.
“With these larger online class numbers, I embedded online discussion forums. This allows everyone to have their voice heard, even outside of class time,” says Bakre. “These forums have proven to offer an outlet for more refined thoughts that have been well researched.”
The Clemson MBA Program continually seizes new opportunities to connect students outside of digital classrooms and online forums as well. All services and events are being rolled out digitally, providing professional development and enrichment resources beyond the curriculum. Some of these events have included Innovative Leadership Speaker Series seminars, podcasts, international negotiations workshops and Employer Spotlights, all connecting students across the globe.
“Since we began to explore online education several years ago, our goal was to provide the student with more options to learn and enhanced engagement opportunities,” offered Dr. Greg Pickett, Director of Clemson’s MBA Program and Greenville ONE. “Our whole team has worked hard to make the online experience great for faculty, students and our corporate partners.”
“Clemson’s MBA Program has been one of the early adopters in technology aiding online education and has built capacity to successfully plan content, pedagogy and assessment for online courses,” notes Professor Bakre. “Clemson MBA is future-ready with the mindset to serve and facilitate learning.”
Kröber adds, “we are ready to provide top-notch service to everyone in our Clemson Family.”
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