NEWS OF NOTE

IEMBA - Jamaica continues to prepare students for role in the global workplace.

Members of the fifth cohort of the International Executive MBA
(IEMBA) – Jamaica graduated on June 12, 2005, at a ceremony
in New Kingston, attended by eighteen of the students, including
Susanne Lyon, second row, second from left.

Fifteen years after completing her undergraduate degree in urban estate management in London, Susanne Lyon is delighted to now have her Executive MBA in hand. She was one of 25 students to graduate this summer from the lnternational Executive MBA—Jamaica (IEMBA) as a member of the fifth cohort. She chose the program because of its flexible fee payments and schedule and its up-to-date lectures.

"I enjoyed the exposure we got to current thoughts, the student-centered approach, and the access to abundant material and resources to enhance our learning experience," said Lyon, who plans to come to the United States. "I can look ahead to this move with confidence because of my qualification from FIU. It's great."

At the June 1 graduation ceremony of the IEMBA – Jamaica,
Jeremy Richards received the Academic Award of Excellence
for the highest GPA in the cohort—a 3.89. He is pictured with
José de la Torre, Chapman Graduate School Dean; Flavia Iuspa,
program manager of the College's Global Programs Office; and
Donald Roomes, academic director of the IEMBA – Jamaica.

She credits the program with sharpening her professional skills at work and as a teacher.

"The IEMBA gives me more credibility and confidence in my management decisions and directions," she said. "I'm pleasantly surprised to find that activities and initiatives that I now pursue instinctively align with management and operational directions used by CEOs of Fortune 500 organizations. Also, I lecture part-time at the University of Technology, Jamaica, and the IEMBA has enhanced that experience."

Since its launch in 1999, the International Executive MBA— Jamaica has enabled 116 working business professionals to earn an MBA without interrupting their careers. The eighteen-month, lock-step program is a collaborative effort between the College of Business Administration at Florida International University and the University of the Caribbean (UCC) in Kingston.

Harry Smith, commercial director of Digicel Jamaica, the country's largest mobile service provider, was the commencement speaker. Flavia Iuspa, program manager of the College's Global Programs Office; Donald Roomes, academic director; José de la Torre, Chapman Graduate School Dean; and Deanne Butchey, visiting instructor, Department of Finance, participated in the ceremony, which took place at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston.