The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University is proud to launch the Whitman Industry Readiness & Excellence (WIRE) Initiative, an innovative new program that strengthens our commitment to prepare our students for a world of accelerating change. The WIRE initiative helps to encourage students to pursue professional certifications from industry recognized organizations. These certifications offer tangible support and augment our students’ skillsets and abilities—or in other words, industry readiness or evidence of excellence in a particular domain.
“Our development of this program aids to further reinforce our emphasis on the skills needed to be successful in the job market. Acquiring professional certifications from highly recognizable organizations and associations demonstrates students’ readiness for employment and closes the learning curve that they will face on the job,” says Alexander McKelvie, associate dean for undergraduate and master’s education and professor of entrepreneurship. “In turn, this should lead to higher job placement and improved career advancement for our students.”
One component of WIRE is to facilitate the information about the requirements and processes for successfully taking the certification exam. Another is Whitman’s financial support for students to complete the certification, oftentimes costing a few hundred dollars. “We are making it easier, more convenient and more accessible for students to complete these well-known certifications. Research shows that possessing these certifications helps with getting a job and getting promoted,” says McKelvie. “While we are starting with a limited set of certifications, such as Microsoft Excel Expert, Salesforce Administrator, Microsoft Data Associate (Power BI), Google Data Analytics and Tableau, this list will expand over time, in line with hiring trends and industry needs.”
All current Whitman students in good academic standing are eligible to apply to receive funding for completing the certifications, including undergraduates who have declared a major and residential and online MBA and M.S. students. Applications to the WIRE initiative will be considered based on merit and thoroughness of the application, and with a particular emphasis on the placement and advancement opportunities from having the certification. The application can be found here.
The WIRE Initiative is part of the IMPRESS 2.0 Program, funded by Kenneth Goodman ’70.
For more information, please contact WIRE@syr.edu.
Prior to his role as associate dean, he was the Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises (EEE). Since his arrival at Syracuse in 2007, McKelvie has taught a broad array of courses dealing with different aspects of entrepreneurship, including strategic planning, growth, new venture development, family business, and corporate entrepreneurship. He has also taken a leading role in developing and teaching world-class programs, including designing new courses and training programs for Syracuse University’s Institute for Veteran and Military Families.
McKelvie has received teaching awards from Syracuse University, the Whitman School of Management, the EEE department, and his former university in Sweden. In 2020, he was named a Justin Longenecker Fellow from USASBE, the highest honor they provide for contributions to support SMEs. He has worked with many entrepreneurial startups across the US, Sweden, and other places around the world.
His research deals with questions regarding two main areas: how and why do firms grow and how do entrepreneurs make decisions with an emphasis on factors such as opportunities, dealing with uncertainty, effectuation, failure, and addiction. McKelvie’s research has received a number of major international awards, including the best doctoral dissertation in entrepreneurship from the National Federation of Independent Businesses and multiple awards at leading entrepreneurship conferences. McKelvie has published his work in the most influential entrepreneurship journals and he is on the editorial review boards of multiple journals such as Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and Family Business Review. His work has also been profiled in Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Inc. Magazine, among other outlets. He is a Fortune Insider and on the CNBC Disruptor Advisory Council.
- Message from the Dean: Starting the Academic Year with a Full House at Whitman - September 10, 2022
- Alumni Message From Interim Dean McKelvie - July 7, 2022
- Whitman School Launches New Professional Certification Program - February 8, 2022