A S S O C I A T E B O A R D

Cox Associate BoardStudent Handbook

Mentoring MBA Students Since 1970

The opportunity to participate in the Cox Associate Board, the executive mentoring program, is a unique advantage the Cox School of Business offers its MBA students. The program is open to all of our MBA students and is one of the distinct reasons that many prospective students become interested in Cox. According to one, “The networking opportunities available through this unique program helped me decide Cox was the school for me”. Cited as one of the most effective mentoring programs of its kind in the country by BusinessWeek, the Cox Associate Board program provides students “real world” perspective in the fast-paced and highly competitive business marketplace. The Board was conceptualized and founded in 1970 by Dr. Bobby B. Lyle and Mr. Ray L. Hunt and has become one of our most important corporate outreach initiatives. It provides a select group of corporate and community leaders the opportunity to participate in the continued development of the school and its students. Mentors provide valuable advice, counsel, direction and assistance through their close business network. The membership of the Cox Associate Board is extremely diverse. Executives from a myriad of privately and publicly-held companies, backgrounds, and every industry, serve as mentors. New students at the Cox School are introduced to the mentor program during their student orientation session. Over the first few weeks of the fall semester, the Office of External Relations (Kevin Knox, Assistant Dean) hosts a series of early morning breakfasts and late afternoon receptions, known as “Meet & Greets.” At each engagement, students and mentors come together to meet and visit with each other and discuss their mutual interests. Once the series of breakfasts and receptions is complete, students may choose or “match” themselves with a mentor for the academic year. The selection process is quick and easy and is determined on a “first come, first served” basis. Each budding student-mentor relationship is unique. Mentors and students may meet individually or in groups at a variety of settings such as lunches, office visits, site tours, and corporate strategy sessions. Mentors give freely of their time and advice, sharing their career experiences. Cox MBA students are encouraged to make the most of these relationship building and networking possibilities. The executives involved in the program truly enjoy the satisfaction of helping to shape the careers of tomorrow’s business leaders and being associated with an outstanding peer group. Kevin L. Knox Assistant Dean - External Relations Executive Director - Cox Alumni Association SMU Cox School of Business 214.768.8338 kknox@mail.cox.smu.edu

COX ASSOCIATE BOARD MENTOR PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

Kevin Knox Assistant Dean – External Relations Executive Director – Cox Alumni Association 214-768-8338 kknox@cox.smu.edu Staff Coordinators: Andrea Smith Mentor Coordinator External Relations 214-768-4266 aesmith@cox.smu.edu

Lanell Wood Student Coordinator External Relations 214-768-3336 llwood@cox.smu.edu

OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

Step 1 Sign up for as many of the Meet and Greets as will fit your schedule. Keep in

mind that all Mentors will not be able to attend all the Meet and Greets. Step 2 Research the mentors on the Cox Associate Board prior to attending any of

the Meet & Greets. (This information is on the Website. There are links to the mentor’s bio, email, and sometimes to the company).

Step 3 Once all the Meet & Greets are over, you will be prompted via email to fill out

the online application and submit it. In order to assist us in your selections you should submit your top 5 choices. The application site is made available a few days after the last Meet and Greet. Assignments are made on a first come first served basis. The earlier you submit your application, the better chances are that you will get your first choice.

Step 4 We notify all students via SMU email address and at the same time we notify

your mentor. The selections will be posted on the Cox Associate Board web page for both students and mentors to view.

Step 5 It is YOUR responsibility to get in touch with your mentor. The Mentor does

not make the first contact. You set up the time and method in which you and your mentor will meet, in person, by phone, or via email. Have an agenda and a plan prepared for your meeting. Once this meeting is set up, please show up on time. Make sure that you have a current resume to submit to your mentor.

Step 6 Throughout the year, especially at the end of the year, write your mentor a

thank you note. Step 7 Next year you have a chance to pick another mentor if you so choose.

(Sometimes the relationship that you have built in the first year will continue throughout your academic career and beyond).

Additional Note: This program is an optional program for you. But once you opt into the process and are assigned a mentor, you are then obligated to participate by contacting your mentor and setting up at least one meeting. If you are having trouble getting in touch with your mentor after emailing and calling several times, please contact Lanell Wood in the External Relations office at llwood@cox.smu.edu or 214-768-3336.

HOW TO ACCESS THE COX ASSOCIATE BOARD WEB SITE Go to http://www.cox.smu.edu/associateboard You will find general information regarding the Cox Associate Board listed here. On the far left hand side there are options for additional information – i.e. events etc. To register to attend events click on the link provided To view the Mentor Listings: Go to http://mbamentors.cox.smu.edu/forstudents/ A security window will pop up -- Enter the following in the login pop-up box:

ID: smucox (lower case) Password: mustangs (lower case)

Information on signing up for a mentor will be announced by email in mid September. Features on the Web Site

Mentor profiles, bios, and pictures Upcoming events Online Registration for events Mentor/student match-ups

You will receive an email when the new mentor/students assignments are finalized in early October

Contact Lanell Wood at llwood@cox.smu.edu or 214-768-3336 with any questions.

COX ASSOCIATE BOARD MENTOR PROGRAM THE CONCEPT

The concept of mentoring has many dimensions – all which can be useful to the person

being mentored and extremely fulfilling for the mentor. Mentoring is a partnership in

which an experienced member of an organization provides information, guidance and

support to a Cox MBA student. We envision the mentoring process as being one where

a mentor is linked with a student to foster their future career development and growth.

A mentor facilitates the student’s personal and professional growth by sharing

knowledge and insights that have been learned through the years.

THE RELATIONSHIP

A mentor is a trusted, experienced counselor or guide, a teacher, coach, motivator,

sponsor, advisor, referral agent, role model and door opener. A mentor is a person who

has a sincere desire to enhance the success of others. A mentor is supportive, patient,

honest, trust-worthy, and an effective communicator.

A Cox MBA student is an achiever – a bright and motivated person who seizes

opportunities to grow and excel by taking responsibility for their own career growth and

development by being honest, open and receptive to the mentor’s guidance.

Ben Franklin perhaps said it best: “He that can’t be counseled can’t be helped.”

Mentoring relationships have been found to be significant factors in career

development, organizational success and career satisfaction. Being mentored can be a

tremendously rewarding experience. As a mentee of the Associate Board, you become

part of an impressive network of business men and women whose involvement offers a

distinct advantage to the Cox MBA degree. Having a mentor can be a critical key to

opening doors for professional and personal growth.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND GUIDELINES

§ Learn as much as you can about the mentors before attending the “Meet & Greets”. (The Cox Associate Board Website is a great place to start.)

§ Attend as many “Meet & Greets” as possible.

§ Once the mentor selections are announced you are expected to contact your new mentor within one week. Remember, your mentor has been told that you will be making the first contact.

§ Before your first meeting, determine what you what to achieve from this relationship and set the agenda. Please see the resources available in this booklet to help you in this process.

§ Show up to your meetings with your mentor on time. Make a great first impression!

§ Write thank you notes to your mentor to show your appreciation for their time commitment to you and the Cox School of Business.

§ Ask your mentor for information, guidance and advice, but please do not ask for a job.

§ If the mentor relationship is not working out, please contact LanellWood at 214-768-3336 or llwood@cox.smu.edu to discuss.

Suggested Activities The following is a list of suggested activities that has been provided to the mentors. If there is an activity that is of particular interest to you, let your mentor know.

Review the student’s resume and make substantive suggestions about how the student might improve their portfolio.

Arrange for the student to do several mock interviews with suitable colleagues within

your organization. Provide the students with specific feedback on how they can “sell” themselves more effectively. See the mock interview evaluation form included in this packet.

Invite the student to attend a critical strategy session or meeting at your organization to

see how it works and how people conduct themselves.

Invite the students to “shadow” you for a day so that he/she can get a feel for how business is conducted.

Invite the student to a social function of the company so the student can expand his/her

knowledge of the company and industry.

Encourage the student to meet with other key senior level managers within your company and assist in arranging those sessions.

Provide networking opportunities with relevant people outside your company.

Conduct an expectations session with the student to discuss his/her short-term and long-

term goals and their viability.

Share your own experiences about climbing the corporate ladder, both the ups and the downs.

Discuss the “culture” of your organization and how that affects the way business is

conducted.

Discuss your company’s problem solving process, how your company manages diversity, or other complex issues.

Discuss important mentor relationships that you have had through the years and how

you have benefited. Further discuss how the student can make the most of his/her mentor relationship with you.

Discuss your company’s overall business plan and what part you play in that mission.

Assess Explore Focus Prepare Execute

MBA Career Development Plan Overview Congratulations on taking your first step to developing your individualized career development plan. This plan is used to increase the probability of obtaining satisfying, rewarding employment (as you define it) upon graduation. Listed below you will find five career development stages and the goals to achieve in each stage. Suggestions on how to utilize the expertise of your Associate Board Mentor in each stage are also listed. 1. Self Assessment

Document, evaluate, and understand personal career, personality, interests, values, skills, and life-style information and preferences.

Determine your personal definition of success. Cox Associate Board (Mentor may review student’s vocational tests to better

understand student’s career goals). 2. Career Exploration

Determine career path options that are of interest based upon the personal preferences and characteristics outlined in Stage I.

Cox Associate Board (Mentor may disseminate information to student regarding compatible career options through personal experience, referrals to colleagues, library materials, Web site resources, etc.).

3. Career Focus

Determine a manageable number of career paths to pursue based on your personal assessment and career exploration results as you prepare for your internship search.

Cox Associate Board (Mentor may assist student to make an informed career choice by fully exploring compatible career options).

4. Job Search Strategy & Preparation

Formulate a job search plan and process management system. Hone skills needed for the job search process. Cox Associate Board (Mentor may help student develop an action plan to achieve

desired career goals through networking, referrals, recommendations, letters of introduction, etc.).

5. Job Search Launch & Execution

Begin achieving your new career goals via placement in a challenging, MBA level position.

Cox Associate Board (Mentor may offer student resume, cover letter, interviewing, job search tips and advice to help student become a more competitive candidate).

6 � www.cox.smu.edu

With so much change and innovation occurring in the world ofnetworking, it’s easy to lose sight of the fundamental characteristicsof a network. Following are the key features that deliver real valueto members:

• A close-knit community of individuals who share com-mon interests such as a love for their alma mater, abelief in the importance of education, and a desire tocontinuously improve the value of their degree.

• Multiple channels for members to interact with eachother, including formal (speaker series) and informal(social gatherings) as well as face-to-face (alumnireceptions) and electronic (online network).

• Lifelong opportunities for students and alumni to takebenefit from the network (such as mentoringprograms or online job postings) as well as opportuni-ties for alumni and friends to give back to the school(through teaching, serving as mentors or lecturers, orannual giving).

From our humble beginnings as the SMU Department of Com-merce more than eight decades ago, the Cox School has built a mul-tifaceted network that delivers these key features and more. Today,our network consists of faculty and staff, alumni, executive men-tors, corporate partners, parents of students and alumni, friendsof the school, and members of the extended SMU community—inDallas, throughout the United States, and around the world. Bycombining global reach with local touch, our network distinguishesitself from other schools’ and enables us to provide lifelong valueto members of the Cox community.

What follows is a series of snapshots illustrating how members ofthe Cox community participate in our network. �

The Cox Networkin Action

Our people make it happen

The term networking first appeared in the Eng-lish language in the mid-1500s to describe the wayfishermen used nets to catch fish. Since that time, it

has evolved to take on myriad meanings, most of whichhave to do with improving communications among geo-graphically dispersed people.

In May 1844, for example, Samuel Morse strung a 40-mile electric wire between Washington, D.C. and Balti-more, creating the first telegraph network. In 1922,AT&T developed the first radio network consisting offour stations, followed in 1946 by the first television net-work, the DuMont network. By that time, a handful ofeastern business schools had begun touting the value oftheir alumni networks to differentiate themselves fromthe competition.

Today, business schools are focused more intently thanever on delivering value through their networks. Manyschools have expanded their curriculum to include a classor two on networking as it relates to searching for jobs.Some hold annual global alumni conferences to bringtogether alumni from all over the world to discuss busi-ness issues and reconnect with each other. In the past fewyears, schools have started investing more of their timeand resources in online alumni networks that enable grad-uates to schedule class reunions, submit electronic classnotes, and update their contact information from the con-venience of their own homes or anywhere else they haveInternet access.

net-work n (1560) 1: a fabric or structure of cords or wires that cross at regular intervals and are knotted or secured at the crossings.

� 7www.cox.smu.edu

WHEN IT COMES to leveraging the Cox

network, Chris Hanna (MBA ’02) is a

seasoned expert. He entered the Cox

MBA program with the goal of eventually starting his own busi-

ness, and today, thanks to the guidance and support of his Cox

professors and mentor, he’s well on his way.

“Early in my MBA program,” Hanna recalled, “I started par-

ticipating in the Associate Board executive mentoring program.

That’s where I established a relationship with my mentor Phil

Guthrie, CEO of Denham Partners LLC, a private investment

company. I graduated from Cox more than three years ago, but

Phil continues to find time in his busy schedule to meet with me,

answer my questions, and offer valuable advice. I benefit from his

business acumen and experience every day.”

After finishing the core classes in his MBA program, Hanna

enrolled in John Terry’s Starting A Business course, where he for-

mulated the idea for a new business called the Texas Whitewa-

ter Stadium. For the remainder of his MBA studies, Hanna

viewed each subsequent class through the eyes of an entrepre-

neur. “I asked myself, ‘How can this particular class help me

improve my business plan?’” he noted. “I also continually

bounced ideas about my business plan off of Professor Terry

Chris Hanna (MBA ’02)

C o x N e t w o r k C o n t i n u u m : D e l i v e r i n g L i f e l o n g V a l u e

Leveraging theNetwork:Chris Hanna (MBA ’02) Works with His Mentor to Achieve Professional Dreams

Newborn child receives Cox baby bib from parents

Middle school student attends a Cox Dean’sTailgate with his parents before a home SMUfootball game

High school sophomore participates in the Cox-sponsored NABA Accounting Careers AwarenessProgram on the SMU campus

C o x N e t w o r k C o n t i n u u m : D e l i v e r i n g L i f e l o n g V a l u e

High school senior/BBA prospect attends aCox reception for parents, prospects, andalumni at the house of a Cox alumnus

BBA Business Scholar attends the fall kickoff recep-tion, where he meets Dean Niemi, Mr. Ed Cox, andother Cox Executive Board members

BBA junior has first one-on-onemeeting with her Business Associ-ates Program mentor

and Phil Guthrie, and they provided valuable input.”

During the final year of his MBA program, Hanna presented the

plan for Texas Whitewater Stadium at the 2003 SMU Cox Business

Plan Competition… and won. SMU then sponsored his plan in the

2003 Rice University National Business Plan Competition, where

he placed sixth, ahead of MBA students from Carnegie Mellon,

Duke, Stanford, and Yale.

After graduating from Cox, Hanna spent two years working at

Lexmark International, where he was named Consultant of the

Year and received the company’s prestigious Diamond Award for

excellence. Despite his success at Lexmark, he kept his entrepre-

neurial drive alive.

Then in early 2005, Guthrie mentioned to Hanna a new medical

device manufacturing company called Neuro Resource Group

(NRG), where Guthrie serves on the board. NRG had begun its

operations in May 2004 with $6 million in private startup capital,

but the company needed to raise an additional $10 million through

institutional investors. To accomplish that, NRG was looking for an

experienced business person with the unique talent of being able

“Thanks to my Cox MBA and the guidance and support of Professor Terry andmy mentor Phil Guthrie, I am now well on my way to gaining the necessaryexperience to start my own business one day.”

