Staff Spotlight: Meet Libby Shropshier

Name: Libby Shropshier What’s your title? I’m manager of marketing and recruiting for the Professional MBA (PMBA) program in the Moore School of Business. I also coordinate marketing, recruiting, and logistics with our partners at Tec de Monterrey in Guadalajara, Mexico, for the joint Executive IMBA program. How long have you been with the University? Twenty years. I’ve been with the business school the entire time. My first position here was as business manager to a research group doing information management consulting with state agencies. I also worked in the graduate programs area of the business school, managing the assistantship and fellowship programs for about 12 years. I’ve been in my current position for four years. Can you describe what you do as manager of marketing and recruiting? The PMBA program, which was started in 1970, offers students the opportunity to earn an MBA degree while maintaining full-time employment. The PMBA program is broadcast live from the Moore School to more than 20 locations in South Carolina. I am responsible for promotion and student enrollments statewide. What are your duties? We exhibit at trade shows, business expos, and professional conferences/conventions. HR conferences are a very good venue for the PMBA program because, in many cases, employees will go to their HR group to ask about enrolling in an evening MBA. Business expos provide a wide exposure for the program because the exhibitors, as well as the attendees, may be interested in an evening MBA degree. The program also is a member of some chambers of commerce around the state. I attend these chambers’ events because it’s a great way to meet business people in the area. I am the contact for all of our applicants and assist them with the admission process. Who are the students in the program? Our students have an average of six years of work experience. There are about 280 students enrolled in the program from around the state. Our students come from a wide range of industries and positions within those companies. All undergraduate degrees are represented by our students. Some of our students have a science or technical background and want an MBA degree to advance within their company or pursue management opportunities. What do you do with the IMBA program? The Executive IMBA program was launched in August 2004 in partnership with Tec de Monterrey, a well respected university system in Mexico. Classes are held on the Guadalajara campus, and our students are business people who live there. They attend classes every third weekend and are taught by USC and Tec faculty. There also are three weeklong seminars included in the curriculum. I manage the development of the seminars—two are held on our campus and the other abroad. I also oversee the EIMBA admission process. What’s the best part of the job? I’m very much a people oriented person. I enjoy all the trade shows and meeting people. It’s a lot of fun to talk to people about the program. It’s rewarding to work with a prospective student through the admission process and then meet them once they enroll. We have a very interesting, diverse group of students. Any outside interests? I’m very excited that my daughter Ivy has been admitted to the USC School of Nursing next fall. I love to garden and work in the yard year-round. Reading is also a favorite pastime. 2/05