APU’s Business Management Program Prepares Students to be Leaders for the Kingdom in Every Environment

Within the program, students are taught a variety of skills, forming a toolbox with which they can enter a variety of industries. “When people think of business, they think of for-profit ventures, but it's also about nonprofits, government, health care, and education. Every organization is a business to a certain extent,” said Todd Pheifer, EdD, assistant dean and associate professor in the School of Business and Management.  “We study business management to understand a fascinating aspect of the human experience.”

With courses covering networking, collaboration, human resources, accounting, and more, students are encouraged to follow their passions. “Business management is people-focused, centered around managing people and creating productive work environments,” said William Ingersoll, PhD, chair and associate professor in the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship. “It is a great launching point for students to discover more niche passions and pursue those with a strong foundation.” Students learn a variety of different skills that make up a team, and how best to lead each member of the team. “I want to lead any team I serve on as well as I can. This program is broad in a way that leads to being able to lead a diverse team to success,” said Luke Rockney ‘27. Students are encouraged to pursue the niches they are interested in, with an overall emphasis on leadership. 

The skills that business students develop translate to a variety of roles. “Working is so different than being in school. The most important thing I learned at APU was building and maintaining relationships and a network,” said Alyssa Cohen ’19.

Talking with professors, learning how to ask questions and get help, getting to know other students, and working together, that is what you do on a day-to-day basis in the professional world.

Alyssa Cohen

 

Faith integration is an important part of APU’s business management program. Understanding how to lead others with a Christ-like mindset works for the benefit of any working environment. “It can be hard to visualize yourself as the hands and feet of Jesus when all you are doing is tax returns. My professors and I had lots of conversations that helped me understand that these are the skills that God has given me to use well. I am worshipping God with what I do every day,” said Cohen. Business faculty use faith integration to instill in students the importance of bringing glory to God in everyday life. “What makes us distinctive is our worldview. How do we take apart every bit of what we're doing, every process, and learn how Jesus would approach accounting, marketing, or organizational behavior?” said Pheifer. Making Jesus the center of the learning process allows for every conversation, transaction, and lesson to stem from a place of honoring Him. 

With the business industry constantly changing and developing, the faculty at APU continues to bring their expertise to their students. “Our hope as faculty and staff is to not just give people a fixed set of skills, but to give them the ability to adapt, to be curious, and to lean into an attitude of humility,” said Pheifer. “We have amazing faculty who are brilliant, dedicated, and passionate about their field. They are consistently studying the marketplace and working their network, but at the end of the day, love to work with the students and see them grow.” Having working professionals as faculty allows students to gain tools and skills about the current marketplace. They are prepared to enter it by the time they graduate, having strong relationships with professors and fellow students. With workshops like Zuventurez and the Transformative Talks series, students can get connected to top professionals in a number of industries.

If you put yourself out there, networking is a huge opportunity. We are learning from professors who have had massively successful careers and, after decades in the industry, have decided to come pour into students,

Luke Rockney

“Walking into office hours and meeting with professors is a great way to grow and take advantage of their knowledge while you have them, and they are willing to be resources," said Rockney. 

The business management program equips students with the resources they need to be a light in their industry. They receive encouragement from long-time professionals, skills to keep Christ as the foundation of their work, and connections to help them thrive post-graduation. “The hope that we have is to cultivate a curiosity in our students. We want them to be lifelong learners, disciplined in their fields and working towards being a better professional in their industry,” said Pheifer. This program gives students everything they need to succeed and keep changing the business world for the better.