— Chris Hanna (MBA ’02)

to write a compelling business plan. Through Guthrie, Hanna con-

tacted the NRG leadership team and impressed them so much that

they hired him as their 20th full-time employee.

“NRG’s CEO Tommy Thompson, COO Dave Turner, and I

worked together through the summer of 2005, writing the business

plan, private placement memorandum, and investor presentation,”

Hanna said. “We expect to complete our final $10 million in invest-

ment funds in early 2006, and should reach positive cash flow from

operations in early 2007.”

In addition to managing the company’s information technology,

product manufacturing, and medical reimbursement activities,

Hanna is working with Guthrie to develop the business plan for a

medical device distribution company in Latin America that will dis-

tribute the NRG product line.

“Thanks to my Cox MBA and the guidance and support of Pro-

fessor Terry and my mentor Phil Guthrie, I am now well on my

way to gaining the necessary experience to start my own business

one day,” Hanna said. �

� 9www.cox.smu.edu

When it comes to mentoring students, the Cox School is fortunate to be located in

one of the world’s great centers for business. But the Dallas/Fort Worth area’s size—

it’s the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States with more than 5.8 million res-

idents—can be intimidating.

“Dallas is a big place, and if a student comes to the city without any business contacts at all, he or she

could easily get lost,” said Dr. Bobby Lyle, former acting dean and executive dean at the Cox School

and a current member of the Cox Executive Board.

To help address this problem, Lyle and Ray Hunt created an executive mentoring program called

the Associate Board in 1970 as a way to match Cox MBA students in one-on-one mentoring relation-

ships with executives from the DFW area. In this unique program, students and mentors decide how

they want to structure the relationship, how often they should meet, and what they hope to gain from

the relationship. Today, the Associate Board, chaired by Lyle, is one of the key value-added pro-

grams that attract MBA students to the Cox School.

In 1989, Eric Ferris (BBA ’88) launched a similar mentoring program for Cox BBAs called the

Business Associate Program (BAP), modeled after the Associate Board. Ten years later, Rod Riggins

(MBA ’79) and John Kiser (MBA ’97), one of the many students Lyle has mentored over the years,

decided to enhance the BAP.

Kiser and Riggins created additional networking opportunities, training, and events for students and

mentors. “Most BBAs have not yet started a career, and many haven’t decided what career path is right

for them,” said Kiser. “They’re still trying to figure out what business strengths they possess, and

how to apply those strengths toward a position they’ll enjoy. Meeting with a mentor at his or her

office puts students in a business environment where they can learn, practice, and make mistakes. As

a result, they’re better prepared for job interviews and the demands of the workplace.”

Today, more than 250 executives participate in the school’s Associate Board and Business Associates

Program, representing small to large companies and the full spectrum of business functions in every

major industry throughout DFW. �

Pioneering MentoringPrograms Continue to Flourish at Cox

Pioneering MentoringPrograms Continue to Flourish at Cox

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IN SOME RESPECTS, the different elements of a business

school network—the faculty and staff, geographically dis-

persed alumni, local mentors, corporate partners, and friends

of the school—are like spokes on a wheel. These resources

branch out from a student to enrich his or her academic and pro-

fessional life, helping things “roll” more smoothly. While each

spoke can provide significant value

on its own, when they work

together, the results can be greater

than the sum of the individual parts.

Over the past 18 months, different

elements of the Cox network have

come together to enhance the

school’s MBA Global Programs.

Since 2003, Cox Director of MBA

Global Programs Linda Kao (BBA

’78) had entertained the idea of expanding the school’s interna-

tional programs to India. But the idea didn’t find legs until early in

2005, when Kao began to orchestrate a collaborative effort aimed

at achieving two objectives:

• Taking Cox full-time MBA students to India as a fourth

destination for the American Airlines Global Leadership

Program (AAGLP).

• Forging a partnership with the Indian School of Business

(ISB) in Hyderabad that would allow Cox professional

MBA students to participate in an intensive academic pro-

gram at ISB over the summer.

