MBA for Indian students

M.B.A. helps students give back to their tribes

Entrepreneurship emphasizes business development on reservationsFederally enrolled Native American students are being given an opportunity to give back to their tribes through the Master's in Business Administration with an emphasis in American Indian Entrepreneurship. The program is the only program in the country specifically for Native American MBA students.

"The program really focuses on stimulating the development of small businesses on the reservations," said Stacey Chatman, manager of the AIE program. "It's a chance for faculty at tribal colleges to give back to their students and to prepare leaders to effectively manage and support business on the reservations."And:It is a three-year program, in which the students come to Gonzaga's campus during the summer for a series of classes and take their fall and spring classes on the Internet. These classes include Tribal Leadership, Legal Environment, Small Business Consulting and Team Building and Leadership.

Graduates of the program are working on giving back to their communities. They take the skills they have learned and apply them to their work. Some use their skills in the classes they teach at tribal colleges and others in the businesses they work in. Ninety percent of AIE alumni have received pay increases or promotions.