“Our many con-nections aroundthe world allow usto tap into thehighest levels ofpolitical and busi-ness leadership.”

— Linda Kao (BBA ’78)

Kao initially contacted Rakesh Mittal, the father of a first-year

Cox MBA student. Mittal is vice chairman of Bharti/Airtel, India’s

leading provider of telecommunications services, and serves on the

SMU International Parents Board. He was interested in the idea

and put Kao in touch with several of his business colleagues in India.

In her effort to identify companies that might be interested in

hosting Cox MBAs on the AAGLP, Kao also tapped into several

alumni, including Rosevinder (Rose) Kaur (MBA ’05), assistant

brand manager at Frito Lay North America; Aakash Moondhra

(MBA ’03), general manager of strategic planning and executive

assistant to the founder, chairman, and managing director of the

Bharti Group; and Arun Subramian (MBA ’01), strategic pro-

grams manager for Intel’s Emerging Markets Platforms Group.

Meanwhile, Cox Accounting Professor Hemang Desai, a native

of Mumbai, India, contacted a former colleague at ISB to discuss

the possibility of establishing the summer-study program for

PMBA students. Desai’s contact was receptive to the idea, and he

initiated discussions with administrators at ISB to explore the

potential curriculum, logistics, and cost of the program.

By June 2005, Kao had piqued the interest of a number of com-

panies. One month later, she and Desai were on the ground in

India meeting with representatives of those companies. In August

2005, having secured a sufficient number of commitments, Kao

announced India as a new AAGLP destination to the incoming

class of full-time MBAs. For the next six months, Kao and her

team finalized logistics for the trip, including hotel and flight

Harnessing the Network:

Linda Kao (BBA ’78) Leads a Collaborative Effort to Pave the Road to India

� 11www.cox.smu.edu

arrangements as well as language and culture classes for the stu-

dents and faculty who would travel to India.

Today, the school is poised to reap the rewards of this collabo-

rative effort. In May, a group of 15 MBAs and two faculty mem-

bers participating in the AAGLP will visit several companies and

dignitaries in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai, including Infosys,

Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Bharti/Airtel, Maruti (India’s

largest car manufacturer), Governor of Maharashtra Somanahally

Malliah Krishna (SMU LL.M. ’59), and the former Honorable

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mani Shankar Aiyar,

whose nephew, Kartik Pashupati, is an assistant professor of

advertising at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts and helped

arrange the visit with his uncle.

In July, the school will launch a pilot program allowing Cox

PMBAs to travel to India for 10 days of intensive study that will

take place primarily at ISB in Hyderabad.

“Cox’s MBA Global Programs would not be as diverse or as

valuable without the help of so many members of the school’s

network,” Kao commented. “Our many connections around the

world allow us to tap into the highest levels of political and busi-

ness leadership. The result for our students is an educational

experience that’s unmatched by any other school.” �

Linda Kao (BBA ’78)

Ranked #1 for Potential to Network In 2005, The Economist ranked Cox #1 in the UnitedStates and #7 in the world for “Potential for Network.”Cox was one of only two U.S. business schools rankedamong the top 10 programs in the category. This rankingconsists of three indicators:

• Breadth of alumni network (Ratio of alumni to current students).

• Internationalism of alumni (Ratio of students to overseas alumni branches).

• Alumni effectiveness (Student assessment of alumni network).

C o x N e t w o r k C o n t i n u u m : D e l i v e r i n g L i f e l o n g V a l u e

BBA junior participates in a Career Services workshop on networking

BBA senior surfs the Cox online alumni net-work to contact alumni for informationalinterviews

BBA alumna decides to pursue herMBA at Cox

C o x N e t w o r k C o n t i n u u m : D e l i v e r i n g L i f e l o n g V a l u e

MBA alumnus returns to Cox to repre-sent his company at an on-campusrecruiting event

PMBA alumnus becomes a BLC instructor aswell as a mentor for the Cox MBA AssociateBoard executive mentoring program

EMBA alumna works with Cox ExecutiveEducation to develop custom program forher company’s leadership team

ONE OF THE BENEFITS of cultivating a strong

network is the positive, far-reaching impact it

has on graduates. Often, the value the network

offers to students comes back to the school multiplied through the

myriad contributions those same individuals make as alumni. Ellen

Castro, a two-time Cox graduate and Business Leadership Center

instructor, exemplifies this boomerang effect.

“Anything you give to SMU and the Cox School, you get back

tenfold,” said Castro. “To me, SMU is home. It’s always there for

you, and it is customizable to your needs.”

As an undergraduate at SMU, Castro participated in a number

of extracurricular activities, serving as vice president of her soror-

ity, a sophomore advisor, and residential assistant of her dorm,

McElvaney Hall. She was also selected to join Mortar Board, an

honor society for high academic achievement; Beta Gamma Sigma,

the business honor society; and Kirkos, also known as “The

Friendly 40.”

After receiving her BBA in three and a half years, Castro worked

as a supervisor at Southwestern Bell for eight months before decid-

ing to pursue her MBA at Cox, where she received a scholarship

and an assistantship with a finance professor.

“In addition to equipping me with all the essential business

tools, the Cox School helped me gain self confidence by building

Benefiting from the Boomerang Effect:

Ellen Castro (BBA ’73, MBA ’75) Continues to Find Ways to Give Back

Ellen Castro (BBA ’73, MBA ’75)

� 13www.cox.smu.edu

changing competitive environment.

Despite her busy schedule, Castro makes time to serve as an

instructor in the Cox Business Leadership Center, where she has

developed and presented three courses, including Motivating Self

and Others to Excel and Team Building through Effective Communications.

Castro says she loves teaching because it allows her to regroup

her thoughts and learn continuously. She finds MBAs to be her

toughest audience. “After being in front of them, I can stand in

front of anyone and present with ease,” she said.

In addition, Castro serves on the Cox Associate Board and the

Business Associates Program. She formerly served as the commu-

nications chair for the Cox Alumni Association.

Castro attributes her connections to the Cox School for estab-

lishing five of her closest friendships: Bill Linburg (BBA ’74, MBA

’76), whom she met during her first week as an undergraduate;

Roxann Garcia (SMU MLA ’89), a former staff member at the

school; Julie Hamrick (MBA ’85); Paula Strasser, director of the

Cox Business Leadership Center; and Inna Kizenkova (MBA ’02),

whom she mentored through the Associate Board.

“The relationships I have built with people at SMU and Cox

have truly been an inspiration and a blessing to me,” Castro said.

“From the students and alumni to the top-notch faculty and staff,

it is the personal touch that makes the university and business

school so special.” �

my sense of teamwork and emotional intelligence,” she said.

“What’s more, having an MBA from Cox adds credibility to all

my professional endeavors.”

With her MBA in hand, Castro began an 11-year career at Exxon

that included five different assignments. By the age of 29, she was

managing a $90 million profit center with 500 employees and 55

service stations. She was the first female sales manager to achieve

such success at the energy giant, but despite this accomplishment

Castro says she hit the glass ceiling. “It was the early 1980s,” she

noted, “and business opportunities for women were not what they

are today. I was also interested in organizational management and

leadership development at that time.” So she enrolled in a Master’s in

Education program at Harvard.

After earning her degree at Harvard, Castro was ready to come

home, back to Dallas. She is currently a motivational speaker and

consultant who travels nationally and internationally, sharing her

unique insights on the virtues of trust, credibility, leadership,

engaging communications, and human potential in today’s world.

She has inspired thousands of people through her speaking and

consulting engagements, and reached millions through her televi-

sion and radio appearances and writings. Her bestselling book

Spirited Leadership… 52 Ways to Build Trust on the Job has been used

by business leaders to revitalize their organizations in today’s ever-

“Anything you give to SMU and the Cox School, you get back tenfold.”— Ellen Castro (BBA ’73, MBA ’75)